English Settlement

by XTC

English Settlement cover art

As XTC's first double album, 'English Settlement' marked a significant turn towards a more pastoral and intricate sound, deliberately crafted by the band and co-producer Hugh Padgham to be less suited for live performance. The arrangements foreground acoustic and 12-string electric guitars, fretless bass, and complex, layered rhythms, while lyrically shifting to address broader social issues like economic anxiety and political violence. This pivotal release was the band's commercial peak in the UK, yet the cancellation of its supporting tour due to Andy Partridge's health struggles permanently established XTC as a studio-only project.

Genres

  • Pop Rock
  • New Wave
  • Art Rock

Tracklist

  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