Way back in my youth I was introduced to lots of different music by my peers, there was such a varied
amount of sounds in the early eighties that we were spoiled for choice and as such, my tastes became
eclectic.
One minute I would be listening to Michael Jackson, the next I would be rocking along with Queen or
Led Zeppelin. There was also a huge live music culture in the west coast of Scotland, a healthy part of
that was focused in my area and I was a regular at all the local live venues to hear my favourite local
bands.
Whilst roadying for a mates big brothers band I heard them playing a tape of a band called XTC, I was
Immediately captured by their middle English pop sound, they seemed to offer something just that wee bit different from everything else and I was hooked from that moment.

English Settlement is one of these rare albums that still sound brilliant over twenty years from its original
release.

At the release of this album XTC consisted of

Andy Partridge - Vocals, guitar, alto sax, backing vocals and percussion.
Colin Moulding - Vocals, bass guitars
Dave Gregory - Guitars, piano, backing vocals.
Terry Chambers - Drums, drum machines, percussion and backing vocals.

Track one is "Runaways", a Colin Moulding composition.

Runaways is basically a song about runaways (there's a shock!), the sound of this track is hard to describe,
it's basically a simple pop song with muted semi acoustic rhythm and slightly distorted vocals. Colin sings this one and gives it a bit of atmosphere and feeling, lots of whispering towards the end as it fades.
I like this track a lot, it really sets the tone for what is to come.

Track two is "Ball and Chain?, another Moulding composition.

This is was a minor hit for XTC.
The track starts with plenty of big drumbeats and once again, Colin provides the voice. As with most of the album you get a distinctly "green" feeling with this track. The lyrics are cleverly constructed and the anthemic chorus "Save us from the ball and chains" will get you singing along in no time.

Track three is "Senses working overtime", the first Andy Partridge composition of the album.

Another simple pop song with Andy?s distinctively strained vocals delivering classic melodic pop to the ear.
The repetitive drumbeat really gets your head nodding and the brilliant chorus line is one the best on the album.
Senses was another single release from the album and if memory serves me well it did marginally better than
Ball and Chain.

Track four is "Jason and the Argonauts. Andy Partridge.

This is probably one of the weakest tracks on the album, on saying that it is still a great album track and is not a weak song in its self.
The song is really a social commentary on urban life, materialistic murdering "Manimals", a bit preachy but still very much an XTC sound.

Track five is the brilliant "No thugs in our house". Andy Partridge.

Starts with Andy hurting his throat with a loud growl and rapidly soars into one of my Favourite tracks.
"The insect headed worker wife hangs her waspies on the line, her husband burns his paper, sucks his pipe while studying their cushion floor"
Another social comment by Andy on the injustices of the haves and have nots, a song about one law for the English and another for the ethnic minorities. Sadly a reflection still very much in the forefront of today?s headlines.

Track six. "Yacht dance". another by Andy.

I like this track, it's a simple little love song with a nice feel to it. Mainly acoustic with a muted drum beat it's easy listening and not out of place.

Track seven "All of a sudden (it's too late)". Andy yet again.

A synchronized drum and lead guitar intro starts possibly the blandest song on the album. The song starts off well enough but does begin to drag a bit, it almost feels like a Monday morning before the coffee has kicked in kind of song.
The chorus is repetitive, Andy's vocals sound lazy and forced and the song is only saved by the lyrics.

Track eight "Melt the guns" Andy.

This redeems the album from the previous track.
Lots of "whoops and woo's" to kick it off.
As the title suggests it's an anti war song, simply constructed with a powerful message.
Musically it relies heavily on a repeated drum beat with an acoustic accompaniment, there's a wee rant in the middle and it's not the easiest song to sing along with.

Track nine "Leisure". Andy (give Colin another go will you!)

This is Andy's take on technology undermining the right to work.
"Instead of a lathe I busy my fingers nowadays, by scoring goals with the gentlest twitch".
Andy plays lead guitar on this track but to be honest you barely hear it, again the drums are the most distinct sound. Lyrically it's spot on and after a few listens it is a grower.

Track ten "It's nearly Africa" Andy

Lots of chanting and bongo type drum beats make this a complete change of direction from earlier tracks. A more up beat track this will get your head nodding to the beat again.
Basically Andy is saying "Take it easy you guys", almost as if all the anarchy and drug problems are going destroy civilization as we know it.
I really like this one, it is pop ala XTC at its best, they really were not afraid to be just a little different from the rest.

Track eleven "Knuckle down" Andy (again....sigh)

A slightly reggae beat to this one makes a nice change.
In this song Andy wants us all (everyone in the world that is), to put aside our differences, be they skin colour, politics, whatever! and love each other as being part of the same human race. Commendable, if naive sentiments.
For possibly the first time the drumming is more free in this one and not as repetitive as in earlier tracks.

Track twelve. "Fly on the wall" Colin Moulding (Yay!)

A synthesizer takes pride of place alongside the drum beat on this track. This has a quirky feel to it with the synth trying to give an impression of a fly. The vocals have been played about with too, Colin sounds like he is singing through a tin can and string
telephone.
"I see the mother, beating the babe, I see the money, the pennies you save, stored on computer from birth to the grave, the fly on the wall, he's seeing it all".
Great lyrics again (I like Colins lyrics and think he's the better song writer), possibly the best Moulding track on English settlement.

Track thirteen. "Down in the cockpit" back to Andy.

The rhythm guitar comes into it's own here, a track I still have not made my mind up about, despite having listened to it hundreds of times!
Andy just seems to have lost the plot here, lots of chanting again and repeated hooks.

Track fourteen. "English roundabout" Colin.

This is Colin commenting on the hustle and rush of life.
Musically it has few redeeming moments, the drum beat being annoying and repetitive, as is the chorus.
Not Colin at his best though I must say that I still like this song, it does grow on you and has enough quirky guitar licks to make it at least interesting.

Track fifteen. "Snowman". Andy gets the last word.

The intro to this is very like the start of the Halloween film, very tinkly and spooky, it soon builds up to another Partridge roar. Another lost love track makes me wonder if Andy has ever had a smooth ride in the love stakes.
All in all this is a great way to end an altogether incredible album, almost as if they had saved the best until last.

Give them a try if you have never listened before, you may be surprised by how catchy a lot of their tunes are.
XTC will always remain on of the favourite bands of my youth, a lot of memories are associated with their music for me and maybe that has a lot to do with what music is all about.

(word seems to have buggered up the layout of this opinion, I have tried to fix it but lack the technical know how to do it properly :( , so please don't shout at me )