Ztt UK
1980
Big Smash
About This Album
It's entirely possible that the title to Wreckless Eric's second album Big Smash! was meant sincerely, it's entirely possible that it was an ironic joke -- such is the charm of Wreckless is that both answers are entirely plausible. The thing is, the truth doesn't matter -- he didn't even think of the title, merely chose it from two options offered by Stiff. Nevertheless, Big Smash! sure sounds like an attempt to have a big pop smash, something that Wreckless wryly admits with the opening "A Pop Song," a sly jibe at the record company asking for a hit, with Eric acquiescing to their demands with a song as sardonic and hooky as his one-time producer, Nick Lowe. But Big Smash!, overall, sees Wreckless Eric toning down his sense of humor considerably while tightening up his attack, which makes this a very different affair than the debut or his early singles. Those were wild, unruly, unhinged - truly, they were reckless, where this is just eccentric, but that doesn't mean it's tamed. In fact, a cleaned-up Wreckless Eric still packs a powerful punch, as evidenced by his rampaging cover of "Break My Mind," and the cleaner attack highlights his skills as a pop songwriter, capable of writing tunes that are as barbed lyrically as they are musically, but also capable of a surprising sweetness.
Track List

Disc 1 (try tracks 2,5,6,9 and 11)

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Disc 2

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