Big Country "The Buffalo Skinners"

Scottish rock band Big Country is largely considered a "one hit wonder" in the US since their only top 40 single was "In A Big Country", which hit #17 in 1983. But the band continued to crank out some incredible records until lead singer Stuart Adamson sadly took his own life in 2001.

The band's 1993 effort, "The Buffalo Skinners", should have been a huge comeback. Big Country reinvigorated its sound, shaking off the 80s style for a harder-edged rock sound. But beyond that, "The Buffalo Skinners" is just an outstanding collection of songs, all of which are equally melodious and thought-provoking. It would easily be on my list of "desert island" albums.

Here are some of the highlights:


  

"I'm So Bad (Baby I Don't Care)" by Motorhead (RIP Lemmy Kilmister)

An icon in the hard rock world passed away this week, 70 year old Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead. The band never had a charting single in the US, but their music has made an indelible impression on the genre and inspired many bands to rock (and party) hard since their formation in 1975.

I can't think of a more suitable track that embodies Lemmy than "I'm So Bad (Baby I Don't Care)", the lead single from their 1991 album, "1916". Incidentally, "1916" was the band's highest charting album, landing at #142 on the Billboard Top 200.

"Heart of Wilderness" by Big Head Todd and the Monsters

Colorado rock band Big Head Todd and the Monsters seemed secured in mainstream success with their breakout record, "Sister Sweetly". The album spawned several standards of 90s radio including "Bittersweet", which bubbled under the top 100 at #104 in January of 1994. While the album only went to #117, it created enough buzz to get the band's follow-up, "Stratagem", to #30. 

"Stratagem" failed to generate a hit single, so the band took 3 years to craft their next record, 1997's "Beautiful World". Helmed by Jerry Harrison of the Talking Heads, "Beautiful World" was a glorious return to form and saw the band flexing their blues muscles too. Filled with sizzling rockers and sultry ballads, "Beautiful World" reached a respectable #56 on the albums chart and put the band back on the mainstream rock charts, too (thanks to "Resignation Superman").

Here's another wonderful cut from "Beautiful World" called "Heart of Wilderness":

"Burned" by Better Than Ezra

Splashing onto the music scene in the 90s, pop rock band Better Than Ezra enjoyed several successful records before the close of the decade. The band only had one top 40 hit with "Good", which went to #30 in 1995.

Better Than Ezra has been quietly making fantastic records ever since, despite not getting a fair shake at radio anymore. Their mix of catchy rockers and heartfelt ballads fit perfectly alongside any of their contemporaries. For example, check out this awesome cut from their 2005 record, "Before The Robots".

Better Than Ezra released their eighth record just last year, "All Together Now" - check it out!

"8 Arms" by Big Bang Babies

A day late and dollar short, Big Bang Babies arrived on the glam and hair band scene with their self-titled debut in 1992. The song "8 Arms" is a triumph - a total homage to Cheap Trick and the perfect love song for octopuses. 

Don't miss their rocking cover of "Winter Wonderland", too!

"Mad At The World" by Big Car

Chances are you probably haven't heard of the band Big Car, which released their only record, "Normal", back in 1992. They will sound familiar, but you won't be able to put your finger on why. Here's why:  two of the members, Miles Zuniga (vocals, guitar) and Joey Shuffield (drums), went on to form the more successful band called Fastball in 1995.

Big Car foreshadows what Fastball is better known for:  driving riffs and catchy choruses wrapped around witty lyrics. Big Car was likely a victim of bad timing - a pop rock band stuck in-between hair bands, grunge, and pop divas didn't stand much of a chance. Fortunately the music scene settled down by the mid-1990s, giving these guys (as Fastball) the break they deserved.

"Falling Apart" by Benjamin r

Independent singer/songwriter "Benjamin r" released "The Other Side Of Nowhere" in 2009. He (aka Robert Selvaggio) offers a no-nonsense approach to modern rock and sounds somewhere in-between Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day) and Mark Kano (Athenaeum). His record is filled with catchy rockers and some more laid back numbers. "Falling Apart" is the standout track for me, which should have given this indie artist a much bigger audience.

Go to his web site for more information.

"Feed The Tree" by Belly

Belly was a short-lived 90s band led by the prolific Tanya Donelly (Throwing Muses, The Breeders). They had a single Top 100 appearance with the gorgeous song, "Feed The Tree", which climbed to #95 in the spring of 1993. It is surprising this tune didn't get to the top of the tree.

Like most songs in the 90s, the lyrics are enigmatic, but that is just one of its charms (along with an unshakably catchy melody sung well). According to Songfacts, "The metaphor is the tree that would be planted on large farms as a point of reference to getting around (the only tree sometimes). Because nothing would grow under the large tree, the family would be buried under it. Hence:  Take your hat off, boy when you're talking to me and be there when I feed the tree." 

"The Art Of Letting Go" by Pat Benatar

The first female artist to get airplay on MTV, Pat Benatar laid the groundwork for many a female rocker. She's had a bevy of well-deserved hits, but this tune is a favorite of mine that doesn't get enough recognition. I would rank the vocal performance in "The Art Of Letting Go" to be among Benatar's best.

