Giant Steps (The Boo Radleys album)

The Boo Radleys released their second studio ''Everything's Alright Forever'' (1992) through Creation Records. It reached number 55 on the UK Albums Chart, and gave the band their first hit in that territory with "Does This Hurt", which peaked at number 67 on the Singles Chart. With frequent live performances, and attention from the press, the band's profile rose. Following a US tour with Sugar, the Boo Radleys began working on their next release. Guitarist Martin Carr had wanted to make an album that was more musically ambitious than the shoegaze sound they were known for. He said the rest of the band felt that no other act on the Creation Records roster were as competent as them. Journalist David Cavanagh said the band used the studio as an instrument, "push[ing] back the boundaries" of music as Screamadelica (1991) by Primal Scream had previously done, "crashing from genre to genre" as if the Boo Radleys were making their own iteration of the White album (1968) by the Beatles. ==Release==

Assistant press officer Andy Saunders was enamoured with the album. He and label co-founder Dick Green told marketing consultant Tim Abbot to "chuck everything at it" in terms of promotional efforts. While label co-founder Alan McGee liked "Lazarus", he thought the rest of it was too avant-garde. Carr was not worried by this response as McGee had taken some time to change his similar opinion on ''Everything's Alright Forever''. "Lazarus" was released was the album's lead single in November 1992. To help aid the album's promotion, Saunders wanted Carr to be perceived by the press as a musical genius akin to Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys or Kevin Shields from former Creation group My Bloody Valentine. Alongside this, the band performed at Sound City festival in Glasgow. "Lazarus" was gaining traction in the US, and subsequently, the Boo Radleys became a popular act during the 1994 Lollapalooza touring festival. ==Reception==

Giant Steps received favourable reviews upon its release. It reached the UK Top 20; "Lazarus" reached number 76 in the UK. and Select named it as album of the year, and it was ranked as No. 1 in Fanning's Fab Fifty for that year. Reviewing the album's re-release in 2008, Sic Magazine wrote, "For 64 minutes they were the greatest band on the planet". The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Author Dave Thompson, in his book Alternative Rock (2000), praised the variety of styles, noting that "those perfect pop harmonies keep somersaulting overheard." ==Track listing==

All songs and lyrics written by Martin Carr. Original release 2010 expanded edition 'CD1 – Giant Steps''''' CD2 – Bonus disc 1 • "Lazy Day" • "Vegas" • "Feels Like Tomorrow" • "Whiplashed" • "Does This Hurt? - Edit" • "Boo! Forever" • "Buffalo Bill" • "Sunfly II (Walking With The Kings)" • "Rodney King (St Etienne Remix)" • "As Bound As Tomorrow" • "I Will Always Ask You Where You've Been Even Though I Know The Answer" • "Peachy Keen" • "Further" • "Crow Eye" • 1 – 4 taken from the Adrenalin EP. • 5 – 8 taken from the Boo! Forever EP. • 9 – 11 taken from the "I Hang Suspended" single. • 12 – 14 taken from the "Wish I Was Skinny" single. CD3 – Bonus disc 2 • "Tortoiseshell" • "Zoom" • "Cracked Lips, Homesick" • "At The Sound Of Speed" • "Let Me Be Your Faith" • "Petroleum" • "Lazarus (7" Version)" • "Lazarus (Acoustic)" • "(I Wanna Be) Touchdown Jesus" • "Lazarus (St Etienne Remix)" • "Lazarus (Secret Knowledge Remix)" • "Lazarus (Ultramarine Remix)" • "Lazarus (Augustus Pablo Remix)" • "Lazarus (12" Version)" • 1 – 3 taken from the "Barney (…and Me)" single. • 4 – 8 taken from the "Lazarus" single. • 9 – 14 taken from the "Lazarus (Remixes)" single. ==Personnel==

• Sice – vocals • Rob Cieka – drums, percussion • Tim Brown – bass guitar, keyboards • Martin Carr – guitar, keyboards, vocals • Steve Kitchen – trumpet, flugel horn • Lindsay Johnston – cello • Jackie Toy – clarinet, bass clarinet • Meriel Barham – vocals on "Rodney King" and "One Is For" • Chris Moore – trumpet on "Lazarus" • Margaret Fiedler – cello on "Lazarus" • Keith Cameron – vocals on "The White Noise Revisitied" • Yvette Lacey – vocals on "The White Noise Revisitied" • Moose – handclaps on "Wish I Was Skinny", vocals on "The White Noise Revisitied" • Kle – vocals on "The White Noise Revisitied" • Laurence – vocals on "The White Noise Revisitied" • Nick Addison – vocals on "The White Noise Revisitied" • Guy Fixsen – vocals on "The White Noise Revisitied" • Russell – handclaps on "Wish I Was Skinny" • BOO! Productions (Martin Carr, Tim Brown & Andy Wilkinson) – production, remixing on "Lazarus" • Kevin & Barry – mastering (at Townhouse Studios) • Andy Wilkinson – engineering • Giles Hall – assistant engineering • Anjali Dutt – mixing (at Battery Studios, London) • Sarah Bedingham – assistance • Alan Moulder – remixing on "Lazarus" • Stephen A. Wood – sleeve art • Designland Limited – layout ==References==