Not only does this album possess one of the truly great album covers of all time (beauty in simplicity) there is not a single song on here worthy of being skipped. Jangly and atmospheric guitars, diving rhythms, sultry and subtle vocals and poignant and pinpoint lyrics. The Scottish quartet was formed out of the demise of a cool punk band called the Fingerprintz. They are still making records today, but nothing has come close to this amazing debut. Though not as aggressive as Simple Minds there is a similar quality though Del Amitri, The proclaimers and a softer version of Big Country would also work for a starting point. There are constant familiar images the modern Christian alternative fan could appreciate and the diversity in themes is impressive. “I Can’t Cry” is one of the best songs dealing with abortion I ever recall. The inner turmoil expressed is difficult and utterly believable. This not a song of condemnation, but rather of one where the protagonist is looking for help and reaching out to find no support. Songs like God’s Gift, Painted Moon and I See Red keep the same musical experiencing going with an unforgettable drive. They drone you into a helpless state and draw you in more than pound you ever the ears with hook and melody. There is a simplicity that goes deeper then initially thought. It is interesting to do a web search for this album and discover not a ton of results, but in every case there is a rave review. They may not have a large fan base, but the cult like status is filled with fans, like me, who are just continually amazed how such an impressive band went unnoticed.
Contributor David Lowman – https://legacyccmsgreatestalbums.wordpress.com
Tracklist
1 – Painted Moon – 6:04
2 – I Can’t Cry – 5:24
3 – Bullets And Blue Eyes – 5:04
4 – God’s Gift – 4:50
5 – I See Red – 4:10
6 – I Ought To Know – 4:28
7 – A Letter From St. Paul – 4:34
8 – Blue Desire – 4:08
9 – Possessed – 7:32
10 – Painted Moon (Blues Mix) – 6:30
Credits
Bass – Joe Donnelly
Drums – Martin Hanlin
Engineer, Recorded By – Callum Malcolm
Guitar – Cha Burns
Guitar, Vocals – Jimme O’Neill
Mixed By – Mark Freegard, Mark Wallace, The Silencers
Photography By – Jill Furmanovsky
Producer – Dave Bascombe
Producer [With Help From] – The Silencers
Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – BMG Records (UK) Ltd.
Copyright © – BMG Records (UK) Ltd.
Distributed By – RCA/Ariola-Ariola/RCA
Distributed By – Ariola/RCA-RCA/Ariola
Designed At – T&CP Associates
Pressed By – Sonopress – B-7941
