Big Country hit my radar in the early New Millennium, and it's been a wild ride ever since.
Stuart Adamson, Bruce Watson, Tony Butler, and Mark Brzezicki were the magic behind the band, coming together in 1981. They released their first single, Harvest Home in 1982, and though mildly successful, it failed to chart. This was followed by their second single, Fields Of Fire (400 Miles), which reached the UK's top ten, and lead to the release of their debut album, The Crossing in 1983. Kurt Loader, who at the time was writing for Rolling Stone magazine, gave the album a glowing review.
Steeltown was released in 1984, but chart wise, was not as successful as its predecessor. Its overall negative press is often attributed to the lyrics, which dealt with the misfortunes of Scottish workers and contained references to British politics, not being relatable to Americans and other international nations.
As for me, I dig the album. I'm a big fan of the percussion and guitar work of Mark Brzezicki, and Bruce Watson. Quite frankly, I find Brzezicki to be a far superior drummer to the likes of Neil Peart, Kieth Moon, and even Sheila E (to name some of my personal favorites). I also find Watson's guitar work to be unlike any other of the time. How you make a guitar sound like bagpipes is beyond me, but he has a talent for it. Throw on top of that the haunting vocals of Adamson, and sprinkle it with the bass work of Butler, and everything comes together to form a sound unlike any other.
Is Steeltown a powerhouse album from front to back? No, not at all. In fact, some songs are simply passable. However, where it stands tall is with the tracks it delivers in full force. Flame Of The West, Where The Rose Is Sown, Come Back To Me, Tall Ships Go, Rain Dance, and Just A Shadow are where it's at, from my perspective.
Though the band had hits, they never really made that big of an impact in the USA, and that's kind of a shame. They're one of the few 80's groups to keep hammering away during the 90's, releasing eight albums in total through 1999. Sadly, it would be around this time that lead singer Stuart Adamson would relapse in his decade long sobriety from alcohol, and start disappearing in spurts. After doing so again in 2001, he was fond dead in a hotel room, ruled to be by suicide.
Big Country recorded and released a final album in 2013. However, it would only be original members Brzezicki, and Watson who would return to record, with other performs filling the gaps left by prior band mates.
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| THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS February 22, 1986 |
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