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 ]

Skids "The Saints Are Coming - The Best of the Skids" (2007)

The Saints Are Coming - The Best of the Skids (compilation)
release date: Feb. 26, 2007
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: various
label: EMI / Virgin - nationality: Scotland, UK

Compilation album by Skids. Like the live album Masquerade Masquerade (2007) this was released after the U2 and Green Day tribute single "The Saints Are Coming" (2006) when these two bands released their collaboration cover single. I used to have Skids' first compilation album Fanfare (1982) on cassette, however, this is an even better best of album. The '82 album consists of 12 great tracks, and this one not only include all tracks from that album but it contains 21 tracks of which only two are not really great, and in a fine way shows the band's potential.

Skids "Masquerade Masquerade - The Skids Live" (2007) (live)

Masquerade Masquerade - The Skids Live (live)
release date: Feb. 2007
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
label: EMI / Virgin - nationality: Scotland, UK

Live compilation album by Skids released shortly after the U2 and Green Day tribute single in 2006 when these two bands released their collaboration cover single "The Saints Are Coming" after their live concert in the aftermath of the damages by the hurricane Katrina (Aug. 2006) supporting the victims of New Orleans. This album was released simultaneously with the compilation album The Saints Are Coming - The Best of the Skids. This consists of 22 tracks recorded Live at Hammersmith Odeon Oct. 21, 1980 (tracks 1-16) and at Glasgow Apollo Jun. 16, 1979 (tracks 17-22). For a fan of Skids this is great but if one isn't that familiar with the band I would recommend the best of compilation album with studio production sound.

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

Skids "Fanfare" (1982)

Fanfare (compilation)
release date: May 1982
format: digital
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Mick Glossop, Bill Nelson, David Batchelor
label: Virgin Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Compilation album by Skids released after the band's disbandment. The album contains 12 great tracks - a few ones missing, but generally just a great conclusion to a short-lived band. The compilation album The Saints Are Coming - The Best of the Skids released in 2007 contains all tracks (in a new order) from this original album and nine additional more songs by Skids.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Skids "The Absolute Game" (1980)

The Absolute Game
release date: Sep. 1980
format: 2 lp vinyl (first issue - V 2174)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,96]
producer: Mick Glossop
label: Virgin Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. "Circus Games" (4 / 5) - 2. "Out of Town" (4 / 5) - 3. "Goodbye Civilian" - 4. "The Children Saw the Shame" (4 / 5) - 5. "A Woman in Winter" (4,5 / 5) (live) - - B) 2. "Happy to Be With You"
[ Live at 'Rock Goes to College' on BBC, 1981 ]

3rd studio album by Skids following one year after Days in Europa is a mighty fine improvement, and then it was originally released as a double album; or more precisely, it was released as a standard album with a free bonus album titled Strength Through Joy. In early 1980 founding member William Simpson was replaced by Russell Webb on bass, and before recording the album, Mike Baillie on drums made the band a quartet again. However, after the album's release Bailie left, and soon after, also the band's musical composer Stuart Adamson left the band due to controversies with Richard Jobson, basically leaving the band reduced to a duo consisting of Jobson and Webb, who would continue to record one last album as Skids, Joy (1981), before finally dissolving in 1982.
For the first couple of years I thought this was a best of album. Despite, Jobson and Webb's '81 release, this is really the final album by on of the most interesting and influential bands of the punk rock era, and this is almost an accomplishment on level with the band's great debut.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Records Collector 4 / 5 stars ]

Skids "Circus Games" (1980) (single)

Circus Games, 7'' single

release date: Aug. 1980

format: vinyl (VS 359)

[single rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]

producer: Mick Glossop

label: Virgin Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Tracklist: A) "Circus Games" (4 / 5) (TOTP performance) - - B) "One Decree"

Single release taken from the forthcoming third album by Skids The Absolute Game (Sep. 1980).

