Icicle Works - Icicle Works - 1984

I love finding a record like this. I bought it simply because of the one song that I knew "Birds Fly (Whisper To A Scream)". It's a nice bit of mid 80's pop genius. I didn't know anything else about the band. I vaguely remember seeing the video when I was a kid, but back then I wasn't really into this music. I think in 1984 I was big into the whole heavy metal thing.

I think I even had this record for a long time before I ever really delved into the other album tracks. I think I just would listen to that opening track and then put on something else. However after sitting on the shelf for a while I decided to listen to the whole thing one day. What probably happened was I was busy around the house and couldn't get away to change records so the whole of side one played. What I discovered what a brilliant record. It was far more alternative that I had thought it would be. I listened to it several times over the years and then I finally digitized it. Once it was on the ipod it got a lot of eartime. Up to this point the music was speaking for itself. I wasn't doing any research for a blog. I hadn't read anything about the band. I just knew I liked the record.

The funny thing is that I remember when I first played the record for my wife I commented to her, that I thought she would like it because they had a very Echo And The Bunnymen feel to them. Her response was "really" also only thinking of them as some sort of one hit wonder band from the 80's. For some reason I associate Tear For Fears with this band. Sounds silly I know, but you know how your brain makes weird connections. The funny revelation then came as I started to do some reading on Icicle Works. They were from Liverpool just like Echo and The Bunnymen. The comparison wasn't completely off base. They were contemporaries of each other and obviously influenced each other.

This release is the American release. The track listings are in a different order from the UK release. Most of the good songs are now at the beginning of the album making side one easily the better of the two sides. Also the American album changed the name of "Birds Fly (Whisper To A Scream)" was changed to "Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly)". Dumb Americans.

"In The Cauldron Of Love" is a great example of a Bunnymen type song. Kind of reminds me of "The Back Of Love". It also has a dark flavor reminiscent of The Mission, circa Children.

As a whole the album has a dark ominous tone. The rhythms are driving and the guitars get swirly and crazy. I still can't believe I didn't know what this band was all about until now. There is so much of other bands from the time that I love that can be heard here. Echo and the Bunnymen, The Mission, The Cult to name a few. I think if you are at all interested in those bands, this album might be right up your alley.

Enjoy!

01 Birds Fly (Whisper To A Scream).m4a
02 In The Cauldron Of Love.m4a
03 Nirvana.m4a
04 Lover's Day.m4a
05 A Factory In The Desert.m4a
06 Waterline.m4a
07 Chop The Tree.m4a
08 Out Of Season.m4a
09 As The Dragonfly Flies.m4a
10 Love Is A Wonderful Colour.m4a

Icicle Works Side 1.zip
Icicle Works Side 2.zip