Thursday, February 28, 2008

Big Country - Wonderland



Wonderland was released as a single to bridge the gap between The Crossing, and what was to come next, the amazing Steeltown album. I remember it well when this came out. I was sick and home from school and there was no way I could go downtown to the Record Pedler and pick up the import that I know they had got in that day. However, my Dad stopped by the Pedler and brought it home from work with him that evening. I was stoked and listened to it over and over.



There were many different versions of the single in 7, 12 and promo formats for different regions. Some included tracks that had appeared on other singles already, but there was some unheard gems that have become favourites. Wonderland extended version is awesome. The b-side was an instrumental called Giant. The Canadian ep had All Fall Together which was another version of Giant but with lyrics. I also had the double 7'' which included and awesome live version of Lost Patrol. Enjoy.





Wonderland (Extended Version)
Giant
All Fall Together
Lost Patrol (Live)

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Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Big Country - Chance



Fourth and final single from The Crossing LP. I really dug the plaid shirts and knickers and stuff but the lads did suffer from some fashion faux paux' like the Glasgow Vice look from The Seer era, Bruce Watson's Def Lep for King Of Emotion, and absolutly no excuse for the white ball huggers Stuart sports in the video for Chance. Top tune though!





Here you'll get the 12 inch extended mix of Chance, a live cover of Tracks Of My Tears, and a song that didn't make it on The Crossing LP, but is called The Crossing.
Also thrown in for good measure, the 7 inch mix of Chance which is different from both the 12 inch and album versions.



Chance (Extended Version)
Tracks Of My Tears (Live)
The Crossing
Chance (7" Remix)

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Monday, February 25, 2008

Big Country - In A Big Country



The one that BC got branded a one hit wonder for. In the USA of course. Their second album Steeltown entered the charts at #1 in the UK, and at least up until The Seer they could draw 15,000 people in Toronto! Big Country deserved the attention though, and IABC is another classic that will live forever. No one else sounded like this. Expansive, anthemic, the bagpipe guitars, the thunderous drums, the hooks, the Cha's! Big Country reeled me in with this and never let me go. Here you get the 12 inch Pure Mix, one of my fave b-sides, All Of Us, and Heart And Soul.







In A Big Country (Pure Mix)
All Of Us
Heart And Soul

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Sunday, February 24, 2008

Big Country - Fields Of Fire



Second single, Fields Of Fire is an absolute classic, and so is the b-side, early live favourite, Angle Park. Fields Of Fire is presented here in all of it's extended 12 inch glory.







Fields Of Fire (Alternative Mix)
Angle Park

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Big Country - Harvest Home



Big Country 1982-1986 were the best band ever! This is their first single, Harvest Home. This version being different than the version that appeared on their debut LP, The Crossing. The b-side, Balcony, made it's way on to The Against All Odds soundtrack, and Flag Of Nations is maybe the only early release to have keyboards. Overall, a killer introduction.

Harvest Home
Balcony
Flag Of Nations

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