Welcoming A New Ice Age
Omnivore, 2021
10/10
Listen to Welcoming A New Ice Age
The unsung heroes of 80s New Wave, though you might not be familiar with Gleaming Spires, you’ve certainly heard their associated bands, Sparks and Devo. Spearheaded by Leslie Bohem and David Kendrick, a trio of great, under appreciated albums were released in the ‘80s, and they’re all being reissued from the Omnivore label with bonus tracks and commentary from the members in the liner notes.
“Mercy” starts the listen with the sort of crisp melodies that hallmarked the ‘80s so well, where more forceful moments of guitar are met with Bohem’s smooth pipes, and “Welcoming A New Ice Age” follows with a breezy, even dreamy quality punctuating Kendrick’s very proficient drumming.
Halfway through the original album, “Your Secret Room” enters calmer areas where bagpipes from Campbell Naismith make a big impression, while “Bigger Than Life” bounces and glows with plenty of New Wave pop spirit that’s so well done, it’s quite surprising the tune didn’t saturate the FM dial. “Things I Have Done To Our Love”, another exceptional track, then gets a bit more rugged, even thick, and hints at alt-rock as the band show much diversity.
The final 2 tracks from the 1985 release include “Unprotected” and “Harm”, where the former enters darker territory amid plenty of atmosphere that benefits from airy synth, and the latter thumps amid a club friendly delivery that’s quite quirky, even for the ‘80s.
The bonus tracks are just as great as the album cuts, and include the anthemic and punchy “Here Comes Mr. Funhog”, as well as the guitar focused rock of “I Want More”. “Suspicious Minds”, perhaps the best song across the entire disc, then buzzes with a firm melody and energy that could have soundtracked a John Hughes flick during a house party scene.
Welcoming A New Ice Age would be their swan song, and Kendrick and Bohem would continue to work together as Eleven Blue Men, though they only recorded a pair of tracks. Not long after that, Bohem would transition to screenwriting, and Kendrick would join Devo. Had they not broken up, there’s little doubt they’d be spoken in the same sentence as Tears For Fears, OMD or even Simple Minds, cause, as evidenced by this brilliant release, they had the songs, the talent and the lasting power.
Travels well with: The Psychedelic Furs- Made Of Rain; Gleaming Spires- Walk On Well Lighted Streets