Following up on the surprise success of the "Love on Your Side" single, the reconstituted Thompson Twins quickly regrouped to create an album to capitalize on their new, more direct sound. Quick Step & Side Kick is the Thompson Twins' most fully realized work, with a trio of dance-rock classics -- "Love Lies Bleeding," "Love on Your Side," and the big U.S. chart hit "Lies" -- that all hew close to the synth-bass-and-Latin-percussion groove of "In the Name of Love." Interestingly, however, the trio also branches out to explore a variety of sonic moods, most of them considerably darker than their cartoonish new look -- lead singer Tom Bailey now sported a waist-length red ponytail, and percussionist Alannah Currie had a mohawk and no eyebrows -- would suggest. The highlights of these were the simply gorgeous, ghostly ballad "If You Were Here" and yet another elegy for the late Judy Garland, the bitter "Judy Do." Although the follow-up Into the Gap was an even bigger chart success, Quick Step & Side Kick is the better, more consistent album. The somewhat delayed U.S. release of Quick Step & Side Kick shortened the nonsensical title to Side Kicks and scrambled the running order to some ill effect, pulling all of the dance-oriented material on side one and all of the more atmospheric, experimental songs on side two. This version of the album was eventually supplanted by a CD release that retained the title and superior sequencing of the original U.K. issue. ~ Stewart Mason
Originally released in the US with the title SIDEKICKS.
Contains 4 bonus tracks.
Remastered W/Bonus Trax & Liner Notes By Norwalk's Spaz
Personnel: Joe Leeway (vocals, synthesizer, congas); Tom Bailey (vocals, synthesizer, drum programming); Alannah Currie (vocals, xylophone, percussion); Grace Jones (background vocals).
Recording information: Compass Point Studios, Nassau, Germany.Record Collector (magazine) (p.101) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "1983's QUICK STEP & SIDEKICK features Grace Jones and is the best synth-dance album to come out of Nassau..."
(*) MP3 for this song is from a different CD. Listen to the sound sample to be sure this is the version you're looking for.
Quick Step & Side Kick Music Review
Customer Quick Step & Side Kick Reviews
Average Rating: (5 out of 5 stars)
Thompson Twins Best Release ! If there's any Thompson Twins cd or album worth owning it is definitely this one. Sidekicks (as was the title released here in the US years ago) was the Twins pinnacle and defining moment in new direction of their unique sound. Quickstep and Sidekick was miles away from their debut and early material and nowhere near sounding pop or mainstream or even emulating any other New Wave/European/British act. Their unique blend of high tech synthesizers combined with rich percussive global rhythms and lead singer's Tom Bailey's monotone and deadpan voice was like nothing on the music scene at the time for the New Wave era (the only close comparison would be that of Phil Oakey's vocals from the Human League).Yet, where the Human League produced intelligent, cold and machine-like music, the Twins added musical warmth and creative play on lyrics with a little slice of humor! The album yielded 3 all-time favorite club and alternative (for 1983!)album radio classics: Lies, Love On Your Side, and If You Were Here (love theme from the film 16 Candles). The only minor gripe, even for this new remastered release, is that the 1982 original U.S. Arista cassette contained some excellent extended remixes and one extra track (Long Beach Culture) not present on this current re-release. At least the ESSENTIAL bonus re-mixes are included (Rap Boy Rap and Lies-Bigger and Better).It still would have been awesome to include all previous re-mixes and bonus tracks; then, again, that would have rendered this a 2 cd set...This is as good as it gets folks. Buy this remastered version while still in print and at a remarkable low price (I bought the Japanese cd version years ago at a ludicrous amount---and there was nothing special about it--no bonus tracks, no remixes) ! Submitted by mandotbird (CHANDLER, ARIZONA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 2 of 2 found this helpful.
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