Review:

on 2011-02-22 CharlesMartel Said:

Big Country had begun their career with two of the best albums of the early eighties, "The Crossing" and "Steeltown". With these albums they had set themselves out as being on the leading edge of politically-inspired post-punk. However, the seeds of later problems with the band, and their fall, to a certain extent, for grace, were sown at the same time with those two albums. Their third album, eagerly anticipated, was to prove a watershed. The question asked was to what extent would Big Country continue with the style adopted on the first two albums or how much would they move into new territory.

The answer was disappointing. The third album, "The Seer", was sufficiently like the first two as to create the impression that Big Country were in real danger of being seen as flogging a dead horse. This album marks the end of my journey with the band. Their style had not changed since the release of their superb first album and the band seemed to be at a loss as to what to do about it. They were running out of ideas and it showed clearly on the lack of inventiveness, innovation and, dare I say, creativity, on "The Seer".

There is a noticeable lack of direction and impetus on this album. It is almost as if, in places, it sounds like an album put out solely to fulfil and contractual obligation. Shame really, a once great band who couldn't adapt and develop their message and their style. The driving power of the first album had gone. The political messages and imagery of the second was no longer present. All that was left was the style, and that alone was insufficient to sustain the band through this album.

The problems which had been sown with "The Crossing", and had sprung into a reality with "Steeltown" now reached their full blown status with "The Seer". Big Country had tried to repeat the success of the first by repeating its style and got stuck in a rut entirely of their own making. By not changing they had become boring and they had failed miserably to build on their early great music with a stylish change of style. To describe "The Seer" as a disappointment is an understatement.

Having said that, there are still the occasional flashes of brilliance on this album to remind you of what could have been. Eiledon still provides a lift to me and is an almost anthemic song with a great chorus which creates a sense of expectation in you whenever you sense it coming. Hold The Heart is a great lyric to lost love and is probably the best track on the whole album, indeed is probably one of the best half dozen or so tracks the band have ever done. Still neither is enough to lift this album of its mire of lack of originality.

"The Seer" is, as a consequence, not a patch on the first two albums in terms of content, originality or just plain jaw-dropping moments of awesomeness. From here on in, Big Country never recaptured their earlier heights and went steadily downhill in my view. If ever there was an example of band who hit their highpoint too early and could not sustain the greatness they had achieved, Big Country were it. Nevertheless, for all the criticism I may make, I still find the tragic suicide of Stuart Adamson to be a real blow to music. That is no way for one of the greats of early eighties post-punk to go.
Rating: 5/10