Icehouse - Sidewalk (LP) (1984) - €5,99

Sidewalk is the third studio album by Australian rock band Icehouse. It was originally released in June 1984, on the labels Chrysalis, 

Regular, and reached No. 8 on the National albums chart with singles "Taking the Town", "Don't Believe Anymore" and "Dusty Pages". Founding member Iva Davies used the Fairlight CMI digital sampling synthesizer on this more sombre and reflective album. 

This is the first album bassist Guy Pratt worked on as a member of the band. Pratt would later become a session musician, and go on to work with artists such as Pink Floyd, Roxy Music, David Bowie, Madonna and Michael Jackson.

Sidewalk is Icehouse's least-effective album, mainly because of a stagnant array of narrowly synthesized pop songs which lack the warmth, melody, or perkiness that can be found in later efforts. 

The hooks are few and far between, and while their sultry keyboard recipe falls into the same category as that of the Human League, Ultravox, or Visage, Sidewalk fails to exemplify the same synth pop froth or colorfulness that these bands utilized in gaining chart success. 

Without the techno-pop radiance or keyboard-laden bite found on their next two albums -- 1986's Measure for Measure and 1987's Man of Colours -- Sidewalk is towed along somewhat lethargically by dimly lit lyrics and tiresome instrumental digressions. 

Even the earlier albums had Iva Davies sounding a little more enthused, especially 1982's Primitive Man. Sidewalk can easily be left behind without its greatest asset, "Taking the Town" even being missed.

Side one

1.  Taking The Town - 3:32

2.  This Time - 4:12

3.  Someone Like You - 4:13

4 . Stay Close Tonight - 5:01

5.  Don’t Believe Anymore - 5:15

Side two

1.  Sidewalk - 4:06

2.  Dusty Pages - 4:45

3.  On My Mind - 3:38

4.  Shot Down - 4:47

5.  Mountain - 4:50

Icehouse

• Iva Davies – vocals; guitar; oboe; Fairlight CMI programming; drum programming
• Robert Kretschmer – guitar; backing vocals
• John Lloyd – drums; percussion; backing vocals
• Guy Pratt – bass guitar; backing vocals
• Andy Qunta – keyboards

Additional musicians

• Joe Camilleri – saxophone (tracks 2, 3, 5, 10)
• Remy Corps – backing vocals (track 1)
• James SK Wān – bamboo flute

Production

• Iva Davies – producer; engineer; mixing
• John Brand – producer
• Andy Hilton – engineer
• Jim Taig – assistant engineer
• David Jerden – mixing

Notes

Release:  1984

Format:  LP

Genre:  Pop

Label:  Chrysalis Records

Catalog#  CHR 1458

Vinyl:  Lichte Gebruikerssporen

Hoes:  Goed

Prijs: €5,99

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