Track Listing

1. Into the Valley
2. Scared to Dance
3. Of One Skin
4. Dossier
5. Melancholy Soldiers
6. Hope and Glory
7. Saints Are Coming
8. Six Times
9. Calling the Tune
10. Integral Plot
11. Charles
12. Scale
13. Charles [Single Version][*]
14. Reasons [*]
15. Test Tube Babies [*]
16. Sweet Suburbia [*]
17. Open Sound [*]
18. Night & Day [*]
19. Contusion [*]
20. T.V. Stars [Live][*]

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #59841 in Music
• Released on: 2005-10-17
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .23 pounds

Customer Reviews

Primal screams
Having criminally fallen off the critical radar, the Skids haven't received the reappraisal they deserve in the wake of the successes of current media darlings like Franz Ferdinand and Arctic Monkeys. Featuring the Celtic charm, acerbic wit and talismanic vocals of Richard Jobson alongside Stuart Adamson's often-copied frenetic riffing, it remains an electrifying debut from one of punk's more learned acts. It's difficult to get off to a better start than the seminal 'Into the Valley', a song which Graham Coxon's solo career is largely in debt to, but the quality rarely falls below its level. 'Charles', Adamson's fantastical tale of a factory worker who becomes part of the machinery he is employed to operate, 'The Saints are Coming', 'Of One Skin' and 'Melancholy Soldiers' provide the highlights, and are all equal to anything on the Clash’s debut.

Captain Oi has fleshed out the album with various EP tracks and b-sides, the most notable being the live favourite 'TV Stars', which sees Jobson namecheck a host of celebrities before the audience joins in with him shouting ‘Albert Tatlock!’

Inside the 16-page booklet is a (much needed!) lyric sheet, sleeve art from releases relevant to the album, and a brief essay. The sound quality is improved from previous issues, although the album is showing its age and the remastering isn't as solid as I’m sure it could be in the right hands, but it is the best currently available and is unlikely to be bettered anytime soon. Some of the bonus tracks also appear to be sourced from vinyl rather than the master tapes, but this remains the best version available of a classic, forgotten gem.

Legendary post-punk album
This legendary album opens with the anthemic Into The Valley with its raucous guitars, powerful melody and poetic lyrics. It will always be one of the truly great and memorable rock songs. The tempo is slower on the desperate love song Scared To Dance where the guitars impress once again, whilst the energetic Of One Skin is a real tour de force with a complex arrangement that varies between superfast power rock and slower sections.

Another highlight is Melancholy Soldiers, a brooding rocker where voice and guitar beautifully complement one another. The evocative imagery of the defiant Hope And Glory is delivered over an impressive display of guitar virtuosity. I love the droning effect of the guitars and the stabbing rhythms of Six Times, whilst the melancholy Calling The Tune sounds like a negative, despairing U2 and Integral Plot has a lovely tune around which the vocals and guitars lovingly embrace.

Charles is another gem of this great album, a potent protest song that is melodic and poetic. This re-issue has been enhanced by extra tracks which include the single version of Charles and other great moments like Test Tube Babies and Sweet Suburbia. This music is full of power and passion, an example of the magnificent rock that came out of the UK in the late 1970s. I also recommend Sweet Suburbia: The Best Of The Skids.

About time
Its hard to place the Skids in the pantheon of Scottish music but its not an overstatement to say that they are up there with the best. This their debut came out at the peak of punk/new wave and although it does sound dated now it is one of the great albums of its time. The late Stuart Adamson's superb guitar work is showcased here along with Richard Jobson's tremulous rebel yell. Well worth the money.