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Swimmer is the debut studio album from Scottish pop band The Big Dish, which was released by Virgin in 1986.

Swimmer
Studio album by The Big Dish
Released	29 September 1986[1]
Length	53:08
Label	Virgin Warner (US)
Producer	Ian Ritchie, Glyn Johns, Paul Hardiman, The Big Dish
The Big Dish chronology
Swimmer (1986) Creeping Up on Jesus (1988)

The album contains four singles; "Big New Beginning", "Prospect Street", "Slide" and "Christina's World". "Christina's World" reached No. 84 in the UK Singles Chart in January 1987 and "Slide" peaked at No. 86 in May 1987.[2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
Record-Journal	C[4]
The Sheboygan Press	[5]
Sounds	[6]

On its release, Music & Media picked Swimmer as one of their "Albums of the Week" during October 1986. They described the songs as "alternating between guitar-influenced and atmospheric, melodic material". They also noted Lindsay's "strong vocals" which "lift the material up to a higher plane".[7] Billboard noted the band's "strong song sense" but added that "what may catch ears is the vocalizing of David Byrne sound-alike Steven Lindsay."[8] Cash Box wrote, "Lindsay's whispy voice and strong-based songwriting recommend the group to a wide audience. The band is at its best on heartfelt, melody-rich songs like 'Prospect Street' and 'Slide'."[9]

Paul Massey of the Evening Express noted, "Warmth and sincerity are the trademarks of Lindsay's mellow pop and the single 'Slide' is simply great."[10] Martin Wells of the Derby Evening Telegraph described Swimmer as containing "some delightful Orange Juice/Lloyd Cole-style pop songs".[11]

Brant Houston of the Hartford Courant described Swimmer as "a persuasive effort but sometimes too tidy". He added, "The songs are often sprightly, with '60s-like choruses that keep afloat the tunes that tend toward the moribund."[12] Jim Zebora of the Record-Journal as "accessible, insistent pop" but that the band "has a tendency to fall into mediocrity with many songs".[4]

In a retrospective review, William Ruhlmann of AllMusic considered the album's material to be "tasteful, cultured and a bit dull". He commented, "The guitars chime, the machine-made beats burble, and Lindsay contemplates existence, but there is a difference between swimming and treading water that he doesn't seem to recognize."[3]

Track listing

Personnel

The Big Dish

• Steven Lindsay – vocals, guitar, keyboards
• Brian McFie – lead guitar, second guitar
• Raymond Docherty – bass

Additional musicians

• Ian Ritchie – programming, saxophone

Production

• Ian Ritchie – producer (tracks 1–3, 6–7, 9–11, 13)
• Chris Sheldon – engineer (tracks 1–3, 6–7, 9–11, 13)
• Paul Hardiman – producer (track 4)
• Glyn Johns – producer (tracks 5, 12)
• The Big Dish – producers (track 8)

Other

• Gary Wathen – art direction
• Red Ranch – design
• Heather Angel – photography

Charts

Chart (1986)	Peak position
UK Albums Chart[2]	85

References

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