Music

Average customer rating:

muddy master
Big Scottish Rock!
Seek the good.
Good but different
Here I stand with my own kin

Steeltown
Big Country
Manufacturer: Polygram Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Alternative Rock | Imports | Stores | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Seer
The Crossing
The Buffalo Skinners
John Wayne's Dream
Peace in Our Time/No Place Like Home

ASIN: B000006SWI
Release Date: 1996-04-01

Tracks:

Flame On The West
East Of Eden
Steeltown
Where The Rose Is Sown
Come Back To Me
Tall Ships Go
Girl With Grey Eyes
Rain Dance
The Great Divide
Just A Shadow
Bass Dance
Belief In The Small Man
Prairie Rose
Wonderland
Winter Sky

Album Description

Digitally remastered 1996 reissue on Mercury of their secondalbum (1984) with five unmarked bonus tracks: 'Bass Dance', 'Belief In The Small Man', 'Prairie Rose', 'Winter Sky' and 'Wonderland' (12in Mix - 7:08 long). 15 tracks in all, also featuring 'Flame Of The West', 'East Of Eden', 'Where The Rose Is Sown' and 'Just A Shadow'.

Customer Reviews:

muddy master.......2007-05-06

This is a wonderful album, but a quick comparison of the single version of "Wonderland" on the fine remaster of "The Crossing" (remastered by Universal in 2001) to the same song on this pressing of "Steeltown" should satisfy anyone that something is amiss here. This muddy sound on this pressing of "Steeltown" results not from Lillywhite's production but from something awful that must have happened to this mastering. I realize that Big Country fans don't constitute a powerful bloc, but it sure is a shame to have such a flawed product out there representing this once-great album. We need some dedicated engineer to figure out what happened over there in Germany and undo it.

Big Scottish Rock!.......2007-01-16

I pulled out my old copy of "Steeltown" last week and put it on, and was pleased to discover how exciting it still is, I kept turning it up and up! I'm happy to see there's a remastered version that looks like it includes "Wonderland", which I had the 12" of but which doesn't include other songs from that 12". The mire of British vs. U.S. releases: will it ever be sorted out?

Some folks have commented on the politics of the band on this album. It's never bothered me, at least on "Steeltown". I don't care too much about the politics or philosophies of the singer who is rocking my butt off. If lyrics are laid bare with, say, only a guitar behind them (a la the Billy Bragg ca. 1984), then they'd better be good, or at least artful. But from its beginnings pop/rock music subsisted, for the most part, on treacly lyrics about love. I don't know why folks wouldn't find yet another terrible refrain about love any less offensive than a refrain referring to political historical events. Is the band advocating the slaughter of innocents? No.

For me, it's all beside the point. This album ROCKS, the guitars and drums (and heck even the bass) are big and relentless. [except in "Girl With Grey Eyes", which has really LIMP verses and a chorus that says "I am the ticket, you the prize/when begins the winning?" talk about irritating lyrics, this song is the only misstep on the whole album] If you have never heard Big Country and are curious, I'd suggest starting with "The Best of Big Country". If you liked the band but somehow overlooked this album, go get it, asap! "The Crossing" will always be the definitive Big Country album but I'd rather take the somewhat noisier "Steeltown" with me when the air raid sirens wail.

UPDATE: I purchased this remastered version and have this to say: slightly improved sound, so-so bonus tracks. But this bothers me: who buys remastered cds with bonus tracks, usually? Collectors, big fans of the band, right? Those with a predisposition towards enjoying the little details? Then why would they give so little information about the bonus tracks? All they can tell you is the bonus tracks are (c) 1996, which seems to imply they were recorded 12 years after the rest of "Steeltown", which I doubt is true. Why wouldn't they tell you if the bonus tracks had previously been unreleased, or if they were b-sides to singles? Why wouldn't they talk about when they were recorded and if they were part of the same sessions as the "Steeltown" sessions? Stuff like that is irksome, plus there's some layout problems in the booklet. Jeez!

