God's Great Banana Skin is Chris Rea's 12th studio album, released in November 1992, following the hugely successful Auberge. It reached No. 4 in the UK Albums Chart and was certified Platinum in Britain.

It's a very solid blues-influenced album-oriented rock record, built around Rea's distinctive gravelly voice, slide guitar and atmospheric arrangements.

🎵 Track listing

Nothing to Fear – 9:13

Miles Is a Cigarette – 4:22

God's Great Banana Skin – 5:20

90's Blues – 5:06

Too Much Pride – 4:27

Boom Boom – 5:20

I Ain't the Fool – 4:02

There She Goes – 4:33

I'm Ready – 4:54

Black Dog – 4:10

Soft Top, Hard Shoulder – 4:22

🎸 The music

The album has a darker, bluesier feel than some of Rea's more commercial work. His slide guitar is particularly prominent, while Max Middleton contributes piano and keyboards and Martin Ditcham plays drums and percussion.

The opening “Nothing to Fear” is an impressive nine-minute piece that establishes the album's spacious, blues-rock character. The title track is more concise and became a UK single, reaching No. 31.

“90's Blues,” “Too Much Pride,” “Boom Boom” and “Black Dog” are particularly good if you like Rea when he gets away from straightforward pop and settles into his blues-rock side.

⭐ Rating

★★★★½ / 5

It is one of Rea's better early-'90s albums. It doesn't have quite the instant accessibility of Auberge, but it rewards repeated listening.

One interesting point for your CD collection: God's Great Banana Skin wasn't released in the United States, although two songs from it subsequently appeared on the US version of Espresso Logic.

Genre: Blues rock / album-oriented rock

Released: 1992

Tracks: 11

Running time: about 56 minutes

Best tracks: Nothing to Fear, God's Great Banana Skin, 90's Blues, Too Much Pride, Black Dog

If your CD is the original EastWest 4509-90995-2 pressing, that's the standard European/Australian-era edition and a nice one to have.