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Big Country - The Buffalo Skinners Audio CD

A fair review of the Big Country "The Buffalo Skinners" 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: The Buffalo Skinners
Rating:
Release Date: 1993-09-14
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Alone 2: Seven Waves 3: What Are You Working For 4: One I Love 5: Long Way Home 6: Selling of America 7: We're Not in Kansas 8: Ships 9: All Go Together 10: Winding Wind 11: Pink Marshmallow Moon 12: Chester's Farm

Best Of Big Country
The Buffalo Skinners was a rebirth which, unfortunately, did not get the public acclaim it merited, but this is one of the few CDs I own which is strong throughout rather than mixing two or three good songs with a load of rubbish. While Big Country has released a "Best Of" CD with all their hits, that does not compare to this CD which marked a transition from the classic 80s Big Country "In a Big Country" and "Fields of Fire," which are still terrific, to some unbelievable rock. The only regret I have is that it took me so long to find this lost gem.


Big Country Rocks!
Each album is special in its own right. I love everything Big Country does. Its hard to be unbiased but this, this one. . . . . It absolutely kicks *ss. No doubt about it. It rocks, it kicks, it screams, it pushes the envelope. Not just underrated but one of the best albums ever. It has things to say but doesnt forget how to just blow the doors off any decent stereo system.

For those that are unaware of the Big Country gems, this one is a must. If you listen to any, The Crossing and Buffalo Skinners are just plain classics.


Mixed Emotions
"Ships" is a classic lament that gives power ballads a good name, "All Go Together" is a blistering wake-up call about the continued destruction of this planet we all share, and "Seven Waves" is as poignant a piece of Power Pop as you'll ever hear. With judicious use of the "program" button on your CD player, this is actually ax excellent, straight-ahead rock album. "It doesn't hurt any more/ It doesn't get me down/ But I might just swim out on the waves tonight/ And lay right down and drown. " Those were chilling, powerful lyrics long before Stuart Adamson took his own life.

On the other hand, "We're Not In Kansas", "The Selling Of America", and "What Are You Working For" are a bit preachy with a sound overly reminiscent of 80's L. A. metal. The band was trying a little too hard to capture the magic of Neil Young's "Rockin' In The Free World", a track Big Country once recorded as a B-Side.

"Alone" works well as a guitar heavy, angst-ridden album opener, "The One I Love" is almost too catchy, and "Pink Marshmallow Moon" is much darker and more interesting than the title implies. "Long Way Home" is pretty solid, but lacks the spontaneity and passion of the version featured on the "Safety Net" live album/DVD, which I recommend whole-heartedly. Overall, the album is fairly straight-forward stadium rock, with barely a hint of the Celtic influence and bold experimentation that made early albums like The Crossing, Steeltown, and The Seer must-have classics.

A typically frustrating Big Country move was to toss out some of their best songs as B-sides, and this album is no exception. The title track, "The Buffalo Skinners", is a gorgeous epic that should have closed off this album, and "Never Take Your Place" has that signature Big Country mix of folk and rock that made their early albums so distinctive. "Never Take Your Place" was thankfully included on the most recent remaster of the album, which is also available on Amazon, but the title track only appears as a vastly inferior demo. Unfortunately, tracking down Big Country's best material continues to be far more difficult than it needs to be. .


Lost gem...
Big Country's 1st cd "The Crossing" was a big success(over 2 million copies sold) and contained this breakout song for the group. Everybody from the 80's generation(myself included)is familiar with "In A Big Country"(an MTV video favorite), a guitar driven tune with that familiar bagpipe sounding guitar. "Buffalo Skinners", their 1993 "comeback" cd is a more mature sounding effort and a pleasant surprise to hear. Gone are the bagpipe sounding guitars and what remains are some of lead singer Stuart Adamson's best song writing and lead vocals as well as some of the band's tightest playing. There were only a couple of minor radio hits off this release but the bottom line is this thing rocks! It sounds fresh eleven years after its release. Sadly, Stuart Adamson passed away in 2001, a casualty of depression and alcohol abuse. If you are into guitar driven rock with some heartfelt lyrics check this cd out. . . RIP Stuart.


Good rockin' tonight
It rocks so hard, it will make your ears bleed. This is one great album by one great band. It is a desert island recording, no doubt about it. If you like these blokes, this is a must. And you gotta love 'em.


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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