Big Wheel is the seventh and final studio album by the Australian rock synthpop band, Icehouse, released on 25 October 1993 in Australia by dIVA Records – founder Iva Davies' own label – and Massive Records. It was recorded at Davies' home in Whale Beach during 1993 with Davies on vocals, guitar, bass guitar and keyboards, David Chapman on guitar, keyboards and backing vocals, and Paul Wheeler on drums, percussion and backing vocals.[2][3] Big Wheel peaked at #44 and was their first studio album not to reach the Top Ten on the Australian album charts.[4] The album was digitally remastered by Davies and Ryan Scott with five bonus tracks added for the 2002 re-release by Warner Music Australia.[3]
| Big Wheel | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 25 October 1993 | |||
| Recorded | DIVA Studios, Whale Beach, Australia | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Label | dIVA/Massive | |||
| Producer | Iva Davies | |||
| Icehouse chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Big Wheel | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
Reception
editReviewed in Rolling Stone Australia at the time of release, Big Wheel was described as tougher-sounding and less commercial than the band's previous releases, and arguably their best recording to date. The reviewer noted the "early-Seventies glam and Enoesque atmospherics" and praised the "sonic immediacy" of the "largely live performances".[5]
Track listing
editAll songs written by Iva Davies, David Chapman and Paul Wheeler except where noted. Songwriters according to Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA).[6]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Big Wheel" | Iva Davies, David Chapman | 4:28 |
| 2. | "Satellite" | 4:19 | |
| 3. | "Goodbye, Valentine" | Davies, Simon Lloyd, Wheeler | 4:07 |
| 4. | "Judas" | 5:20 | |
| 5. | "Invisible People" | 6:10 | |
| 6. | "Feed the Machine" | 5:33 | |
| 7. | "Cadillac" | 4:05 | |
| 8. | "Sam the Man" | 3:55 | |
| 9. | "Stolen Guitar" | 4:24 | |
| 10. | "The System" | 6:56 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11. | "Orbital Line" | 4:39 | |
| 12. | "Turn it Round" | Davies | 2:55 |
| 13. | "Driving Me Backwards" (live) | Brian Eno | 5:54 |
| 14. | "Blank Frank" (live) | Eno, Robert Fripp | 3:37 |
| 15. | "Satellite" (The Ex-static Mix) | 5:27 |
Personnel
editCredited to:[3]
Icehouse
edit- Iva Davies – vocals, guitar, bass guitar, keyboards
- David Chapman – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
- Paul Wheeler – drums, percussion, backing vocals.
Additional musicians
edit- Ben Nightingale – guitar on "Sam the Man".
Production
edit- Producer – Iva Davies
- Studios – dIVA Studios at Whale Beach, Australia. Additional recordings by Simon Leadley at Trackdown Studios assisted by James Cadsky, Richard Mould, Michelle Barry.
- Mix, editing and mastering – David Lord with Iva Davies, David Chapman, Paul Wheeler at Trackdown
- Mix, editing and mastering engineered by Simon Leadley at Trackdown.
Design
edit- Cover concept – Iva Davies
- Artwork and computer graphics – Patti Gaines for Genki.
- Photography – Tony Mott.
Charts
edit| Chart (1993) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[7] | 44 |
References
edit- ^ Allmusic review
- ^ Holmgren, Magnus. "The Flowers / Icehouse". Australian Rock Database. Archived from the original on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
- ^ a b c "Big Wheel (bonus tracks) credits". allmusic. Retrieved 7 July 2008.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, NSW: 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.
- "Search results for:Icehouse". australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on 2 December 2008. Retrieved 5 July 2008. - ^ St John, Ed (November 1993). "Big Wheel". Rolling Stone Australia. No. 489. Sydney, NSW: Tilmond Pty Ltd. p. 82.
- ^ "Australasian Performing Right Association". APRA. Archived from the original on 5 July 2008. Retrieved 5 July 2008. Note: requires user to input song title e.g. BIG WHEEL
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – Icehouse – Big Wheel". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 December 2021.