The Icicle Works
IF YOU WANT TO DEFEAT YOUR ENEMY, SING HIS SONG
LINE-UP Voice, Guitars - Ian McNabb RELATED RELEASES | UK CHART OVERVIEW
NOTES "And they pulled it back. Three very-nearly hits. Lot's of radio and press. A good time. The best part about this period is that we became a sizeable live act due to constant touring. I have great memories from this period. Ian Broudie was an inspired choice of producer (my idea). A late peak." IMc |
REVIEW
The Ian Broudie-produced Defeat Your Enemy brought out the band's varying influences in different ways, resulting in a varied record touching on everything from funk to folk. But as successful as earlier works? Yes and no. Unquestionably, the band's knack for big, uplifting but not hollow performances was still in fine flower, as the smash single "Understanding Jane" showed. A quick, fierce rocker with an instantly catchy pop vibe and a brilliant chorus, it's a '50s tearjerker filtered through The Ramones with fantastic results. Another winner is the opening cut, "Evangeline," with a lovely chorus consisting of overdubbed vocals from the band and guest singer Alison Limerick and a quick, Motown-touched rhythm supporting McNabb's powerful singing. Then there's "Up Here in the North of England," a slow, string-touched waltz winningly sung while bitterly ripping into the political state of the nation line for line. McNabb's vocals throughout the album are deeper than before, but still with the same general sense of control and projection; if anything, he was doing a better David Bowie croon than Bowie himself could do at the time. However, elsewhere the elements are in place but the performance isn't quite there. Part of this can be laid at Broudie's feet as well as the various mixers on the record, who bring things to a too commercially ready punch and sheen. Consider the arena-level pound of Sharrock's drums on "Hope Springs Eternal," where earlier his performances wouldn't need such overamping to make their impact. It's not just a technical question, though; McNabb's guitar here aims for a classic rock style that the band doesn't really need. Other songs like "When You Were Mine" bury a good song and performance with technically accomplished but cold results. In the end, Defeat Your Enemy half defeats itself, but not without some blazingly brilliant results on the way.
UK and European Releases [see below for North American Releases]
IMAGES [UK CD] Beggars Banquet BEGA 78 CD Booklet [UK LP RE] Beggars Banquet BBL 78 | DETAILS [UK LP] Beggars Banquet BEGA 78 Tracks
NOTES Recorded at Amazon, Yellow 2, Utopia Odyssey, Battery One, The Townhouse. Artwork By [Montage] - Irongate Studios Design - Stephen James Webbon Photography - Gary Lornie Strings - Audrey and friends [UK Cass] Beggars Banquet BEGC 78
[Portugal Cass] Transmedia BEGA-C78 Tracks
NOTES Recorded at Amazon, Yellow 2, Utopia Odyssey, Battery One, The Townhouse. Artwork By [Montage] - Irongate Studios Design - Stephen James Webbon Photography - Gary Lornie Strings - Audrey and friends Contains two extra tracks not found on the vinyl release. [UK CD] Beggars Banquet BEGA 78 CD
[UK CD RE] Beggars Banquet BBL 78 CD (1989) [UK CD RE] Beggars Banquet BBP 78 CD Tracks
CREDITS Producer - Geoff Muir (tracks: 12, 14) , Ian Broudie (tracks: 1 to 5, 7 to 11, 13) , 6, 12, 14 , Pete Coleman (tracks: 6) Mixed By - Chris Sheldon (tracks: 3, 11) , Ian Taylor (tracks: 5, 9) , Marcellus Frank (tracks: 4, 13) , Steve Power (tracks: 1, 2, 7, 8, 10) Recorded By - Pete Coleman (tracks: 1 to 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13) NOTES Recorded at Amazon, Yellow 2, Utopia Odyssey, Battery One, The Townhouse. Artwork By [Montage] - Irongate Studios Design - Stephen James Webbon Photography - Gary Lornie Strings - Audrey and friends |
US and Canadian Releases
[US CD] RCA 6447-2-H [US Cassette] RCA 6447-4-H [Canadian LP] Vertigo / Beggars Banquet 832 487-1 | [US LP] RCA | Beggars Banquet 6447-1-H
[US CD] RCA 6447-2-H [US Cassette] RCA 6447-4-H [Canadian LP] Vertigo, Beggars Banquet 832 487-1 [Canadian Cassette] Vertigo, Beggars Banquet 832 487-4 Tracks
NOTES Produced by Ian Broudie. Manufactured by Polygram Inc. and distributed by Polygram Distribution Inc. Released with an inner lyrics-sleeve and a printed inner-sleeve. [Canadian Sampler LP] Vertigo / Beggars Banquet SAMP 2 [Free with 832 487-1] Tracks
NOTES Canadian LP and MC included an 8 song bonus album or cassette (respectively LP cat no. SAMP 2 and SAMPC 2) featuring 2 tracks by The Icicle Works: "Evangeline" and "Sweet Thursday." Both were identical to the album versions on "If You Want To Defeat Your Enemy..." This free album was also given away with copies of The Go-Betweens' "Tallulah," Pierce Turner's "It's Only A Long Way Across," and Passion Fodder's "Fat Tuesday." Sampler STICKER on Album Cover |