Waterboys return to rock with Dream Harder

In 1993, The Waterboys released their sixth album, Dream Harder.

Waterboys
Whole of the Moon single
Folk-rock phase
Putting W.B Yeats’ poetry to music
Waterboys videos

It was credited as a Waterboys album but Mike Scott was the only member to feature on it, along with session musicians. It reached number 5 in the UK charts.

Dream Harder moved away from the Celtic folk sound of the previous albums and was the band’s heaviest rock album to date. It featured the singles, The Return Of Pan, and Glastonbury Song. Both reached the top 30 in the UK singles chart.

Mike Scott
Mike Scott

Critics were divided in their response to the new Waterboys sound. Among the converts was Rolling Stone magazine which gave the album a positive 4/5 review.

Mike Scott’s solo career

Following the Dream Harder album, Scott took time away from the band to work on his solo career. He released two albums, Bring ‘Em All In and Still Burning before he reunited with The Waterboys.

In 2000, Anthony Thistlethwaite and Kevin Wilkinson joined Scott and they released their comeback album, A Rock in the Weary Land.

Final-version

It was a return to the band’s rock sound and the critics were glad to have the band back.

It was an experimental album that was influenced by the likes of Radiohead and Beck. The album gained positive reviews in influential music magazines Q and NME.

It was their first album since their debut 17 years earlier to fail to make the UK top 40, but it did make number 17 in the Irish charts. Read about The Waterboys put W.B Yeats’ poetry to music

Waterboys
Whole of the Moon single
Folk-rock phase
Heavy rock Dream Harder album
Putting W.B Yeats’ poetry to music
Waterboys videos