Big Country "The Buffalo Skinners" (1993)

The Buffalo Skinners

release date: Mar. 22, 1993

format: cd

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]

producer: Big Country

label: Compulsion - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Alone" - 2. "Seven Waves" (4 / 5) - 3. "What Are You Working For" - 4. "The One I Love" - 5. "Long Way Home" - 7. "We're Not in Kansas" (4 / 5) - 8. "Ships"

6th studio album by Big Country follows 1½ years after No Place Like Home (Sep. 1991), and it's the band's first after being released from its contract with Mercury. Freed from its contract, the band wanted to give it another try but this time free from a label direction and in full control of songs, recordings and mixing. This is also the first by the band to be self-produced. The band remains a trio of Stuart Adamson, Bruce Watson and Tony Butler, and for the studio recordings, Simon Phillips handles the drums. Subsequently, former drummer Mark Brzezicki joined the band and the the 'old' quartet was united and ready for the upcoming promotion tour.

Soundwise, it's quite evident that the band has taken charge of sound and style, and what a relief that is! The album comes out as something that genuinely sounds like a natural folow-up to the band's second album, and that alone sets a high standard. Instead of being generic pop / rock, it's no longer difficult to place this as pure Celtic rock with proud traditions. Two songs are reworkings of songs from the '91 album: track #7 and track #8 have been fueled up with guitars and a stronger rock-groove, which really suits these songs.

You could argue that the songs here sound a bit old-fashioned, as the band obviously tries hard to return to a sound they recognise as themselves again, all because various producers and management without much success for years have sought to place the band's releases on American charts. But, better that and still be original and something instead of trying to sound like somone else. And the benefit from returning to a recogniseable expression is twofold: the band members enjoy playing again, and their fans get money-value playing music that bonds much better with the band's best loved albums.

Yes, there's recycling of former patterns, and no, there's not a huge progression at stake, but by gosh, it's so much better than the band's two most recent albums. It's not at the same level as the first three, but it's definitely an improvement to the 1988 and '91 albums.

Recommended.

[ 👎allmusic.com, NME 3 / 5, SputnikMusic 3,8 / 5 stars ]

Big Country "No Place Like Home" (1991)

No Place Like Home

release date: Sep. 16, 1991

format: cd

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]

producer: Pat Moran

label: Vertigo - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "We're Not in Kansas" - 3. "Dynamite Lady" - 4. "Keep on Dreaming" - 5. "Beautiful People" - 9. "You, Me and the Truth" - 10. "Comes a Time"

5th studio album by Big Country following three years after Peace in Our Time (Sep. 1988). Before this, drummer Mark Brzezicki had left the band in early '90 and also prior to the recordings of the album, however, he nevertheless works as sessions drummer on the album.

Stylewise, the album comes out as something aiming at the American market - a bit like the predecessor, where the Celtic rock tone has been put in the background of a bolder r&b appeal. In terms of sales numbers, the album didn't deliver - neither nationally, nor on the American market - and it simply took the band further into anonymity. Following poor album sales the band was released from its contract with Mercury and the band subsequently disbanded for a short period of time, until Stuart Adamson returned to Watson and Butler, free from label control and with an opportunity to do what they themselves believed was their path in music, they saw a chance to give it another try.

I have only come across this album in retrospect and I see the dead-end they had round up in at this point of their career. The album is, as in all cases with music by Stuart Adamson, far from without potential. It just wasn't arranged, produced, and mixed in the most original way. The best tune here, "We're Not in Kansas" also made it to the follow-up in a an even better arranged version alongside "Ships". The album is not the place to start when looking this band up, and it remains a lowest point in the band's total discography of eight studio albums featuring founding member Stuart Adamson.

