The Skids: Absolute Game.

    The first album I will be talking about, is to me, an significant part of Punk, and in general, of Rock.  The reasons are not just because of the raw energy, excitement, and visceral feeling, but because of the growth in song writing maturity, instrumental progression, and the ability to stretch out beyond Punk’s  back to basics approach, just as The Clash did with “London Calling“, and the Jam with “Sound Affects“.  This CLASSIC album, is called “The Absolute Game” by The Skids, an Scottish Punk/New Wave Band, with strong traces of what people would call Progressive-Punk.  Some of you have probably have the old LP, or like me, have the newer version with the bonus tracks and “Strength through Joy” E.P combined with it.  Well, I am only going to be talking about the original L.P, and why I believe this is one of the best albums I have ever heard.
 

    Released in 1980, which is in my opinion a great year for music, The Absolute Game shows The Skids pushing forward even more beyond their previous albums Scared to Dance, and A Day in Europa, in 1978 and 79 respectively.  Played with more instrumental prowess, and intelligence, combined with their honed energy and enthusiasm, the band goes through different styles and sounds.  For instance, raging Punk and New Wave like the tracks Circus Games, Out of Town, and The Children Saw the Shame, to slower, more soulful songs like A Woman in Winter, and Hurry On Boys, to Progressive-Punk gems like Devil’s Decade, and Arena.  You can even hear clear Celtic sounds in the bit of the songs, for example, Hurry on Boys again.  

    Even when made during a tough time for the band out of internal fights and musical arguments, The Absolute Game is like before the mentioned albums “London Calling” and “Sound Affects“, a Champion of Punk and New Wave Rock, on a high artistic level.  Sadly, this would be the last album that guitarist, backing vocalist, songwriter, and co-founding member Stuart Adamson would play on fully, as he had gotten sick of the situations within the band, and left to form the legendary New Wave/Alternative Rock band “Big Country“.  The band shortly after one more album split up and went their separate ways, but still created significant music, and not just for their native Scotland.

-Nick Hale