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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Should've been bigger..., May 13, 2000
"Big Innings" is a strong compilation of hits by the Outfield and one of my personal favorites. "Voices Of Babylon", the ethereal leadoff track, is the best with it's chilling warning to today's society ("By the time our number's up, we could be gone.") "For You", the next track, personally brings back very fond memories of 1990-91. Its heartfelt lyrics("You can have it any way you want it")is a very sincere plea from a lonely, repentant lover. Most of the rest of the songs, especially "Everytime You Cry," "Your Love," "Alone With You" and "Through The Years" are also very strong. Unfortunately, the band often fell back on formulaic beats and lyrics which makes many other songs sound the same. I agree with many other reviewers -- this band should've been much bigger than it's five Top 40 hits (and THOSE should've been much bigger too!). I'm also sorry to see that this band is no longer together. But their career wasn't bad at all for some British dudes with an all-American name and sound. Bottom line -- buy it! It's definitely worth the money.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good but lacking somewhat, November 17, 2005
Probably a lot of people would agree with me when I say that many of my favorite Outfield songs aren't on this album. Near all of the Outfield's work is incredible, and to make a greatest hits album just doesn't work that well. For the casual Outfield fan, the mainstream stuff is on here (the three songs which actually achieved airplay, anyways), but the album lacks a lot of my old favorites. I honestly only bought this album for the three unreleased tracks, all of which are awesome. If you own all the Outfield's albums and are thinking of buying this for the same reason, do it, it's well worth it, just for those three songs. The Outfield are my favorite band of all time, and it still is amazing to me that nobody knows anything beyond "Your Love". With the exception of Diamond Days, I have always enjoyed each and every Outfield album, so if you want the best of the Outfield, you're probably going to have to buy all their albums, and make your own CD. There's just too many great songs, and this album only scratches the surface of one of the best and most underrated bands of all time.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Under-rated, under-appreciated and under-played, February 14, 2006
Although '80's shows will often include "Your Love" as a staple of their playlist, they miss most of the entire Outfield catalogue. This compilation represents a band that was immensely talented. It showcases a pop sensibility that is not found in today's music. The Outfield has an unmistakable sound that will have you playing air instruments in the house or in the car.
1985 was a pivotal year for the Outfield. This song came on the radio "You Got Me All Screwed Up". It was actually called "Say It Isn't So". These rich harmonies, this amplified drumming and this twangy guitar sound that make the Rembrants seem like finger painters. This stuff had all the pop hooks and musical chops that epitomized the '80's. They followed with "Josie's on a Vacation far away..." ("Your Love"), "All The Love" and "Every Time You Cry". Lead singer John Spinks had a Sting meets Brian Adams quality that drove a song a long...well, like a line drive!
This is a compilation filled with lost greatness...
"For You" is a tune from 1990 that is not played anymore. Dittos in "Winning It All" which is sometimes heard at the stadium. My favorite lost classic is "My Paradise" from the Voices of Babylon album. This album was more experimental, and the record company chose poorly, as they went with the more moody title track as their first single. "Paradise" could be the band's best song, and is thankfully chosen to be song 12 in this collection. "Since You've Been Gone" is the lead single from the "Bangin'" album. It cooks.
Some of the lesser known stuff makes for nice filler. "The Night Ain't Over", "Somewhere In America" and the demo version of "Alone With You" are all testaments to this band's nonchalant pop song styling. "Closer To Me" is a guitar driven, last gasp by a band that could have played the field so much longer if radio hadn't gone so sour.
As a former Top 40 jock who followed this band onto the playing field, I've yet to hear an act with this much pop power and one that did so much damage in such a short period of time. And they did it completely steroid free!
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