XTC - 1982 - English Settlement

Andy Partridge's discovery of the 12-string guitar set the tone for English Settlement, an album that moved away from the pop gloss of Black Sea in favor of lighter, though still rhythmically heavy, acoustic numbers with more complex and intricate instrumentation. There are plenty of pop gems -- "Senses Working Overtime" stands as one of their finest songs -- but the main focus seems to be the more expansive sound; most of the songs are drawn out to near-epic length, ultimately taking some of the impact of the songs away. Despite several terrific tracks, English Settlement seems more a transitional album than anything else, although the textural sound of the album is quite remarkable, indicating the direction they would take in their post-touring incarnation.

		1		Runaways	Moulding	4:34
		2		Ball and Chain	Moulding	4:32
		3		Senses Working Overtime	Partridge	4:50
		4		Jason and the Argonauts	Partridge	6:07
		5		No Thugs in Our House	Partridge	5:09
		6		Yacht Dance	Partridge	3:57
		7		All of a Sudden (It's Too Late)	Partridge	5:21
		8		Melt the Guns	Partridge	6:34
		9		Leisure	Partridge	5:02
		10		It's Nearly Africa	Partridge	3:55
		11		Knuckle Down	Partridge	4:28
		12		Fly on the Wall	Moulding	3:19
		13		Down in the Cockpit	Partridge	5:27
		14		English Roundabout	Moulding	3:59
		15		Snowman	Partridge	5:03

¡Aquí!