Scared to Dance [debut]format: vinyl (US issue - VI 2116) / cd
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,35]
producer: David Batchelor
label: Virgin Records - nationality: Scotland, UK
Track highlights*: A) 1. "The Saints Are Coming" (5 / 5) - 2. "Scared to Dance" (4 / 5) - 3. "Contusion" (4 / 5) - 4. "Into the Valley" (5 / 5) (official video) - 5. "Integral Plot" (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "Sweet Suburbia" (5 / 5) (Peel Session) - 2. "Charles" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Melancholy Soldiers" (4 / 5) - 5. "Of One Skin" (5 / 5) (live) - 6. "Hope and Glory" - 7**. "T.V. Stars" (4,5 / 5)
*US issue - **Extra track, not listed
Studio debut album by Scottish band Skids. This is one of my absolute favourite albums of the punk rock era. I never understood why the band wasn't praised until U2 and Green Day decided to make a cover version of "The Saints Are Coming" in 2006. I think, it's one of the best and most original debut albums ever made. Although, it was well-received, Skids is one of the most underrated bands in punk rock history. The album deserves at least the same amount of recognition as the debut by The Clash. The songs are equally as good, maybe slightly better - the production is clearly better and then only fans know of it! Musical composer, lead guitarist, and vocalist Stuart Adamson later on experienced greater success with the band Big Country, but he still made another three albums with Skids. The other main front figure is songwriter Richard Jobson on lead vocals, and together with William Simpson on bass, and Thomas Kellichan on drums these four were Skids (at this point).
Various issues have different track listing, and they are not equally good. I happen to own the first US issue of the album, which I consider the best version, as it includes great tracks like "Contusion", "Sweet Surburbia", and "T.V. Stars" - three important tracks that somehow don't figure on the original UK release. After the album release, drummer Kellichan left the band and no new member was included, although, Rusty Egan became the band's preferred drummer for a time. I must have played this album a zillion times at maximum volume whenever I listened to "Of One Skin" or some of the other amazing tracks of this favourite of mine. The album deserves to figure as a year-best-release, but 1979 gave the world three other great albums: Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division, The Jam's Setting Sons, and London Calling by The Clash, and in that fine short list of rock's finest you also find Scared to Dance.
Stuart Adamson R.I.P. (1958-2001)
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Smash Hits 4,5 / 5 stars ]
