When we last saw Icehouse, you know, last week, they had gone 5X Platinum in Australia, and 4X Platinum in New Zealand, and were poised as one of the greatest new bands of 1980. While their label, Chrysalis, would spend a good part of 1981 releasing their material previously under the name Flowers as Icehouse, the band would be busy on the road.
Their lead track, Icehouse, as well as the album itself, was released in 1981 throughout the UK, generating some buzz, as well as in the US, where it peaked at number twenty-eight. The band would spend the second half of the year touring the US, Canada, and UK, to support not only the re-releasing of their material as Icehouse, but also to capitalize on the recognition of their single across international borders.
By 1982, lead singer Iva Davis, returned to the studio to work on a second album. The foundation for what would become Primitive Man, iniitally started as solo project for the artist, but would ultimately be released as the second studio album for the band. Between Davis, and Producer Keith Forsey, they oversaw most of the instrumentation for the tracks, with the band only contributing to what would become bonus tracks for later releases. The remaining few gaps would be filled in with studio musicians.
Led by the hit single, Hey Little Girl, Primitive Man would go on to be an international breakthrough. It would peak at number seven in Australia, two in Switzerland, five in Germany, and twenty in the UK, Sweden, and Netherlands. However, it wouldn't stir any airways in the US, where it only reached number one hundred twenty-nine. The single itself would reach thirty-one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.
The second single, Greath Southern Land would be equally successful in Australia, reaching number five. Fun fact, in 1988 it would also be used on the soundtrack for the Yahoo Serious film, Young Frankenstein.
To promote the album, Davis brought back previous members, Michael Hoste, and John Lloyd, as well as new members, Robert Kretschmer, Guy Pratt, and Andy Qunta to head out on tour. Together, they would also release the EP Fresco in 1983. Additionally, in 1984 Davis would provide the instrumental soundtrack to the film Razorback. However, we're now getting far ahead of ourselves. First, it's time to go back to 1982, and actually play through Primitive Man.
Much like their prior release, we have two choices here. The original Australian pressing which contains the song, Break These Chains, or the US / UK release, which ommits the song, but includes, Love In Motion instead. Well, I say there are two choices, but for me, there's only one. I only own the US / UK pressing. So, Love In Motion it is! So, I guess technically, we're going back to 1983, because that's when the album saw an international release.
Uniform doesn't give the record as strong a launch as their previous albums opener did. It's mediocre at best. While things picked up slightly with the second and third tracks, I was begining to get concerned that this release was going to be subpar at best. I suppose it's common for the second album to never be as superior as the first, especially when that first is deemed lightning in a bottle. However, I think part of the issue may have also been the solo approach noted above. When someone doesn't have a band, or anyone really, to tell you, "That's not working, let's try something else," often a solo artist can quickly release poor material. It's happened to the greats - Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna. Point being, someone has to be able to tell you when something isn't good enough, and I don't think that happened here.
That's not to say that Primitive Man was garbage from start to finish. It just wasn't as impactful as round one's Icehouse, or Flower's Icehouse album. It was just okay for me. Nothing really stood out as, "This is the reason you should buy this CD." Apparently, I wasn't alone in this aspect, as it would "only" reach platinum status in Australia and New Zealand. I have to put only in quotations in my prior sentece becuase obviously that's no small achievement. In retrospect, it was also a considerable drop from their previous release, something I'm sure their label noticed.
Truthfully, fatigue set in fast for this one. By the halfway point, I kind of just wanted it to be over, but, I stuck through it.
The lineup would change again, and in 1984 the band would return to the studio to produce and release, Sidewalk. Sadly, this would also continue the downward decline of their popularity and overall sales. However, that's a post for next time.
I hope to see you there!
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| THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS May 12, 1984 |
