Icehouse is the first album released by the Australian rock/synthpop band Flowers, later known as Icehouse, on the independent label Regular Records in October 1980.[4] The title and the artist are sometimes incorrectly swapped, because the band changed their name from Flowers to Icehouse after this album was released. Containing the Top 20 Australian hits "Can't Help Myself", "We Can Get Together" and "Walls"; the album made heavy use of synthesisers, which would continue to be used throughout the band's career.[5][6] Founder Iva Davies wrote all the tracks including four co-written with keyboardist Michael Hoste; Hoste was replaced during recording sessions by Anthony Smith.[4][7]

Icehouse
1980 Australian release (Regular Records)
Studio album by
Released10 October 1980 (1980-10-10)
RecordedJanuary 1980
StudioStudios 301 (Sydney), Paradise (Sydney)
GenreNew wave
Length41:50
37:24
Label
Producer
Flowers chronology
Icehouse
(1980)
Primitive Man
(1982)
Singles from Icehouse
  1. "Can't Help Myself"
    Released: 13 May 1980
  2. "We Can Get Together"
    Released: September 1980
  3. "Walls"
    Released: January 1981
  4. "Icehouse"
    Released: June 1981 (US only)
Icehouse
1981 UK/US release (Chrysalis Records)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic (1980)[1]
AllMusic (1981)[2]
Smash Hits8/10[3]

The album was included in the 2010 book 100 Best Australian Albums.[8]

Track listing

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All songs written by Iva Davies, except where noted.[9]

1980 Original release
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Icehouse" 4:22
2."We Can Get Together" 3:46
3."Fatman" 3:53
4."Sister"Iva Davies, Michael Hoste3:22
5."Walls" 4:22
6."Can't Help Myself" 4:41
7."Skin"Davies, Hoste2:41
8."Sons" 4:32
9."Boulevarde"Davies, Hoste3:14
10."Nothing to Do"Davies, Hoste3:22
11."Not My Kind" 3:35
1987 CD reissue bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Send Somebody" (B-side to "Can't Help Myself")Davies, Hoste3:42
13."All the Way" (B-side to "Walls") 3:50
14."Paradise Lost" (Instrumental - B-side to "We Can Get Together") 5:53
2002 CD remaster bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
15."Love in Motion" (Original Single Mix)3:41
16."Goodnight Mr. Matthews" (B-side to "Love in Motion")4:21
17."Can't Help Myself" (Original 10" Mix)3:41
1981 UK/US release
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Icehouse" 4:13
2."Can't Help Myself" 3:52
3."Sister"Iva Davies, Michael Hoste3:28
4."Walls" 4:02
5."Sons" 4:35
6."We Can Get Together" 3:41
7."Boulevarde" 3:17
8."Fatman" 3:52
9."Skin"Iva Davies, Michael Hoste2:47
10."Not My Kind" 3:36
2011 30th Anniversary Edition (Disc 2)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Boulevarde" 3:20
2."Funtime"David Bowie, Iggy Pop2:27
3."Man Who Dies Every Day"Warren Cann, Chris Cross, Billy Currie, John Foxx, Stevie Shears3:54
4."Fatman" 3:52
5."Sorry"Stevie Wright, George Young3:08
6."Cold Turkey"John Lennon4:13
7."We Can Get Together" 3:53
8."Nothing to Do" 3:24
9."Icehouse" 4:50
10."Send Somebody" 3:33
11."Sons" 4:52
12."Skin" 2:53
13."Walls" 4:49
14."All the Way" 4:05
15."Goodnight Mr. Matthews" 3:43
16."Love in Motion" 4:02
17."Not My Kind" 3:43
18."Sister" 3:30
19."Can't Help Myself" 6:57

Personnel

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Icehouse members
Additional musicians
Production team
  • Producer: Cameron Allan, Iva Davies
  • Engineer: John Bee, David Cafe, Gerry Nixon
  • Studios: Studios 301 except "Can't Help Myself" and "Send Somebody", recorded at Paradise Studios.
  • Mastering: David Hemming, Rick O'Neil
  • Digital remastering (2002): Iva Davies, Scott Ryan, Tim Ryan
  • Cover art: John Lloyd
  • Inside art: Geoff Gifford
  • Photography: Grant Matthews

Charts

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Weekly charts

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Chart (1980/81) Peak
position
Australian (Kent Music Report)[10] 4
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[11] 2
US Billboard 200[12] 82

Year-end charts

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Chart (1981) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[13] 6
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[14] 4
Chart (1982) Position
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[15] 37

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[16] 4× Platinum 200,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[16] 4× Platinum 60,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ Icehouse at AllMusic
  2. ^ Icehouse at AllMusic
  3. ^ Cranna, Ian (6–19 August 1981). "Icehouse: Icehouse" (PDF). Smash Hits. Vol. 3, no. 15. Peterborough: EMAP National Publications, Ltd. p. 27. ISSN 0260-3004. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 November 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022 – via World Radio History.
  4. ^ a b McFarlane, Ian (1999). Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop (doc). Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86448-768-2. Retrieved 11 June 2008.
  5. ^ Grech, Jason (23 July 2004). "An interview with Iva Davies". Countdown Memories. Archived from the original on 8 November 2007. Retrieved 16 June 2008.
  6. ^ "Artist: Icehouse". Warner Music Australia. Archived from the original on 11 June 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2008.
  7. ^ Holmgren, Magnus. "The Flowers / Icehouse". Australian Rock Database. Passagen.se (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  8. ^ O'Donnell, John; Creswell, Toby; Mathieson, Craig (October 2010). 100 Best Australian Albums. Prahran, Vic: Hardie Grant Books. ISBN 978-1-74066-955-9.
  9. ^ "APRA search engine". APRA. Archived from the original on 24 January 2008. Retrieved 24 June 2008. Note: requires user to input song title e.g. ICEHOUSE
  10. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 147. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  11. ^ "Charts.nz – Flowers – Icehouse". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  12. ^ "Flowers Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 3.
  13. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 433. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  14. ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1981 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  15. ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1982 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  16. ^ a b "Biography at official Iva Davies and Icehouse website". Archived from the original on 30 November 2007. Retrieved 26 April 2008.