As for the actual bonus songs, well, "belief in the small man" manages to stay interesting for most of its 5 minutes despite not really having a chorus, "prairie rose" is a sub-par big rock song, the "wonderland" extended mix is an interesting anomoly that shouldn't be meant to replace the stellar original version, "winter sky" is somber and understated, almost like a demo, and "bass dance" is an interesting little full-band intsrumental.

Seek the good........2006-07-27

As a child, my parents said to seek the good, beware of the bad, and question yourself for the answers. This always seemed to be the mission that Big Country set out to accomplish.
I love this album as much today as I did when it came out. It is a view of the world and struggles, both internal and external. It is much like the choice they faced between aiming for lowest common denominators of commercial success, or highest ideals of artistic vision and integrity. I feel now, and felt then, that this album/ CD was the statement of self evident truth, a labor of true love unto itself, in the artist's eyes.
I don't agree with many of the politics of this album, but I love the passion and musical tapestry with which they are delivered. I am still as fired up today to listen to this album as I was at it's release. This work was shrugged off by many bandwagon fans (who always wish for heartless imitations of earlier hits), by taking risks and showing great the leap of artistic growth the band had the courage to take. I admire the band for knowing true fans would understand and greet the album with open minds and hearts.
It is a great album, and now CD and benefits even more from remastering and bonus tracks. Great lyrics, awesome music, both wide and detailed vision, and passionate growth and integrity, take us from a subtle individual whisper, to a innumerable world screaming, both of which command our attention.
This is another perfect brush-stroke of the masterpiece that remains of the Big Country's gift and legacy to fans of music world-wide.
John Whalen
California

Good but different.......2006-07-07

Just a quick review from a newer BC fan. 'Steeltown' is a solid BC album, but it has a more gloomy aura to it than 'The Crossing' and 'The Seer'. While those albums have some hauntingly beautifyl/sad moments worked into the music, 'Steeltown' goes for a more directly gloomy/depressing atmospere. This isn't necessarily bad, and many of the songs keep the same folky influences and 80's pop hooks that are on those albums, but the mood is very different, and thus may not be as enjoyable to some. And yes, there's alot more politics in the lyrics, so that may also put off some folks. The bonus tracks on here are good if you don't have them on other releases.

Here I stand with my own kin.......2006-06-07

Others below describe this record better than I can, leaving me simply to endorse what I believe to be the great album of the 1980s. Indeed, Side One of "Steeltown" approaches the masterpiece level of Who's "Quadrophenia" in its vision, musicianship, and power. Sadly, it also has as much to say about our world today as it did the Reagan-Thatcher Era that produced it, maybe more. I never tire of it, which is how I scratched my LP, which in turn is what brought me here today.

Pre-History: The Lost Steeltown Recordings

Average customer rating:

Shake It Baby -Shake it Shake it baby!
Wonderful - but flawed
Soulful
J-5 Early Stufff is worth a listen
PRE-MOTOWN MAGIC!!!!!!!!!!!

Pre-History: The Lost Steeltown Recordings
The Jackson 5
Manufacturer: Brunswick Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Disco | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Classic R&B | R&B | Styles | Music

General | R&B | Styles | Music

Motown | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Lookin' Through the Windows/Goin' Back to Indiana
Soulsation!
Peter Pan (2-Disc Platinum Edition)

ASIN: B000004BNF
Release Date: 1996-06-04

Tracks:

Let Me Carry Your Schoolbooks
I Never Had A Girl
Monologue
Michael The Lover
We Don't Have To Be Over 21 (To Fall In Love)
Big Boy
You've Changed
Jam Session (Part One)
My Girl
Jam Session (Part Two)
Under The Boardwalk
Soul Jerk
Saturday Night At The Movies
Tracks Of My Tears

Album Description

This album contains the first recordings ever made by the Jackson 5. Recorded in 1967, several of these tracks were actually released by Steeltown Records as singles. One of which, 'Big Boy', became a local hit in the Chicago/Gary area. All recordings have been left in their original and unenhanced state for historical purposes. 14 tracks including, 'Let Me Carry Your Schoolbooks', 'My Girl' and 'Soul Jerk'. Standard jewel case.