[ 👎allmusic.com 2 / 5 stars ]

Big Country "Peace in Our Time" (1988)

Peace in Our Time

release date: Sep. 9, 1988

format: vinyl (gatefold - MERH 130)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]

producer: Peter Wolf

label: Mercury - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "King of Emotion" - 2. "Broken Heart (Thirteen Valleys)" - 3. "Thousand Yard Stare" - 4. "From Here to Eternity" - 6. "Peace in Our Time" - 8. "River of Hope" - 10. "I Could Be Happy Here"

4th studio album by Big Country following more than two years after The Seer (Jul. 1986). The softer style from the predecessor is more accentuated on this. Stuart Adamson is writer of all ten songs with Bruce Watson contributing as co-composer on three, including track #7, which is credited the band in unison, and the whole album is produced in Los Angeles with Austrian-American producer Peter Wolf, who had made a name producing and arranging for various pop-artists, e.g. Starship, Kenny Loggins, (synth-pop band) Wang Chung, (synth-pop artist) El DeBarge, (Brazilian pop and disco artist) Sérgio Mendes. Wolf is furthermore credited on keyboards.

Stylewise, the album doesn't fall far from '86 album but still appears as a softer and more polished album. I do recall when it came out, and I had turned my back on the band, which I experienced as too mainstream and without substantial edge. In retrospect, I like it a great deal more, although, I still find it the band's so far least favourable album with an aim to please an American audience, something which failed somewhat, but you have to hand it to the late Stuart Adamson: he was a musical wizard, both as a songwriter as well as an iconic guitarist. It's still celtic rock but with bolder inspiration from a broad world of pop / rock where Elton John, Bryan Adams, Eric Clapton, and Bruce Springsteen reign.

Not the band's best but still worth a spin or two on behalf of Stuart Adamson.

[ allmusic.com 2,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 3 / 5, Record Mirror 2 / 5 stars ]

Big Country "The Seer" (1986)

The Seer
release date: Jul. 14, 1986
format: vinyl / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]
producer: Robin Millar
label: Mercury Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Look Away" (4 / 5) - 2. "The Seer" (feat. Kate Bush) (4 / 5) - 3. "Teacher" - 4. "I Walk the Hill" - 5. "Eiledon" (4 / 5) - 6. "One Great Thing" - 7. "Hold the Heart" - 8. "Remembrance Day" - 9. "Red Fox" - 10. "Sailor"

3rd studio album by Big Country following two years after Steeltown (Oct. 1984) introduces a somewhat softer sound, yet still builds on especially the style from the debut album. The album is produced by Robin Millar, who has been associated with more mainstream artists, and it's probably due to the shift from Lillywhite to Millar that I disliked the album in the '80s. Fact is, I sold my copy of the vinyl album because I never played it. Talk about being stupid! To me, and my ears back then, this was nothing but polished pop / rock, and I simply stopped following the band from here on. Nowadays, I don't understand my rejection, as I find that this more than pars Steeltown. It contains fine songs, and it's actually better produced - it's more varied with a broader sound - and it simply contains no fillers. I know, I didn't really appreciate the title track, and just found it boring. Now I see this as one of the absolute strongest tracks. Its complexity, verses and great chorus lines with a splendid contribution by Kate Bush whose singing voice really suits Adamson's guitar so perfectly. Actually, one may see the whole album as a fine bridge between contemporary pop / rock and celtic rock. Luckily, I have managed to get a second-hand copy of the original first issues.
Highly recommended.
[ allmusic.com 2,5 / 5, Kerrang! 3 / 5 stars ]

Big Country "Steeltown" (1984)

Steeltown
release date: Oct. 19, 1984
format: digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: Steve Lillywhite
label: Mercury Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Flame of the West" - 2. "East of Eden" (4 / 5) - 3. "Steeltown" - 4. "Where the Rose Is Sown" (4 / 5) - 7. "Girl With the Grey Eyes" - 8. "Rain Dance"(live) - 9. "Great Divide" (4 / 5) - 10. "Just a Shadow" (4 / 5) (live)

