Measure for Measure (album)

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Measure for Measure
MeasureForMeasure.jpg
Australian release (Regular Records)
Studio album by
Icehouse
Released21 April 1986 (1986-04-21)
RecordedAugust 1985 (1985-08)
StudioCrescent Studios, Bath and Whitehouse, Livingston and Air Studios, London
GenreRock, new wave
Length51:55
LabelRegular / Chrysalis
ProducerDavid Lord, Rhett Davies
Icehouse chronology
Boxes
(1985) 		Measure for Measure
(1986) 		Man of Colours
(1987)
Singles from Measure for Measure
  1. "No Promises"
    Released: 28 October 1985[1]
  2. "Baby, You're So Strange"
    Released: 10 March 1986
  3. ""
    Released: 16 June 1986
  4. "Cross the Border"
    Released: 20 October 1986
  5. "Paradise"
    Released: 1986 US / UK only release
Measure for Measure
US release (Chrysalis Records)
US release (Chrysalis Records)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic2.5/5 stars[2]

Measure for Measure is the fifth studio album by Australian rock/synthpop band Icehouse and was the third album in the world to be recorded entirely digitally.[3] The album's title refers to the Shakespearean play of the same name.

Recording[]

Davies said the album was the first time he had worked with producers he could "get on with" and also the first time they had a surplus of songs to choose from. "We've actually got more songs than we'll ever be able to use. It's very strange. It's created problems because they've all turned out really well and I'm loathe to give anything away."[4] "No Promises" and "Regular Boys" are re-recorded tracks that were originally from Boxes.

Release and reception[]

The album, which peaked at #8 on the National albums charts,[5] features the singles "No Promises", "Baby, You're So Strange", "Mr. Big", "Cross the Border" and "Paradise". "No Promises" had been released as a 7" vinyl single in October 1985, it peaked at #30 on the Australian singles charts.[5] It was used for the Boxes ballet created by Icehouse members Iva Davies and Robert Kretschmer together with Sydney Dance Company's choreographer Graeme Murphy, Davies and Kretschmer performed the score with guest percussionist Masaki Tanazawa.[6]

Both "No Promises" and "Cross the Border" were remixed and released as 12" singles, and while a major US pop hit would elude them until the following year, "No Promises" went Top 10 on both the Billboard Rock tracks and Dance / Club charts.[7] "Cross the Border" did not see as much club play in the US, but was a Top 20 rock hit there.[7] In Australia, the two further singles lifted from the album, "Baby, You're So Strange" and "Mr. Big", both reached the pop Top 20,[5] higher than the Australian chartings of the singles which achieved international success. "Paradise" was released as a late 1986 US / UK single but achieved no notable chart success in either market.

There are various versions of this album; the Australian and American releases each feature different artwork and track running order while the 2002 Australian remastered version features bonus tracks.

Track listing[]

All songs written by Iva Davies and Robert Kretschmer, except where noted.

Australian release
No.TitleLength
1."Paradise" (Iva Davies)4:47
2."No Promises"4:40
3."Mr Big"3:33
4."Angel Street"4:46
5."The Flame" (Davies)5:11
6."Regular Boys"3:30
7."Cross the Border"4:25
8."Spanish Gold" (Davies)4:17
9."Lucky Me" aka "American Way"4:38
10."Baby, You're So Strange"3:59
1993 bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
11."Too Late Now" (Davies)3:11
12."Into The Wild"4:53
2002 remaster bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
13."Just a Word"4:26
14."The Perfect Crime" (Davies, Kretschmer, Andy Qunta, Masaki Tanazawa)3:38
15."The Flame (live)" (Davies)5:26
16."No Promises (live)"5:25
17."Sister (live)" (Davies, Michael Hoste)3:48
American release
No.TitleLength
1."No Promises" 
2."Cross the Border" 
3."Spanish Gold" 
4."Paradise" 
5."The Flame" 
6."Regular Boys" 
7."Mr. Big" 
8."Angel Street" 
9."Lucky Me" 
10."Baby, You're So Strange" 
11."Too Late Now" 
12."Into the Wild" 

Personnel[]

Credited to:[8][9]

Icehouse

Additional musicians

  • Brian Eno – backing vocals, piano, keyboards
  • Stuart Gordon – strings
  • Maurice Green – backing vocals
  • Gasper Lawal – percussion
  • David Lord – keyboards, string arrangement, percussion
  • Shena Power – female voices
  • Glen Tommey – percussion

Recording

  • Engineer – Rhett Davies, David Lord, Andy Lyden, Iva Davies, Warne Livesey
    • Assistant – George Shilling, Matt Howe
  • Mastering – Paul Ibbotson
  • Mixing – David Hemmings, Warne Livesey, Glen Tommey
    • Assistant – Raine Shine
  • Producer – Rhett Davies (2,3,4,7,10,11,12), David Lord (1,4,6,8,9)
  • Digital remastering (2002) – Iva Davies, Ryan Scott

Artwork

  • Brett Cabot – Cover Photography
  • David McKenzie – Artwork

Charts[]

Weekly charts[]

Album
Year Chart Peak
1986 Australian Chart 8
1986 US Billboard Chart 55

Singles[]

Song AUS

Pop singles

UK

Pop singles

US

Billboard Hot 100 Singles

US

Rock Tracks

US

12" Sales/Club play

"No Promises" 30 72 79 9 7
"Baby, You're So Strange" 14 — — — —
"Mr. Big" 18 — — — —
"Cross the Border" 65 — — 19 —

"—" denotes did not chart.

References[]

  1. ^ "Kent Music Report No 590 – 28 October 1985 > Singles: New Releases". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 24 July 2020 – via Imgur.com.
  2. ^ Allmusic review
  3. ^ "Artist: Icehouse". Warner Music Australia. Archived from the original on 11 June 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2008.
  4. ^ David Rowley (January 1986). "What's in the Box, Iva?". Countdown Magazine. No. 30.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1970 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988.
  6. ^ McFarlane, Ian (1999). Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop (doc). Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86448-768-2. Retrieved 11 June 2008.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b "Billboard Music Charts – Search Results – Icehouse". Billboard. Retrieved 3 July 2008.
  8. ^ "Measure for Measure (bonus tracks) credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 July 2008.
  9. ^ Holmgren, Magnus. "The Flowers / Icehouse". Australian Rock Database. Passagen.se (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
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