While there are plenty of "aww...how cute" moments in the
back-story of Grand Rapids, Michigan’s The Icicles, it would
be a mistake to see them as mere DIY indie-poppers. It's true;
The Icicles did sell handmade hats and mittens at craft shows
to pay for the recording of their debut EP. Joleen, initially
too shy to play with Gretchen in the early days, thought she’d
be of use to the fledgling group as a seamstress. But, The
Icicles needed a keyboardist, and Gretchen liked how Joleen
sweetly played "Blackbird" on the guitar when they first met
as students at Grand Valley State University. So, with Joleen
in place, the band was born. The group eventually found their
way to the stage via the local pop shows brought to Grand
Rapids by their future label boss, Drive In/Microindie's Mike
Babb, and have stood out (in matching outfits) from day one.
They are, at once, a perfect combination of surface and substance.
The Icicles share with their contemporaries The Concretes
and Camera Obscura (or with past favorites Heavenly, The Softies
and Tiger Trap) the ability to create music that recalls the
joyous pop sound of the great Sixties' girl groups, at the
same time managing to breathe a certain maturity into this
oft-visited genre. The tried and true themes of young love
and youthful, naive exuberance are present, but tempered with
realism and the wistfulness that comes through a grown-up
knowledge of conflict and regret.
The Icicles recorded their debut EP Pure Sugar at Kingsize
Studios in Chicago with Dave Trumfio (OK Go, Billy Bragg,
Wilco) at the helm. Although Trumfio is now best known to
his major label clients, the group tracked him down because
of his work for the band Holiday. Six songs were recorded,
mixed and mastered over the course of a frenetic weekend in
October 2001, and the resulting EP was released in March 2002.
Pure Sugar charted with college radio all over the country,
and the Icicles toured extensively through the Midwest USA
in support of the release.
2003 saw some personnel changes in The Icicles’ line-up. Emily,
who, remarkably, had only picked up a bass guitar for the
first time three weeks prior to joining, replaced original
bassist Daniel. After a short period as an official “girl
group,” drummer and founding member Korrie Sue left and Greg,
veteran of a half-dozen local bands (and secret Icicles admirer),
took over for what he thought would be a temporary gig. The
new rhythm section provided such a solid backing for Gretchen
and Joleen’s increasingly intricate harmonies and melodies
though that a permanent invitation was quickly offered and
accepted.
For their debut full length, The Icicles traded a cold Chicago
warehouse for the warmth and comfort of Gary Olson's Marlborough
Farms. The band had shared bills with Olson's Ladybug Transistor
before, but it was his keen ear for layered vocal arrangements
that drew them to his Brooklyn home studio in February 2004.
Britt Myers, whose talents The Icicles already knew from his
work with The Essex Green and Dressy Bessy did mixing and
mastering duties.
Released in January 2005, A Hundred Patterns went on to draw
praise from blogger boys (You Ain't No Picasso) and established
media outlets (All Music Guide, Pop Matters) alike. The album
also impressed the folks at Motorola, who eventually made
The Icicles' "Sugar Sweet" the theme song of a worldwide ad
campaign promoting their new KRZR phone in November 2006.
The Icicles embarked on a full US tour in support of A Hundred
Patterns from February through April of 2005 and, after a
brief resting period back home in Grand Rapids, got the ball
rolling for the next release. Rebecca Rodriguez joined The
Icicles in early 2006 in time for the group to make their
next record. With her distinct playing style, she adds lead
guitar lines reminiscent of The Cure and the classic Sarah
Records' era, helping the Icicles achieve a fuller, more distinct
sound than ever before.
After a couple of false starts with other producers, the Icicles
finally put down the tracks for their new album in the fall
of 2006, and also took time for a short East Coast tour. Local
live sound recording legend, Al Mc Avoy recorded the group
at his quaint studio. The group again turned to Britt Myers
for his mixing prowess, and in January 2007, the band had
another record ready for release. The resulting album Arrivals
& Departures (due April. 9, 2007), in combination with the
Motorola deal, finds the Icicles with a new worldwide audience
and an optimistic outlook for the future.
The Icicles will be touring in support of Arrivals & Departures
on the East Coast in April 2007.
Arrivals & Departures:
Nitewise
Creative Loafing
Press for The Icicles
Silent
Uproar
5acts
Harp Magazine
A Hundred Patterns:
Babysue
Mundane Sound
Erasing Clouds
PopMatters
