The Album Review Club - Week #148 - (page 1953) - Sheer Heart Attack - Queen

Been listening to this, it's not really my thing musically but I've enjoyed it. We seem to have many post punk choices on here.
What first struck me with the sonic textures on the album it could be made in no other decade than the "era of big drums" ....the 80's.
Digital Gated plate reverbs came into being instead of large natural echo/reverb chambers. When you combine that with the rise of digital hardware effects units, programable drum machines and the ‘Golden age’ of synthesizers, you get an undeniably unique and timeless sound.
The intent was to be loud, big and excessive with effects like reverb, delay and pitch-shifting. But at the same time, you can keep things breathing, gated and under control—Giving your drums that distinct 80’s vibe. (Hard to control a large echo chamber).
Also contributing to the band's unique sound was their use of the e-bow, a hand-held device which, through the use of magnets, causes the strings of an electric guitar to vibrate producing a soft attack which sounds more like strings or synthesizer.
As I say, not really my thing, I prefer softer, more acoustic drums and less studio processing on the guitars.
The overall sound of the album is quite samey and doesn't deviate much.
I enjoyed it and give it an extra point for this band not going down the Synth driven 80's sluzz that the British charts were full off.
In the 80's Big Country would've gone down very well in Australia as then it was all guitar bands. (most of them drunk on stage :))
6/10
 
Bill Walker said:
Been listening to this, it's not really my thing musically but I've enjoyed it. We seem to have many post punk choices on here.
What first struck me with the sonic textures on the album it could be made in no other decade than the "era of big drums" ....the 80's.
Digital Gated plate reverbs came into being instead of large natural echo/reverb chambers. When you combine that with the rise of digital hardware effects units, programable drum machines and the ‘Golden age’ of synthesizers, you get an undeniably unique and timeless sound.
The intent was to be loud, big and excessive with effects like reverb, delay and pitch-shifting. But at the same time, you can keep things breathing, gated and under control—Giving your drums that distinct 80’s vibe. (Hard to control a large echo chamber).
Also contributing to the band's unique sound was their use of the e-bow, a hand-held device which, through the use of magnets, causes the strings of an electric guitar to vibrate producing a soft attack which sounds more like strings or synthesizer.
As I say, not really my thing, I prefer softer, more acoustic drums and less studio processing on the guitars.
The overall sound of the album is quite samey and doesn't deviate much.
I enjoyed it and give it an extra point for this band not going down the Synth driven 80's sluzz that the British charts were full off.
In the 80's Big Country would've gone down very well in Australia as then it was all guitar bands. (most of them drunk on stage :))
6/10
Click to expand...
Nice review Bill. Glad you enjoyed it.
 
A decent album to listen to every once in a while. Maybe more than every 35 years (since my last listen), though.

I don’t get the Thin Lizzy similarity however, maybe some solo Gary Moore stuff and even Midge Ure Ultravox in places. Porrohman is a good track because it reminds me of Mike Oldfield, but Thin Lizzy tracks are better and different in all aspects to me.

As a fan of some of the rock bands from the seventies, I remember liking the album briefly but always felt the lack of guitar solos and its pop-style vocals meant it would only ever be an occasional play for me. Half of the tracks seem to rely on similar single drum and bagpipe-guitar riffs throughout with repeating lyrics making those songs feel overlong but then they weren’t afraid to try a slightly different route with Porrohman either.

I’ll give it 6/10, it would have been 5 but for a first album it’s a good one.
 
Work being what it is I hope to have time for a bigger review later, but in case I don’t, this is a 7/10.

While everyone focuses on the guitar, the militaristic nature of the backbeat is the record’s most kinetic and engaging feature, and also its most confusing. What the hell cause are these guys going to battle ABOUT? All I could think about was Braveheart.

Credible but annoying as a Scottish U2 rip (thanks Stevie L) but sonically stands up on its own merits — and quite well too — despite itself. A hell of a lot better than The Alarm but not close to U2’s “War” IMO.
 
I quite enjoyed listening to this , as others have said it’s very much of its time.The singles were the obvious reference, but I liked one or two of the other tracks, namely‘The storm and ‘Porrohman’. It did get a bit a samey and the vocals
which I liked ,were very much in the background on a lot of the tracks.
I also liked the bagpipe guitar sound until it began to sound repetitive.

I’m thinking of a 6 but I’ll bump it up to 7 as Stuart Adamson died far to young.
 
Never heard of them before so all new to me, did sound a bit 80’s out of date but equally I enjoyed it

‘In A Big Country’ I found ok but overhyped.
Enjoyed Springsteen sounding ‘Chance’ the most and found that really catchy, some lovely music in ‘Porrohman’ and the big Celtic hitting ‘Fields Of Fire’

6/10
 
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