Critic's Review
Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
The cream of Icehouse's late-'80s output has been appearing in various split-release configurations since at least the mid-1990s, but that didn't stop WEA from issuing its own versions. This set features Flowers and Man of Colours, both augmented with bonus tracks. The two albums account for most of the Australian band's U.S. hit output. There's the early Roxy Music-inspired single "Can't Help Myself," as well as the much more lush -- and more successful -- singles "Crazy" and "Electric Blue," which both channel Duran Duran's balladic side through waves of reverb and soft rock melody. Flowers/Man of Colours' bonus materials are mostly 12" single and extended remix versions of these tracks, but there's also the B-side "Goodnight, Mr. Matthews," as well as a cool instrumental called "Paradise Lost," which could be the template for Yo La Tengo's entire late-career output.
