Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Chicago Tribune
Encyclopedia of Popular Music
Pitchfork	10/10
Q
Rolling Stone
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
Smash Hits	8½/10
The Village Voice	B+

English Settlement is the fifth studio album by the English band XTC, released on 12 February 1982. The album reached No. 5 on the UK Album Chart and No. 48 on the Billboard 200 album chart. The lyrics are largely political and often feature critiques of the British people and their ways of life.

The cover design is based upon the Uffington White Horse in southwest Oxfordshire, which is about 8 miles east of Swindon, Wiltshire, XTC's home town.

The album spawned three UK singles: "Senses Working Overtime" (released on 8 January 1982 and reaching No. 10 on the UK singles chart); "Ball And Chain" (released 26 February 1982 and reaching No. 58 on the UK singles chart); and "No Thugs in Our House" (released 14 May 1982).

The album was previewed with a live performance on The Old Grey Whistle Test program in January where they performed "Yacht Dance" (their only performance of the song) and "No Thugs In Our House". They also made a live appearance on The Oxford Road Show performing "Snowman", "Ball and Chain" and "Jason and the Argonauts". The song "English Roundabout" was inspired by a Swindon landmark known as The Magic Roundabout. This song is a rare example of popular music written in the unusual 5/4 time signature.

The band made promotional videos for "Senses Working Overtime", "No Thugs in Our House", "All of a Sudden (It's Too Late)" and "Ball and Chain".

Only nine full shows were performed on the proposed 1982 English Settlement World Tour due to Partridge's collapsing at Le Palace in Paris, France on 18 March (during the first song in their set) and subsequent breakdown after their performance at The California Theatre, San Diego, California, U.S.A. on 3 April. This would prove to be XTC's last full show; the band abandoned the next night's show in Los Angeles.

...
Wikipedia