Customer Reviews

Big Wheel

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I'm a big Icehouse fan and have all the albums. I have mixed feelings about this one, but it contains some of my favourite tracks. There are certainly a few sub-par tracks on it, but the good stuff more than makes up for it. "Satellite" is a killer track. "Big Wheel", "Feed the Machine", "The System" and "Turn it round" just rock. In fact they're some of his most original work ever. I got the impression that Iva was doing a lot of experimentation on this album and, as you'd expect, he had some successes and some failures. I have totally enjoyed his successes, but unfortunately art is never a bloodless activity.

Most of the rest of the album is adequate, but not particularly noteworthy (and that includes the single "Invisible People"). I'm not sure why they didn't grow on me, but they never quite seem to reach the level I hoped for. And the less said about the totally awful "Blank Frank" and "Driving me Backwards" the better.

But hey - as I said - the good stuff is well worth paying a few bucks for.

Coming after the dunderheaded rawk of "Code Blue," this album was a big bounce back for Icehouse upon its original release. The result is an album of gritty, but elegant rock in the vein of leader Iva Davies' role models of Ferry, Bowie and Eno. One can hear the echoes of "Here Come The Warm Jets," "Country Life" and "Heroes" but also lesser-known glam touchstones like the work of Metro or David Werner. The majestic title track with its soaring solos and pure-Eno backing vocals get things off to a sterling start. Davies' expressive guitar solos on "Invisible People" strongly recall Duncan Browne's work on the first Metro album. "Sam The Man" is another criminal lowlife tale from Davies' pen - coming after "Fatman" and "Mr. Big" - he must have seen a lot of this type around Sydney. It's backing vocals were ripped straight from Bowie's "Joe the Lion," but I'm not complaining! This one is the last great Icehouse album of original songs; taking its place next to "Primitive Man," "Sidewalk" and "Measure For Measure." The MOR pop leanings of "Man Of Colours" are not to be found here; the elegant ballads of that album and of "Measure For Measure" as well, are absent from the proceedings here. This one is very much a rock album, dominated by guitar albeit miles smarter than the preceding "Code Blue." A notable exception is the atmospheric closer "The System," which sits on the same shelf as earlier works like "The Mountain" and "Great Southern Land." The bonus tracks on this pressing are a real delight, particularly the fun Brian Eno covers (Driving Me Backwards, Blank Frank).

This Album sounds as if it was recorded in Iva Davies' basement.Hollow sound & uninspiring.Icehouse had two guitar based 'rock' albums before and they are fantastic.But on this one the tunes sound forced and the songwriting is weak."Sam The Man" is okay but still below Iva's skill level.It's better to pretend this album never existed.And this is coming from a big 'Icehouse' fan.The title for this one should be "Big Mistake".At least all the other outings make up for it and one mishap can therefore be forgiven.

This album has always irritated me..thats why I refuse to own it. I own all of Icehouse's album except this one. This can't be Icehouse. How? What was Iva Davies thinking? Not one song is even listenable. Trust me. Listen to the amazing 'Man of Colours', and 'Measure for Measure', then listen to 'Big Wheel' and see what you think. Ouch! Big Bust! Icehouse made a great come back with the Berlin Tapes. Avoid 'Big Wheel'.