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Big Country - Steeltown Audio CD

A fair review of the Big Country "Steeltown" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Big Country reviews here, or go back to the Big Country tabs.

Big Country Band: Big Country
Title: Steeltown
Rating:
Release Date: 1996-04-01
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Flame of the West 2: East of Eden 3: Steeltown 4: Where the Rose Is Sown 5: Come Back to Me 6: Tall Ships Go 7: Girl With the Grey Eyes 8: Rain Dance 9: Great Divide 10: Just a Shadow 11: Bass Dance 12: Belief in the Small Man 13: Prairie Rose 14: Wonderland [12"] 15: Winter Sky

Twenty-five years later...still a masterpiece
" This is a powerful, passionate, almost operatic collection of songs about. I don't have much to add to many of the fine reviews at this site about "Steeltown. . . well, let me let lead singer/songwriter Stuart Adamson (R. I. P. ) describe them:

"The alienated, the dispossessed, the exploited, the abused, the people we pass by, the people we are. The songs are very dark and dense, they come from hard times, fearful places. This is the sound of frustration, the words of the powerless, it is hard and brittle, cornered. " ( - from the liner notes of the 1996 Mercury UK remaster, which sounds fantastic to me. Mark Brzezicki's phenomenal drumming is brilliantly captured. )

"In a steeltown. . . when the heat's on. . . I went down. . . and the heat turned on me. ".


One of the best all time records from an underrated band.
The reviewers here pointing how the lyrics are paranoid and wrong are brainwashed by corporate media. Stuart Adamson was right all along. The Flame of the West was with us here in the 80's. America saw him return here in the 2000's for eight loooonnnggg years. And look at us now.

Sad economy, loss of jobs and the demise of the decent middle working class. If there is anytime for this gem to be revived, it is now. I rated this release a 5, but be forewarned, the sound on this remaster is ugly and we hope for a re-release soon. .


Flame of the West!
Flame of the West says it all, just listen to it and you'll get the point
R. Solid set, whay more can I say. I. P Stuart.


Outstanding Sonic Display Mixed With Paranoid Lyrics
It was overshadowed by a lot of other releases that got much more attention. I remember when this record came out. . . . . most of it was unwarranted. I was fairly naive 15 year old kid who's teachers spent all day telling me that Reagan was going to blow the world up. The Day After was produced with the express purpose of reinforcing the paranoia. Steeltown opens with a song portraying Reagan as some charismatic devil who sways people with money and a hypnotizing glare.

What do we know now? It was pretty much a bunch of cack. Do I fault Stuart? Not really. . . . . maybe he should have not fallen for all the paranoia but the west was swimming in it at the time. Our news entities are overrun with individuals who would do and say anything as long as it proffessed sell out liberal ideologies. This includes self censorship if the story does not support the ideology, manipulation and flat out lying.

This record reflects those times. We know it is practically suicide for a musical act to profess any kind of conservatism. To live in an echo chamber(the entertainment industry), you must echo what you hear. The western steel industry helped do itself in by pricing itself right out of the market. It has only itself to blame but its "cooler" to blame Thatcher and Reagan. Its nice to dream of a world without war but we know that unfortunately you have to be practical and deal with reality sometimes.

The musicianship on this record is purely representative of what I consider to be the most talented group of musicians I have heard. I have yet to hear a better rythym secion and I have yet to hear a better pair of guitar players within the same band. You may find more talented individuals. . . . although I doubt it. . . but you won't find a better group of musicians. I admit I'm biased for I love this band dearly but I am constantly in awe of the talent in this band.

This is a solid record from start to finish. Many of my favorite songs(Flame of the West, Steeltown, Winter Sky) by any artist are found on this one record. Stuart. . . . I truly do miss you. I would debate you until your hair set fire but I miss your passsion, your talent, your gift for melody and I think the world is less wonderful with you being gone. Bruce, Tony and Mark. . . . I wish you guys the best of success in your new endeavor and applaud the class in how you have coped.

The bottom line is that this is an outstanding, classic recording.


But Worth It
However, if you can just listen to the song, there is amazing energy. Sure, as some of the reviewers have written, the songs are very left-biased, and the lyrics for a song like "Where the Rose Is Sown" are a bit silly. I bought this CD when it first came out in the mid-80s. I am not certain everything translates into this decade, and this is the reason for 3 stars rather than 4, but of this I am certain: "Just a Shadow" is one of the finest songs I have ever heard. I was mesmerized by it when a teen-ager, and the years have done nothing to diminish that effect. "The Great Divide" leads into "just a Shadow" and is absolutely terrific in its own right and as set-up for what follows. "Winter Sky" is a worthy addition. "Come Back to Me" is a powerful song of empathy. "Tall Ships Go" is good, and nothing on the CD is bad. .


You can see a complete list of all Big Country discography, or go back to the Big Country tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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