Steeltown is the second studio album by Scottish band Big Country. The album was recorded at ABBA's Polar Studios in Stockholm with Steve Lillywhite producing. It was released on 19 October 1984, in the UK and 29 October 1984, in the United States.[4] It was released on CD only in Germany, as well as remastered and reissued there.

Steeltown
Studio album by Big Country
Released	19 October 1984
Studio	Polar Studios, Stockholm, Sweden; RAK Studios, London, England
Genre	Alternative rock, new wave, Celtic rock
Length	47:54
Label	Mercury
Producer	Steve Lillywhite
Big Country chronology
The Crossing (1983) Steeltown (1984) The Seer (1986)
Singles from Steeltown
"East of Eden" Released: 21 September 1984 "Where the Rose Is Sown" Released: 23 November 1984 "Just a Shadow" Released: 19 January 1985

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Martin C. Strong	(7/10)[2]
Rolling Stone	[3]

Steeltown is the band's only UK number 1 album, topping the chart for 1 week in October 1984. The title track Steeltown was written about the town of Corby, telling how many Scots went to work at the Stewarts & Lloyds steelworks when it opened in 1935, at the height of the Great Depression, but later found themselves unemployed when the steelworks declined in the early 1980s.[5]

The 1996 reissue contains all of the B-sides from the album's single releases as well as the extended version of "Wonderland"

"East of Eden" was the only Top 20 single from the album, reaching number 17 in the UK Singles Chart.

Reception

Critic Fred Schruers of Rolling Stone gave the album a glowing review, writing:

Clanging and crackling with energy, this second album from Big Country rings natural evolutionary changes on the band's stirring twin-guitar sound even as it frames still better news: bandleader Stuart Adamson has rapidly matured into a songwriter capable of bringing meticulous craft to his obvious passion.[3]

Some critics reacted negatively towards the album, calling it muddled and overly dense.^{[citation needed]} The album's relative failure has been attributed to the fact that many American and international fans couldn't relate to its themes and lyrics, which dealt with the misfortunes of Scottish workers and contained references to British politics.^{[citation needed]} However, many fans today consider Steeltown to be the band's finest work.^{[citation needed]}

James Dean Bradfield from Manic Street Preachers has cited the album as being one of his all-time favourites.

Track listing

All songs written by Stuart Adamson, Mark Brzezicki, Tony Butler, and Bruce Watson except where indicated.

Side One

1. "Flame of the West" – 5:01
2. "East of Eden" – 4:29
3. "Steeltown" – 4:39
4. "Where the Rose Is Sown" – 4:58
5. "Come Back to Me" – 4:35

Side Two

1. "Tall Ships Go" – 4:38
2. "Girl with Grey Eyes" – 4:47
3. "Rain Dance" – 4:19
4. "The Great Divide" – 4:50
5. "Just a Shadow" – 5:38

1996 Reissue Bonus Tracks

1. "Bass Dance" - 1:39
2. "Belief In The Small Man" - 5:17
3. "Prairie Rose" - 4:46 (Bryan Ferry, Phil Manzanera)
4. "Wonderland (Extended)" - 7:07
5. "Winter Sky" - 3:16

2014 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition Disc 2

1. “Wonderland”
2. “Giant”
3. “All Fall Together”
4. "East of Eden (Radio Edit)”
5. “Prairie Rose” (Bryan Ferry, Phil Manzanera)
6. “Where The Rose Is Sown” (Radio Edit)
7. “Belief In The Small Man”
8. “Bass Dance”
9. “Just A Shadow (Radio Edit)”
10. “Winter Sky”
11. “Wonderland (Work In Progress #1)”
12. “Wonderland (Work In Progress #2)”
13. "East of Eden (Rough Mix)”
14. “Tall Ships Go (Rough Mix)”
15. “Where The Rose Is Sown (Rough Mix)”
16. “Come Back To Me (Rough Mix)”
17. “Bass Concerto (Work In Progress)”

Personnel

Big Country

• Stuart Adamson – guitar, piano, vocals
• Mark Brzezicki – drums, percussion, vocals
• Tony Butler – bass, vocals
• Bruce Watson – guitar, mandolin, sitar, vocals

Charts

Certifications

References