Tag Archives: Scotland

Thoughts, Video

40 years ago today, Big Country’s The Crossing

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Do I feel old now? Yes and no. After all age is just a number. Still, earlier today I spotted that one of the defining albums of my youth is 40 years old today. Yes, Big Country’s The Crossing was released 40 years ago. So let’s look back to some of my favourite songs from it, as far as I’m concerned still sounding fresh today. One of the first singles:

Big Country – Fields Of Fire (Music Video HQ)

And the same again, but live:

Big Country Glasgow Barrowlands Fields Of Fire

Of course there’s In A Big Country, the opener:

Big Country – In A Big Country

Moving on to Chance:

Big Country Chance – official video

And my last pick for this post, Porrohman:

Big Country – Porrohman (The Tube 17.2.1984)

Oh, and to get back to the intro of this post: Many people apparently stop discovering new music after a certain age and only listen to the music from their youth. I do both, I still listen to some bands from my youth (hence this post) while also discovering new bands with members sometimes barely half the age of the older albums I still listen to. That’s how I firmly believe it should be: Treasure the great classics while being open to new discoveries.

Thoughts, Video

Idlewild’s new album, Interview Music

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While I wasn’t an early adopter and didn’t hear of them until their second or third album (can’t remember exactly) I’ve been listening to Idlewild for many years. Even saw them playing in Oxford 12 years ago (and I don’t go to many rock concerts any more). But that’s not the topic of this post. They have (after several years) released a new album today (which I’m listening to while writing this post). Here’s a taster from their YouTube channel:

Listen to a taster of Idlewild’s album Interview Music

I’ve played it may be 3-4 times now and my first verdict is positive. While I don’t think there are any instant radio hits on it (which isn’t a bad thing) there are plenty of nice tunes which open up after listening a couple of times. Some are mellower, some are noisier. Roddy has written up how the album came about. I think it was worth the wait.

Book review, Thoughts

Recently read: In A House Of Lies

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My goal of reading more books this year still isn’t going as well as I’d like, but I’m going to keep trying. Still, I did manage to finish a book yesterday I had bought two weeks ago. The latest instalment in the Inspector Rebus series by Ian Rankin.

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After over a decade and over 20 books in the series there isn’t an awful lot new happening, a lot of the usual suspects and storylines make another appearance. Two main strands/cases are interwoven through the book, not linked yet still linked. But I felt the story flows well and it’s a nice and easy read. Some new characters are introduced I suspect we might hear of again in the next book in the series. Oh, and judging from a passage near the end there might be some Brexit influences as well, as there’s a good chance that Brexit (and the related Border and customs issues) will provide rich pickings for criminals real and fictional.