The Crossing is the first studio album released by Scottish band
Big Country. The album reached #3 in the UK; overseas, it hit #4 in Canada on the
RPM national Top Albums Chart and #18 in the US on the
Billboard 200 in 1983. It went on to be certified
platinum in the UK and Canada. It contains the song "
In a Big Country" which is their only U.S.
Top 40 hit single. The
song featured heavily engineered guitar playing, strongly reminiscent of
bagpipes; Adamson and fellow guitarist Watson achieved this through the use of the
MXR Pitch Transposer 129 Guitar Effect. Also contributing to the band's unique sound was their use of the
e-bow, a device which allows a guitar to sound more like strings or synthesizer.