Track Listing

1. In A Big Country
2. Inwards
3. Chance
4. A Thousand Stars
5. The Storm
6. Harvest Home
7. Lost Patrol
8. Close Action
9. Fields Of Fire
10. Porroh Man
11. Angle Park
12. All Of Us
13. The Crossing
14. Heart And Soul

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4607 in Music
• Released on: 1996-03-25
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Extra tracks, Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .22 pounds
• Running time: 68 minutes

CD Description
In the first half of the 1980s, bands like U2 and the Waterboys hit it big with a passionate, widescreen approach that became known as "The Big Sound". Few did it bigger than Scotland's own Big Country, and their debut album, THE CROSSING,made them a proverbial overnight sensation. Singer Stuart Adamson (formerly of post-punk outfit the Skids) penned emotive anthems that rang out to the heavens via his and Bruce Watson's guitars, whose trademark Celtic-tinged sound was strikingly similar to that of bagpipes.
The album's singles, "Fields of Fire" and "In a Big Country", were surging fist-pumpers full of feeling and inspiration, charging ahead with the propulsion of drummer Mark Brzezicki's martial rhythms. Though the band would continue on for years (until their career was tragically ended by Adamson's 2001 suicide), they would never match the spark of their debut, one of the key rock albums of the '80s.

Customer Reviews

Forget the Edge, Stuart Adamson was the main man
From the first time I heard this album on vinyl back in 1983 I loved it. From the wall of sound drum intro of In a Big Country to the lengthy atmospheric build up of Porroh Man, The Crossing is not just a masterpiece of guitar rock, it is an album that perfectly captured the zietgiest of the early eighties. An album that musically and emotionally outstripped other highly lauded contemporary works such as War by U2 and Sparkle In The Rain by Simple Minds. An album that recieved two Grammy nominations. The drums are faultless, intelligently using polyrhythms, parradiddles and some very impressive high-hat work , the bass playing is up and down the fret board a la John Entwistle and the dual guitars are a tour de force. To say that this is the greatest ever debut album is not strictly true as the rhythm section had already worked with Pete Townshend on Empty Glass and Stuart Adamson had already produced three albums with The Skids (I highly recommened these albums also!!!) a group which heavily influenced a young U2 and metamorphasised from Punk(Scared to Dance), to producing some of the most intelligent use of synthesiser in Rock since The Who(Days In Europa) and finally to a musical style which Big Country continued(The Absolute Game); The Crossing just reaffirmed the fact that Adamson was among the most innovative and talented guitar players that rock has produced. Looking back now, two weeks after his tragic death it is hard to imagine that someone whose music was always so uplifting and life affirming chose to leave life and some of the most ardent fans behind, but if he is to be remembered as he certainly deserves to be, The Crossing is a truly great legacy.

What more can be said?
This review is a plea to anyone who has missed out on Big Country, the most underrated British band in musical history. Forget U2, Oasis etc. and just listen to this stuff! Searing guitars, pounding drums, haunting melodies and faultless musicianship. These are themes which followed Big Country throughout their amazing career, in the studio and live on the stage. "The Crossing" blew us all away in the '80's and set a standard that others have rarely (if ever) reached. How Big Country are not revered as the greatest British band ever I'll never know (maybe it's something to do with not being "in fashion"). Look up their back catalogue and just buy all of it!!!!!

Probably the best album of all time
I purchased this record as it was then back in 84 and it's been played many hundreds of times if not thousands..
There is so many brilliant songs on this cd that it's hard to choose the best one. Personally I love Fields of Fire, The Storm, Porrohman and of course Chance.
The Crossing is a fabulous album if you like atmospheric, moody, creative rock.

Pure brilliance.

** I am truly gutted that Stuart has died. It feels like a member of my family has gone and I cannot believe it.