With a revolving door of musicians it's a wonder that Joe Cardamone, vocalist for The Icarus Line and its only constant member, managed to retain anyone long enough to record anything, let alone the forthcoming album Black Lives At The Golden Coast from which this three track EP of songs is taken.
Title track Gets Paid opens like T-Rex with added feedback. Cardamone has a marginally Bolan-esque quality to his voice, but lacks charisma or a strong enough melody to raise this above average. It is, however, a convivial little number, though not particularly remarkable or, for that matter, memorable.
Cut Back The Heard suffers the misfortune of opening like an INXS track and, sadly, doesn’t improve once the melody takes shape. The vocal is slightly off key and overwrought giving the song a complexion that flirts with bad arena rock - most likely not its original intention.
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The invective Watch Your Step rounds off the EP and, after the disappointment of the previous track, offers rude respite. Closing with the venomous refrain “you’re dead to me..”, sung over a swirling yet hypnotic, beat and jagged guitar its not easy listening, but offers far more than the previous tracks in terms of a challenge. And for that alone The Icarus Line are worthy of further investigation
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