XTC Reel by Real: XTC: English Settlement

			The Album The Songs Recording Info Reviews Discographical Info Tour Programme The Singles Art

English Settlement (1982 Virgin). Released as a double album, this is XTC at the height of their powers. A stylistic triumph, where country/folk cheerfully rubs shoulders with anthemic pop.

Andy: “I gave away my acoustic guitar in a TV contest and had to buy a new one, suddenly all these new tunes flowed out! Colin gets fretless, Dave goes 12-string, Terry still ‘just 'its 'em’. This 15-track warehouse of songs sounds expansive, fresh, unfinished and vast. It was to become many people's favourite XTC album.”

Andy: “Why don't we make an album we don't have to reproduce on stage? We can use acoustic instruments, we can overdub keyboards, we can use pianos. . . The first of the multi-coloured records.”

Lyrics, Charts and More

1. Runaways
2. Ball and Chain
3. Senses Working Overtime
4. Jason and the Argonauts
5. No Thugs in Our House
6. Yacht Dance
7. All of a Sudden (It's Too Late)
8. Melt the Guns
9. Leisure
10. It's Nearly Africa
11. Knuckle Down
12. Fly on the Wall
13. Down in the Cockpit
14. English Roundabout
15. Snowman

Recording Information

Recorded and mixed between 5 October and mid-November 1981 at The Manor, Oxfordshire, England.
Produced and mixed by Hugh Padgham and XTC.
Engineered by Hugh Padgham. Assisted by Howard Gray.
Originally released on 12 February 1982 in the U.K.
Reached No. 5 on the U.K. album chart.
Reached No. 48 on the Billboard album chart in the U.S.A.

Progressive Media, April 26, 1982:

English Settlement, Number 1, Progressive Radio Album
XTC, Number 12, Commercial Radio Airplay
XTC, Number 1, College / Non-Commercial Airplay
XTC English Settlement, Number 1, Reporters' Picks
XTC "Senses Working Overtime", Number 2, Stand-Out Cuts
XTC "Runaways", Number 20, Stand-Out Cuts
XTC English Settlement, Number 1, In-Store Play
XTC, Number 4, Audience Response (most requested)
XTC English Settlement, Number 2, Imports
XTC English Settlement, Number 9, Progressive Retail Album

andy - vocals, guitars, alto sax, mini-korg, backing vocals, anklung, percussion, frog
colin - vocals, bass guitars
dave - guitars, mini-korg, prophet V, percussion, piano, backing vocals
terry - drums, percussion, drum synthesiser, backing vocals
hans de vente - special guest vocal support

Singles

Senses Working Overtime	Ball and Chain	Blame the Weather (magazine promo flexi)
No Thugs In Our House

Art

English Settlement ltd. ed. CD cover	English Settlement cassette cover (Geffen USA)	cover of the Geffen USA English Settlement cassette
cover of the Japanese English Settlement CD	English Settlement Caroline 2001 CD cover	English Settlement Caroline 2001 CD cover
back cover of the Epic USA English Settlement LP	J-card of the Mexican English Settlement cassette	English Settlement Italian cassette cover
Canadian English Settlement LP cover	liner notes from Geffen USA English Settlement cassette	Andy Partridge from English Settlement liner
Colin Moulding from English Settlement liner	Dave Gregory from English Settlement liner	Terry Chambers from English Settlement liner
XTC from English Settlement inner sleeve	part of the lyrics insert for the Japanese CD of english Settlement	English Settlement promo photo
English Settlement Tour Programme	English Settlement sticker	the English Settlement promotional key ring and bottle opener
a promotional t-shirt	the jacket worn on stage by Andy Partridge during the English Settlement tour	English Settlement promo poster from Epic Records USA
English Settlement promotional poster	US trade advertisement for English Settlement	English Settlement Epic Records half-page ad
full page Virgin Records English Settlement advert	English Settlement Vol. 2 pirate cassette tape from Saudi Arabia

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