This week, we dig into the debut LP by the Scottish jangle pop band Aztec Camera , 1983's High Land, Hard Rain.
The creative force behind the band was Roddy Frame, a fine singer, remarkable guitarist, and very gifted songwriter, who started his career at 15, and was 18 when this album was recorded. Completed in just three weeks, the album is filled with wonderful pop songs that touch on jazz and soul, and often defy categorization. Upon its release it was a commercial success in the UK and received critical raves on both sides of the pond.
High Land, Hard Rain is an inconceivably mature and complex album given the age of the songwriter. And while the album suffers some from 1980's production issues (most notably the use of synth drums), thankfully the strength of the songwriting transcends this weakness.
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