2nd studio album by Big Country is once again produced by Steve Lillywhite, who in the early 1980s seemed to be engaged with all new artists with an energetic and new wave profile of some sort (including U2, XTC, Simple Minds, Toyah, The Pogues to mention a few). Compared to the great debut, Steeltown is somewhat more quiet, and reflects a move towards a broader audience, focusing on pop / rock. The sound is heavier (a typical 1980s syndrome heard from Springsteen, Tina Turner, and almost everywhere - drums and bass 'should' dominate) compared to the debut, and the tracks are generally slower. All compositions are still credited the band, although, Stuart Adamson probably has come up with many ideas, lyrics, as well as demos to build on. Anyway, for many years this was clearly my number two favorite by the band, however, from a modern perspective, I think, it lacks the same amount of truly great compositions one will find on the debut, but also miss the fine diversity one will find on its successor. However, the album is a modern classic of pop / rock, and of course a certified 'must-have' for fans of celtic rock.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Big Country "Chance" (1983) (single)

Chance, 7'' single

release date: Aug. 26, 1983

format: vinyl (814 350-7)

[single rate: 4 / 5] [4,12]

producer: Steve Lillywhite

label: Mercury Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Tracklist: A) "Chance" - - B) "The Tracks of My Tears"

Single release by Big Country is the band's fourth and final single taken from the debut album The Crossing (Jul. '83). The A-side is from the album, whereas the B-side track is a cover written by 'Smokey' Robinson, Warren 'Pete' Moore and Marvin Tarplin originally a song by The Miracles from 1965 released as a single, Jun. '65 (later that year released on the debut Going to a Go-Go (Nov. 1965) by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles.

Big Country "The Crossing" (1983)

The Crossing [debut]
release date: Jul. 19, 1983
format: vinyl / cd
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,25]
producer: Steve Lillywhite
label: Mercury Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "In a Big Country" 4,5 / 5) (live) - 2. "Inwards" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Chance" - 4. "1000 Stars" (4,5 / 5) (live) - 5. "The Storm" (4 / 5) - 6. "Harvest Home" (4,5 / 5) - 8. "Close Action" (4 / 5) - 9. "Fields of Fire (400 Miles)" (4,5 / 5) - 10. "Porrohman" (4,5 / 5)

Studio album debut by Big Country consisting of Stuart Adamson on lead vocals, lead guitar, piano, and e-bow, Bruce Watson on guitar, mandolin, e-bow, and backing vocals, Tony Butler on bass and backing vocals, and with Mark Brzezicki on drums, percussion, and backing vocals. The band was initially formed as a trio and then a quintet with various other members but always featuring Watson and Adamson, the latter having only just left Skids. All tracks here are credited the band, although, it's evident that Adamson dominate and continue his style from Skids only adding new dimensions to his vocals and guitar playing. Both Adamson and Watson are among the first to bring in the e-bow in contemporary pop / rock, an instrument which basically enables the guitar to replace synths, and which became more popular in the late 80s and early '90s. Adamson was already known for his special guitar sound when playing in Skids but with Big Country he goes further making his guitar resemble that of Scottish bag-pibes (an analogy he hates).
The style is hard to narrow in but the band plays with high energy, which at the time was labelled new wave, however, that hardly suffice, as the band blends celtic rock with elements from new wave and contemporary pop / rock, and nearly all band members came from a background in punk rock - today, I would reckon that a combo of alt. rock and celtic rock would be more fitting labels. I used to only have the album on cassette, but have played it from '83 to "modern days" without ever tiring of the sound. Stuart Adamson's importance as one of the shining stars of popular music has only increased since then, and his playing style was copied in many years to come. The album is one of my absolute favourites and a modern classic.
This is Big Country's masterpiece.
[ allmusic.com, Blender, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

1983 Favourite releases: 1. New Order Power, Corruption & Lies - 2. Tom Waits Swordfishtrombones - 3. Big Country The Crossing