"The Art Of Letting Go" concludes Benatar's seventh album, aptly named "Seven The Hard Way". The record came out in 1985 and boasted the hits "Invincible" (which went to #10) and "Sex As A Weapon" (which went to #28). The album itself got to #26. Maybe it would have charted even higher if this song were released as a single?

"Happy" by William Bell

How in the world "Happy" by Memphis R&B artist William Bell wasn't a major hit is beyond me. This infectious tune would make even Dick Cheney dance. On second thought, push that image from your mind and just enjoy the video below.

Bell never really got his due back in the 60s and 70s. He had a few modest hits starting with "You Don't Miss Your Water" in 1962. His biggest hit did not arrive until 1977 with "Tryin' To Love Two", which went to #10. He hasn't been on the chart since. 

Billy Idol must have been a fan, though. He covered Bell's tune, "I Forgot To Be Your Lover", which went to #45 in 1969. Idol took it to #6 in 1986 retitled as "To Be A Lover".

"Looking For A U.F.O." by Adrian Belew

I'm willing to bet many of you never heard of Adrian Belew, but I bet you've heard him perform in some capacity. Discovered by Frank Zappa, Belew was an accomplished singer and guitarist as a sideman for the likes of Talking Heads, David Bowie, and Paul Simon. He was also a member of the prog rock band King Crimson.

Belew's only chart appearance as a solo act was for the song, "Oh Daddy", which made it to #58 in 1989. In 1990, he released his 5th album, "Young Lions", which is filled with a mix of melodic and experimental rock. There is a duet with David Bowie ("Pretty Pink Rose"), a cover of the Traveling Wilburys song, "Not Alone Anymore", and even a broadcast from an evangelist called Prophet Omega.

Among the more accessible cuts is this snappy little number, "Looking For A U.F.O." Not just a great commentary on world affairs, the song also features a pretty obvious nod to the Talking Heads.

"Boyfriend 2" by Terry Anderson

North Carolina singer/songwriter Terry Anderson first broke onto the music scene in the 80s, when his song, "Battleship Chains" was used by The Georgia Satellites. The tune followed-up their monster hit, "Keep Your Hands To Yourself", which went to #2 in 1986. "Battleship Chains" was a great song, but stalled at #86.

After the demise of Georgia Satellites, lead singer Dan Baird went solo and relied on Anderson for another hit. He found it with "I Love You Period", which went to #26 in 1992.

Anderson has released several solo albums as well, filled with gritty bar band music and his trademark sense of humor. "Boyfriend 2" comes from his 2001 record, "I'll Drink To That".

"It's All Been Done" by Barenaked Ladies

Everyone knows the fun-loving and quirky Canadian band, Barenaked Ladies. Whether you've been a fan since their early days in the late 80s, or just like the Big Bang Theory theme song, odds are you appreciate their knack for witty lyrics and clever harmonies. 

The band had their big breakthrough in the US with their album, "Stunt", which hit #3 on the Billboard Top 200. "Stunt" contained their only #1 hit, "One Week", which spent exactly one week at the top of the chart in 1998.

The follow-up single was the super catchy song, "It's All Been Done". This is an amazing tune with bright guitars and crazy infectious harmonies that should have easily sailed into the top 5, but instead it stalled at #44.

  

"Staring Into Space" by BBMak

BBMak?! Hear me out, music fans. Most of us know this English trio more or less as a schmaltzy boy band that got lucky with their one hit from 2000, "Back Here". The single that made them famous helped send their debut album, "Sooner Or Later", to #38 on the Billboard Top 200. Subsequent singles failed to catch on in the US, though.

On their sophomore effort, the boys cranked up the guitars a bit more, bringing a rock edge to their catchy pop songs. "Into Your Head" got to an impressive #25 on the album chart, but failed to generate a hit single. "Out Of My Heart" should have done much better then it did, but it stalled at #56 when released in 2002.

The follow-up single is even better - "Staring Into Space" has an infectious chorus, terrific backing vocals (these guys truly had a gift for harmony), and a snappy guitar line. It's a shame this new direction didn't help BBMak secure more fans - it would have been interesting to see how their sound evolved along this trajectory. But in 2003, the boys broke up and got involved in other projects. 

"Days of the Week" by Stone Temple Pilots (RIP Scott Weiland)

Scott Weiland and Stone Temple Pilots helped define the music of the 90s. They exploded onto the scene in 1993 with "Plush", which earned them a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance, and had a #1 hit record with their sophomore effort, "Purple".

After a couple more successful albums, the band split up and Weiland made some solo records and fronted the supergroup Velvet Revolver. STP got back together with Weiland for a few more years, but his continued problems with substance abuse drove the band apart again. Sadly, Weiland has passed away at the age of 48.

One of the band's last singles was also one of their best. But the musical landscape had shifted when this came out in 2001, so it failed to chart on the Billboard Top 100.

"You Know, I Know" by The Moberlys

Jim Basnight is a singer/songwriter who has been under the radar since his career began in the late 1970s. In addition to his solo work, he's fronted numerous bands, including one called The Moberlys. There is a garage rock urgency to most of his early work, drawing comparisons to bands like The Replacements. "You Know, I Know" is a sunny, 70s-styled pop song that will have you humming the hook for days.