Hellanbach's debut album 'Now Hear This' was always going to be a very difficult album to follow. And so it proved to be.... Neat records were keen to capitalize on the debut album's healthy sales by getting the band's sophomore effort into the shops with as little delay as possible. So, holed up in Neat's Wallsend, Tyne & Wear studios, work began on what was to become 'The Big H'. 'The Big H' is a fine album in its own right. Is it as good as 'Now Hear This'? Probably not, but that isn't the point. Hellanbach's star shone briefly but ever so brightly. What this bunch of north easterners proved beyond a shadow of a doubt was that, given determination and inspiration, it was possible to compete on a budget with the best that America had to offer, and compete well at that. Many have followed in their footsteps with varying degrees of success but Hellanbach were the first, and that counts for a lot.