What you should have been listening to in 1987 rather than Cutting Crew

In the annals of 1980's music history, the failure of The Icicle Works to achieve commercial success is one of the more baffling to me.

The Icicle Works were Ian McNabb, Chris Sharrock, and Chris Layhe and, together, they created some of the catchiest, crunchiest, poppiest 80's rock ever.

Yet, back then, America chose to listen to dreck like Cutting Crew. (You know...I just died in your arms last night. Urgh.) (Which reminds me of a useless bit of music trivia where, historically, writers used death as a euphemism for orgasm because it wasn't proper to describe it...you know...literally. So, the guy in this song is really making a mess on his girlfriend.)

Anyway, to me, Icicle Works had the talent and ambition but may not have had the experience to bring it all together back then. So, they would give you an absolute gem like, Birds Fly, but then back it up with a handful of unremarkable songs. But, there were enough treasures in their work that I believe, given enough time, they could have pulled it all together and been something special.

Alas, the fickle nature of commerce didn't allow them to reach their full potential and the group flickered and faded away before they could find their voice.

So, here's a two-fer for you with an extra special addition below!

First up is their awesome awesome awesome song (can you tell I like it?), Birds Fly, which remains one of my all time favorite songs ever. I just love how that guitar riff in the intro rings out like a bell and how the song just explodes when the drums kick in.

Nice!

And, even nicer, here's a concert from 1987, which has two more of my all-time favorite songs, Evangeline and Understanding Jane. You will NOT find better examples of 80's rock than those two tracks. The other standout track for me is Up Here In The North Of England with it's dreary view of 80's England and gorgeous music.

Take the time to discover these guys. The highs definitely outweigh the lows.

Like so many groups that I liked back then, they were another criminally neglected group that deserved better.

The Icicle Works
The Queen Margaret Union, Glasgow University
November 27, 1987
FM Source?
Excellent Sound

01-When it all comes down
02-Evangeline
03-Little girl lost
04-Stood before St Peter
05-Up here in the north of England
06-Seven horses
07-Hope springs eternal
08-Blind
09-Solid ground
10-Understanding Jane
11-Hollow horse
12-As the dragonfly flies

Link here

And, for Kev, who missed the other Springsteen boot, here's his show from Ottawa on 10/14. This isn't the best recording, but it's very neat because this was the show where Win Butler and Regine Chassagne from Arcade Fire joined him for the encore on State Trooper and Keep The Car Running:

Bruce Springsteen
14/10/07 - Ottawa, ONT
Good Audience Recording
(Big file! 200+ MB)

01 - RADIO NOWHERE
02 - THE TIES THAT BIND
03 - LONESOME DAY
04 - GYPSY BIKER
05 - MAGIC
06 - REASON TO BELIEVE
07 - ADAM RAISED A CAIN
08 - SHE'S THE ONE
09 - LIVIN' IN THE FUTURE
10 - THE PROMISED LAND
11 - TOUGHER THAN THE REST
12 - BACKSTREETS
13 - DARLINGTON COUNTY
14 - DEVIL'S ARCADE
15 - THE RISING
16 - LAST TO DIE
17 - LONG WALK HOME
18 - BADLANDS
19 - GIRLS IN THEIR SUMMER CLOTHES
20 - STATE TROOPER
21 - KEEP THE CAR RUNNING
22 - BORN TO RUN
23 - DANCING IN THE DARK
24 - AMERICAN LAND

Tracks in bold are with guests Arcade Fire members Win Butler and Regine Chassagne

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