Product Reviews
With producer Steve Lillywhite at the helm, Scotland's Big Country managed to deliver earnest, socially conscious arena anthems in a similar vein to U2 and the Alarm. The twist was their trademark bagpipe sound, achieved through the use of e-bow. The unique sound of "In a Big Country" garnered the band considerable attention and a Top 20 single in the U.S. The Crossing, however, is an album whose richness goes beyond the single. The more subdued "Chance" is sparse and its personal lyrics are every bit as heartfelt as the more populist-inclined anthems like the wonderful "The Storm" or the thundering "Fields of Fire." The lyrics are straightforward and, despite the grand themes of many of the tracks, manage to steer clear of being overly pretentious. While this album earned the band a gold record, Big Country's sound and image (reinforced by the members' tartan checked shirts) resulted in them being tagged a novelty and they never duplicated their initial success in America. [An expanded version of The Crossing appeared in 2012 to mark the 30th Anniversary of the formation of the group. The two-disc reissue reissue included a remastered version of the original album, as well as 24 bonus cuts (demos, outtakes, and B-sides) and a 20-page booklet.] ~ Tom Demalon, Rovi
Product Notes
Digitally remastered and expanded deluxe two CD edition of the Scottish band's 1983 debut album including 24 bonus tracks. This double disc set, released to mark the 30th Anniversary of the formation of Big Country, now includes a plethora of demos, outtakes and b-sides. The enhanced packaging includes a 20-page booklet featuring sleeve-notes by the respected author and journalist, Tim Barr, as well as previously unseen photographs. Includes the hits 'In A Big Country', 'Fields Of Fire' and 'Chance'. Universal.