BIG COUNTRY “Steeltown” /GLP/

The second full-length studio album by legendary Scottish Rock band.
Big Country came out of one of the less dominant parts of the United Kingdom with an anthemic sound and vaguely revolutionary-sounding lyrics to captivate the British listening public and at least interest Americans. Big Country continued their winning ways at home with this, its second album, which topped the charts and produced three Top 40 hits: "East of Eden", "Where the Rose is Sown", and "Just a Shadow". But in the U.S., the album was perceived as proving that the band's sound, guitars-as-bagpipes, courtesy of the E-Bow, was a one-time novelty, while Stuart Adamson's lyrics, full of British socialist working-class fervour, seemed jingoistic and pretentious. Nevertheless, much of the music, as on the first album, made for stirring Rock & Roll.
Clanging and crackling with energy, this album from Big Country rings natural evolutionary changes on the band's stirring twin-guitar sound even as it frames still better news: bandleader Stuart Adamson has rapidly matured into a songwriter capable of bringing meticulous craft to his obvious passion.
"Steeltown" is the band's only UK number 1 album, topping the chart for 1 week in October 1984. "East of Eden" was the only Top 20 Single from the album, reaching number 17 in the UK Singles Chart.
Phonogram Ltd., London/Mercury, 1984 (822 831-1). Pressed in Netherlands. First press. Used (cover/disc): NM/EX+.


Tracklist:

Side 1
1. Flame Of The West 4:57
2. East Of Eden 4:30
3. Steeltown 4:39
4. Where The Rose Is Sown 4:57
5. Come Back To Me 4:37

Side 2
1. Tall Ships Go 4:38
2. Girl With The Grey Eyes 4:46
3. Rain Dance 4:19
4. Great Divide 4:50
5. Just A Shadow 5:40

Total playing time: 48:33 min.