The Seer (Big Country album)

The Seer
Studio album by Big Country
Released	14 July 1986
Recorded	Nov 1985 - Feb 1986
Genre	Alternative rock, new wave, Celtic rock
Length	46:46
Label	Mercury
Producer	Robin Millar
Big Country chronology
Steeltown (1984) The Seer (1986) Peace in Our Time (1988)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Kerrang!	[2]
Martin C. Strong	(6/10)[3]

The Seer is the third studio album by the Scottish band Big Country, released in 1986. The album featured very traditional Scottish musical settings, reminiscent of the band's debut album The Crossing (1983). Kate Bush worked on the title song in a duet with lead singer and lyricist Stuart Adamson. The album's first single, "Look Away", was an Irish number one, and was also the group's biggest hit single in the UK, reaching #7.^[4]

The album reached #2 in the UK Albums Chart.^[4]

Reception

Critic Anthony DeCurtis of Rolling Stone gave The Seer a positive review, calling it "possibly [the band's] strongest effort to date":

“

Happily, Big Country's vision – articulated by Adamson's songwriting – is as generous and determined as ever. The single "Look Away" and the ballad "Hold the Heart," both chronicles of lost love, capture Adamson's grim romanticism, his characteristic urge to transcend but not deny emotional ravishment. "One Great Thing," "I Walk the Hill" and "Eiledon" are stirring expressions of the desire for individual integrity and a future filled with peace.[5]

”

Track listing

All songs written by Stuart Adamson, except where noted. ^† Written by Adamson/Watson. ^†† Written by Adamson/Butler.

1. "Look Away" – 4:23
2. "The Seer" (featuring Kate Bush) ^† – 5:26
3. "The Teacher" – 4:05
4. "I Walk the Hill" ^†† – 3:30
5. "Eiledon" - 5:35
6. "One Great Thing" ^†† - 4:00
7. "Hold the Heart" - 6:04
8. "Remembrance Day" - 4:28
9. "The Red Fox" - 4:09
10. "Sailor" - 4:52
11. "Song of the South" (Re-Issue Bonus)
12. "Look Away [12" Mix]" (Re-Issue Bonus)
13. "One Great Thing [Disco Mix]" (Re-Issue Bonus)
14. "Giant" (Re-Issue Bonus)

Chart performance

Chart (1986)	Peak position
Canadian Albums Chart[6]	75
Dutch Albums Chart[7]	8
German Albums Chart[8]	16
New Zealand Albums Chart[9]	7
Norwegian Albums Chart[10]	14
Swedish Albums Chart[11]	16
Swiss Albums Chart[12]	15
UK Albums Chart[13]	2
U.S. Billboard 200[14]	59

Personnel

Big Country

• Stuart Adamson - guitar, vocals
• Mark Brzezicki - drums, percussion, vocals
• Tony Butler - bass, steel guitar, vocals
• Bruce Watson - guitar, mandolin, sitar

Additional personnel

• Kate Bush - backing vocals
• June Miles-Kingston - backing vocals
• Davie Duncan - bodhran

References

1. Demalon, Tom. "Big Country: The Seer > Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
2. Johnson, Howard (10 July 1986). "Big Country 'The Seer'". Kerrang!. London, UK: United Magazines (124): 12.
3. The Essential Rock Discography - Volume 1: 87. 2006. Missing or empty |title= (help)
4. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 56. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
5. DeCurtis, Anthony (28 August 1986). "Big Country: The Seer". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media (RS 481). ISSN 0035-791X. Archived from the original on 31 March 2013.
6. "RPM 100 Albums". RPM. archived at Library and Archives Canada (Volume 44, No. 26). 20 September 1986. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
7. "Big Country - The Seer" (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
8. "Big Country, The Seer" (in German). charts.de. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
9. "Big Country - The Seer". charts.org.nz. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
10. "Big Country - The Seer". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
11. "Big Country - The Seer". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
12. "Big Country - The Seer" (in German). hitparade.ch. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
13. http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/20162/big%20country/
14. "Big Country". Billboard.com. Retrieved 20 September 2011.