{"product_id":"the-absolute-game-45th-anniversary-national-album-day-2026","title":"The Absolute Game (45th Anniversary) (National Album Day 2026)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eTruly one of the greatest British bands to come out of the 1976 \/ 1977 musical rupture that was Punk, Dunfermline's Skids went on to demonstrate they had so much more to them than many of their contemporaries. Always a tight and powerful musical powerhouse they enjoyed a string of classic chart hits between 1978 and 1979 (‘Into The Valley’, ‘Masquerade’, ‘Working For The Yankee Dollar’ etc).\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eFollowing this, they surprised and delighted fans and critics alike with 1980’s ambitious and experimental third album outing ‘The Absolute Game’. The album was also the first to feature feature new bassist Russell Webb and his inclusion, along with the contribution of new producer Mick Glossop, made for an accomplished and progressive evolution.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eThe first sign that the band had upped the ante somewhat came with the album’s first single (and its opener), ‘Circus Games’, which fused incisive lyrics and rallying vocal delivery with a powerful backing track, replete with synth stylings and even a schoolkids’ chorus. Future singles to be culled included ‘A Woman In Winter’ and the glorious ‘Goodbye Civilian’. Record Collector latersaid of the album: “Endlessly inventive and perfectly executed, it deservedly became their most successful release”.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eInitial copies of ‘The Absolute Game’ came with the free mini album ‘Strength Through Joy’ an experimental mini-album that blended world music influences and atmospheric and ambient sounds that perfectly fitted 1980’s Peter Gabriel \/ Talking Heads \/ ‘Scary Monsters’ Bowie zeitgeist.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eFor this stunning 2LP vinyl reissue, ‘The Absolute Game’, and ‘Strength Through Joy’, have been remastered from the source tapes, thereby correcting previous problems with the album’s tape transfers. The work was undertaken by respected audio engineer George Shilling (previous credits include Blur, Teenage Fanclub, Bernard Butler, Oasis, Primal Scream).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eArtwork has been lovingly recreated with the original’s lyric sheet and Skids merchandise inserts promoted onto illustrated inner bags. The albums have pressed onto translucent blue stone vinyl.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eTracklist\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLP1 ‘THE ABSOLUTE GAME’\u003cbr\u003eSide One\u003cbr\u003eCircus Games\u003cbr\u003eOut Of Town\u003cbr\u003eGoodbye Civilian\u003cbr\u003eThe Children Saw The Shame\u003cbr\u003eA Woman In Winter\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSide Two\u003cbr\u003eHurry On Boys\u003cbr\u003eHappy To Be With You\u003cbr\u003eThe Devils Decade\u003cbr\u003eOne Decree\u003cbr\u003eArena\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLP2 ‘STRENGTH THROUGH JOY’\u003cbr\u003eSide Three\u003cbr\u003eAn Incident In Algiers\u003cbr\u003eGrievance\u003cbr\u003eStrength Through Joy\u003cbr\u003eFilming Africa\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSide Four\u003cbr\u003eA Man For All Seasons\u003cbr\u003eSnakes And Ladders\u003cbr\u003eSurgical Triumph\u003cbr\u003eThe Bell Jar\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"DEMON","offers":[{"title":"Limited 2LP (Translucent Blue Stone Vinyl)","offer_id":53097826943293,"sku":"DEMREC1353","price":35.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0096\/1884\/9839\/files\/DEMREC1353SkidsTheAbsoluteGame2LPPackshot.jpg?v=1789643449","url":"https:\/\/sisterray.co.uk\/products\/the-absolute-game-45th-anniversary-national-album-day-2026","provider":"Sister Ray","version":"1.0","type":"link"}