High Land, Hard Rain

About High Land, Hard Rain

High Land, Hard Rain is the debut album by jangle pop band Aztec Camera, released in 1983. Three tracks from the album originally appeared on the Oblivious EP, which reached number 18 on the UK Singles Chart in November 1983. The album itself reached number 22 on the UK Albums Chart. The majority of the album was recorded at the ICC Studios in Eastbourne. "Down the Dip" was inspired by a local East Kilbride pub located close to Duncanrig Secondary School, Roddy Frame's high school. Originally called "The Diplomat" ("The Dip" for short), it is now called Gardenhall Inn. Aztec Camera's debut album, High Land, Hard Rain, was produced by John Brand and Bernie Clarke for the Rough Trade record label. The album was released in April 1983 and was distributed in different formats on Domino Recording Co. Ltd. in the US (in addition to Sire), WEA and Celluloid in France, Nuevos Medios, Nuevos Medios in Spain, Powderworks in Australia, MVM Records in Portugal, and WEA for a general European release.[1][11] The album was successful, garnering significant critical acclaim, and peaked at number 129 on the Billboard 200.[12] Frame later revealed that the song "Oblivious" was consciously written as a Top of the Pops-type pop song and received a corresponding degree of popularity.[13 more »