English Settlement [Import, Limited Edition, Original recording remastered]

XTC | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 3, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Limited Edition, Original recording remastered
• Label: EMI
• ASIN: B00005ATE7
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #823,543 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

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

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good way to make a CD version of a great LP: Shrink it., June 17, 2001

By 

Phylo Brag (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: English Settlement (Audio CD)

Yes, this is really just your old LP version of XTC's English Settlement but much smaller and sounds much better than the previous CD releases of it. The sound and the cute little inserts of the *original* inserts with tiny writing (and a cute little booklet with japanese lyrics) are the only reasons to get this import. Most importantly: IF YOU DON'T HAVE THIS ALBUM ON CD, IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO GET THIS IMPORT. THE OTHER US RELEASE SOUNDS LIKE ... Least importantly: "Leisure" and "Fly on the Wall" are still really enjoyable songs and the album wouldn't work well without them. Anyway this import is like a classic Hitchcock film finally available in THX. Got me?

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Xtc album has a bit of filler, May 4, 2001

By 

WTDK "If at first the idea is not absurd, the... (My Little Blue Window, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: English Settlement (Audio CD)

Although not the band's finest album, English Settlement has highlights that are among the strongest this band ever produced. The main flaw with ES (and I should state for the record that, despite its flaws, it's my favorite Xtc album)is too much filler. Fly on the Wall and Leisure have no business on this album. They would make fine b sides but can't match No Thugs in Our House or Snowman for sheer depth and creativity.

This Japanese reissue has terrific sound (courstey of remastering engineer Ian Cooper)and reproduces the original album graphics perfectly (right down to the embossed cover). The inner sleeves are faithfully reproduced (including lyrics in English). This edition also includes a separate sheet with lyrics in both Japanese and English.

This album marked the end of the rough and tumble sound of Xtc. The next album Mummer would go for texture over substance. While that album has its merits (including the acidic Funk Pop a Roll and pastoral Love on a Farm Boy's Wages), it was a bit of a let down after this edgy, satire laced classic.

5.0 out of 5 stars The best of the touring bands work, April 11, 2006

By 

Chet Fakir (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

This review is from: English Settlement (Audio CD)

This is the culmination of all the work XTC put in on the road and studio as a touring band before they became Andy, Colin and Gregsy's studio project. At the time of English Settlement XTC were completely in sync with one another musically, and the result is this brilliant album. Because the band was still playing live, the overdubs are kept to a minimum in order to accomodate live performance. So no endless string orchestrations and such. The economy of sound actually serves to make English Settlement that much stronger and tauter an album. In other words, it rocks. Musically XTC were such an original band. Terry Chambers deceptively simple thud, whack drumming is instanly recognizable and PERFECT. After he left their sound changed quite a bit. Dave Gregory's guitar and keyboards are impeccable, hell everyone is excellent and the songwriting is some of the best Partridge and Colin Moulding would do. Unfortunately soon after it's release Andy Partridge suffered crippling stage fright partially brought on by bussiness pressures and XTC never toured again, in store gigs notwithstanding. Terry Chambers quit and the "classic" XTC period was over. On subsequent albums their sound would change quite a bit and not all of it for the better. The third of the classic XTC records: Drums And Wires, Black Sea and English Settlement.