The Skids: Days In Europa - 1979
Hot on the heels of their debut album came more Caledonian riffing from The Skids. Personally, I prefer it to the debut - the compositions are fuller and beefier.
It kicks off with a real Big Country-sounding rocker in the excellent Animation. It was the album’s third single. The big, rolling, military-style drums are here as is the bagpipe guitar sound.
Next up was the minor hit single, Charade, which is beautifully chunky in its riffage and has a rousing chorus refrain (the song’s title, basically). Although not quite up to Into The Valley’s standards, it was still a good one.
A fine riff also introduces the catchy, singalong Dulce Et Decorum Est (Pro Patria Mori), which also features those bagpipe guitars. Big Country were well on the way, weren’t they? Pros And Cons is deliciously riffy too (what a surprise) and the album’s other single, Working For The Yankee Dollar, was an upbeat once more tub-thumping song that made a great choice for a single.
Home Of The Saved was brooding and sombre, however. At the risk of repeating myself, the riff is just so....Big Country. The Olympian features some rolling drums and another fist-pumping chorus and yes, more searing riffs as does Thanatos. A Day In Europa is tuneful, but it doesn’t pull up many trees, while Peaceful Times finds the group dabbling in echoey electronic sounds, surprisingly. Its reverse-played vocals are a big mistake, though.