Customer Reviews:

Shake It Baby -Shake it Shake it baby!.......2002-08-03

The J-5's debut recordings (along with drummer "Cousin" Johnny Jackson) were somewhat poorly recorded at Steeltown Records (actually the home of producer Gordon Keith) in the Fall of 1967. Mostly low-budget R&B, but some good stuff shines. The very 1st J/5 record "Big Boy" is here with the "killer bass line" that MJ would later describe in his book "Moonwalk." They try their hand at doo-wop in "I Never Had a Girl." Joe Jackson himself joins his sons on "Jam Session #1," a weak approximation of Jr. Walker's "Cleo's Back." The Motownesque "We Don't Have to Be Over 21 to Fall in Love" is about as awkward as it sounds. The rehearsal tapes that were added to this CD are unspeakable, with one exception-the lively and rocking "Jam Session Pt. 2." (where the title of my review comes from). Also recommended on this CD are "Micheal the Lover" and the entertaining "Let Me Carry Your Schoolbooks." The latter is not as juvenile as it sounds. As a whole, this is mostly for collectors and completists, but worthy of a listen.

Wonderful - but flawed.......2000-06-27

In one respect this is a wonderful collection of the Jacksons' pre-Motown work. The studio recorded material - basically the first half of the disc - is presented in the best quality possible, and thankfully NOT overdubbed with new instrumentation as has happened on a number of other discs where this material has been collected. Sadly though the disc is flawed, as the rehearsal taped material on the second half of it DOES suffer from the overdubbing problem. It is actually quite hard to find this material in its original, pristine state - I have come across it on only two or three occasions on budget European releases - and it is sad that this collection falls down here, despite the contrary claim on the rather misleading sleeve note!

Soulful.......2000-03-08

the Jackson 5 rocked on this disc.Big Boy,You 've changed are two of the Jams.the group was sounding Soulful on this disc.Michael Jackson has always been Bad!this is a Very Important disc.hearing Music from this disc you knew these Guys would Blow Up.

J-5 Early Stufff is worth a listen.......1999-08-21

This is an interesting (to say the least) early look at some long-lost tunes from the J-5. While half of these are obviously rehearsals used to take up space, there are good things here. "I Never had a Girl", their first ballad, has a raw appeal and sounds like a dress rehearsal for "Who's Loving You." "Jam Session pt. 2 " , which is a forerunner to ABC, sound like the J5 cutting loose in a sanctified church! Lots of fun! "Michael the Lover" good and funky and "Let me carry your Schoolbooks" is a funny, funky tale of Mike defending his girlfriend from schoolyard bullies. Worth a listen, and not just for historical reasons.

PRE-MOTOWN MAGIC!!!!!!!!!!!.......1999-04-11

This is an awesome CD presenting the Jackon 5's first 14 songs ever recorded. It's biggest hit is "Big Boy" which is so bluesy it just wouln't fit the motown sound because it is to soulful. It also features some other outstanding material including "Michael the Lover", an early version of "You've Changed", "We don't have to be over 21 to fall in love" which almost has a motown glow, "I never had a girl" which suffers from a keyed out melody. About half of this collection was never released (the other half on STEELTOWN singles) and on the label it says that the sound wasn't improved on for "historical" reasons making the last half sound somewhat strange, the music is great but the vocals have not been mixed up making it hard to hear the singing. I just wish they mixed up the song called "Under the Boardwalk" because what I could hear sounds awesome but would be a whole lot cooler if the vocals were turned up. An interesting begin for one of the most creative and musical families that became world famous musical geniuses!!!!!!!

Average customer rating:

Steeltown
Big Country
Manufacturer: Msi Music Corp
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000DEOXZ
Release Date: 2002-07-16

Average customer rating:

Steeltown
Big Country
Manufacturer: Universal Music & VI
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000E5IV
Release Date: 1984-01-01

Tracks:

Flame of the West
East of Eden
Steeltown
Where the Rose Is Sown
Come Back to Me
Tall Ships Go
Girl With the Grey Eyes
Rain Dance
Great Divide
Just a Shadow

Music:

Music