| Amazing Things | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 15 March 1993 | |||
| Studio | Castlesound Studios, Pentcaitland, Scotland | |||
| Genre | Celtic rock | |||
| Length | 57:40 | |||
| Label | Chrysalis[1] | |||
| Producer | Chris Harley | |||
| Runrig chronology | ||||
| ||||
Amazing Things is the eighth studio album by the ScottishCeltic rock bandRunrig, released on 11 March 1993 byChrysalis Records.[2] It spawned a total of three singles – "Wonderful", "The Greatest Flame" and "Song of the Earth".
The albumAmazing Things was released on 11 March 1993 by Chrysalis Records. It was released by the record label in the United Kingdom,Japan and mainland continentalEurope. In 2001, the album was re–released in a packaged 3 CD boxset alongsideThe Cutter and the Clan andThe Big Wheel, and again in 2014 as part of a 5 CD boxset alongside four other studio albums released by the band.[3]
Following its release,Amazing Things debuted at number two in the United Kingdom, behind onlyTheir Greatest Hits byHot Chocolate. It became the highest charting entry for Runrig in the United Kingdom.[4] Additionally, it debuted at number forty-seven in Germany, remaining within the Top 100 of the German Albums Charts for a total of eleven weeks.[5] It was later certified Silver by theBritish Phonographic Industry (BPI), indicating sales in excess of 60,000 copies.[6]
The album was recorded by the band at Castlesound Studios in Pentcaitland, Scotland. For the recording sessions of the album, Runrig was joined by a number of session musicians to accompany the band for the recording of the album. Singer Marie Brennan provided both vocals and backing vocals on the album, with further backing vocals provided by Dee Brennan, Bridin Brennan, Olie Brennan, Mary Kiani, Lorna Bannen, Martin Piggot and Chris Harley.[3]
The band was also accompanied by The Glasgow Islay Gaelic Choir, conducted by Kirsteen Grant, alongside The Breakish Horns, who provided bass material during the recording sessions.[3]
The cover features a close-up photo of theHugh MacDiarmid Memorial, nearLangholm, created by sculptor Jake Harvey.[7]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [8] |
| Calgary Herald | B[9] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [10] |
TheWaterloo Region Record wrote that "Runrig is relentlessly serious, their music always skirting the edges of overkill."[11]The Times opined that the band sounds "like a rockier version of Chris De Burgh on 'Dream Fields' and 'Move a Mountain'."[12]
AllMusic noted that "the folk genre that dominated their early independent albums had virtually disappeared and had been replaced by an anthemic rock sound heavily influenced by their fellow Scots countrymen Big Country and Irish band U2."[8]
| Chart (1993) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[13] | 47 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[14] | 2 |