Also the B-side is from the album and both tracks are credited the band, although, they're undoubtedly Stuart Adamson compositions - giving the dominance of his guitar-arrangements. The title track peaked at number #32 on the UK singles chart as the best faring single of three taken from the album.

back cover

Skids "Working for the Yankee Dollar" (1979) (single)

Working for the Yankee Dollar, 7'' single

release date: Nov. 1979

format: vinyl (VS 306)

[single rate: 4 / 5] [3,84]

producer: Mick Glossop; Bill Nelson

label: Virgin Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Tracklist: A) "Working for the Yankee Dollar" (4 / 5) - - B) "Vanguard's Crusade"

Second single release taken from Days in Europa (Oct. 1979) and following the release of Charade (Sep. '79). The A-side is a different single-version re-produced by Mick Glossop of the album track, which has Bill Nelson as producer - he also produced the B-side, an outtake from the album, and both tracks are credited songwriter Richard Jobson and composer Stuart Adamson. The title track peaked at number #20 on the singles chart.

back cover

Skids "Days in Europa" (1979)

Days in Europa
release date: Oct. 1979
format: vinyl / digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: Bill Nelson
label: Virgin Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Animation" (4 / 5) (live) - 2. "Charade" (5 / 5) (TOTP '79) - 3. "Dulce et decorum est (pro patria mori)" - 4. "Pros & Cons" - 5. "Home of the Saved" (2 / 5) - 6. "Working for the Yankee Dollar" (4 / 5) - 7. "The Olympian" (3 / 5) - 8. "Thanatos" - 9. "A Day in Europa" - 10. "Peaceful Times" (2 / 5)
[ At the Old Grey Whistle Test '79 ]

2nd studio album by Skids released only eight months following the splendid debut. After drummer Thomas Kellichan left the band just prior to recording the album, Skids were now reduced to a trio. The album contains really great songs (tracks #1, #2, and #6) that all follow the original formula from Scared to Dance but some of the songs seem like mere fillers making this a less coherent album. Both "Charade" and "Working for the Yankee Dollar" were minor hits for the band but then the album also contains "Peaceful Times", a strange track with guitars, drums and bass played backwards [!], which is not as bad as one might expect it to be, but it's basically something entirely different and more of a musical experiment.
Generally, the album wasn't well-received as Richard Jobson was confronted with his historical interest in World War I and II, for his glorification of the Roman Empire (a thing he would bring forth on later albums) and subjects related to Nazi-Germany - e.g. the choice of a front cover that appears to glorify the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Jobson and the band were subsequently accused of nazi-sympathy - which Jobson always denied. The label reacted by reissuing the album with a new cover in 1980 (still showcasing the original cover in small format), and with the inclusion of the new single (hit) "Masquerade" in exchange for track #4 and with a slightly changed running order. However, newer reissues from 2001 have once again been issued with the original 'Olympic' cover.
Days in Europa has a better production sound than the debut, and the arrangements are generally at a slower pace. It's by no means a poor album - it just turns out as somewhat incoherent, and as a difficult follow-up to an astounding debut.
Recommended.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Smash Hits 4 / 5 stars ]

1980 cover

Skids "Charade" (1979) (single)

Charade, 7'' single

release date: Sep. 1979

format: vinyl (VS 288)

[single rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]

producer: Bill Nelson

label: Virgin Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Tracklist: A) "Charade" (5 / 5) - - B) "Grey Parade"

Single release by Skids is the promo single taken from the band's forthcoming second album Days in Europa (Oct. 1979). The title track is credited songwriter and vocalist Richard Jobson and composer and guitarist Stuart Adamson. The B-side is credited Jobson / Adamson and producer Bill Nelson. "Charade" peaked at number #31 on the singles chart list and nevertheless stands as one of the band's great singles with the magic touch of guitarist Stuart Adamson and his unique sense for creating highly original melodic rock compositions.

back cover

Skids "Scared to Dance" (1979)

Scared to Dance [debut]

release date: Feb. 23, 1979
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 album debut by Scottish band Skids is one of my absolute favourite albums of the punk rock era. I never understood why this 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. Although, it was well-received, Skids is one of the most underrated bands of 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, or: slightly better - the production is remarkably better and then only fans know of it! Musical composer, lead guitarist, and vocalist Stuart Adamson later on experienced bigger success with the band Big Country but before that he made another two great 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 early stage.
Various issues of the album have different track listing, and they are not equally good. I happen to own the first US issue of the album, which I also 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 particular album a zillion times at maximum volume whenever I listened to "Of One Skin" or some of the other amazing tracks from this favourite of mine. The album doesn't figure as my year-best-release but 1979 gave the world three other absolute great albums: Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division, Setting Sons by The Jam, and London Calling by The Clash, and in that exquisite short list of rock's finest you also find Scared to Dance.
Stuart Adamson R.I.P. (1958-2001)
Essential, and highly recommended!
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Smash Hits 4,5 / 5 stars ]