The year 1982 was a major turning point for idiosyncratic British popsters XTC, what with lead singer and songwriter Andy Partridge developing serious mental health issues, which led eventually to him collapsing on stage, and swearing off touring altogether. But here’s the silver lining. Transformed into a strictly studio project for the next couple of decades, the band, much like The Beatles before them, grew tremendously in stature. Andy’s creativity got a good shot in the arm, and delivered from the vagaries of life on the road, his songwriting matured, to produce albums progressively more intricate and impressive.

This is not to say the album they released that year, their fifth, was significantly lesser in any way. It was an ambitious outing, with 15 songs spread over two discs; ‘English Settlement’ already found the band much removed from their frenetic punk-pop roots of the late 70s. A few scattered remnants of that earlier sound aside, much of the material here is far more somber lyrically at least, though there is still sufficient bounce music-wise to keep things accessible.

Bassist Colin Moulding fires the opening salvo, a one-two punch of immediate sing-along in Runaways and Ball and Chain, whose catchiness belies the underlying themes of domestic violence and forced urban renewal. Andy’s first contribution here is also the brightest tune on the album, the utterly delightful Senses Working Overtime, capturing a sense of wonder at all there is to enjoy. Some of the lyrics of Working Overtime go…

“And all the world is biscuit-shaped,
it’s just for me to feed my face,
and I can see, hear, smell, touch, taste
and I’ve got 1-2-3-4-5 senses working overtime
trying to take this all in”.

Guitarist Dave Gregory and drummer Terry Chambers, don’t bag a songwriting credit, but their contributions are essential to the record, particularly on the waltz-like Yacht Dance, where Dave’s acoustic guitar flourishes blend beautifully with Colin’s lead-style bass notes, and the odd-time-signature English Roundabout, where Terry amply shows off his Stewart Copeland chops.

Andy’s songwriting is the true highlight, with lyrics  that mostly deal with social issues, like juvenile delinquency (No Thugs In Our House), racism (Knuckle Down), unemployment (Leisure), and a general decadence in human society All Of A Sudden (It’s Too Late)). What’s special is the way he sprinkles these irresistible witticisms into the songs, which elevate even the album closer Snowman, essentially a lament for lost love, to some distinctly higher place, with the pithy observation, “People will always be tempted to wipe their feet on anything with ‘Welcome’ written on it”. A master craftsman of songs at work, indeed.

‘English Settlement’ is the first certifiable classic from a band that would scale incredible heights with their subsequent releases. It is also one of the best albums of the 80s.

Rating: *****

Label: Virgin Records

Release Date: 12th February 1982

Reviewed by Sughosh Varadarajan

Sughosh is a bona fide music nut, having spent over 25 years collecting audio tapes, vinyl and audio CDs. A superfan of The Beatles, The Who, Jethro Tull and XTC, among many others, his collection includes over 700 LPs, plus a similar count of audio CDs. Given half a chance (or even if not), he is most likely to be found attempting to sell fellow music lovers on his personal passion – British and Celtic folk-rock. He can be reached at sughosh@gmail.com .