Search - Thompson Twins :: Quick Steps & Side Kicks

Twins at Double Play

10/06/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The best Thompson Twins album before they made it big with Into The Gap in '84. Here was another 80's group that could not be easily classified; Were they dance, r&b, new wave, funk, or just experimental or all of the above ? They were artistically different and on the cutting edge. I remember hearing them for the first time on a local R & B radio station in Phoenix ( 1060KQ -AM)back in 1983. What a revelation. Sidekicks had a very synthesized sound with a lot of warm textures and rhythms to it ( very global sounding). If you listen carefully you could pick out traces of African, Latin, and Asian rhythms.Lead vocals by Tom Bailey were cold but not completely flat sounding.I recently purchased this album on c.d. format after wearing out my original tape of Sidekicks from '83. Much to my disappointment, the c.d is an import re-issue from Japan and does not contain the 6 extended remix bonus tracks found on the tape. The bonus tracks were Love Lies Fierce, Long Beach Culture, No Talkin', Rap Boy Rap, Frozen in Time, Fallen Out.The cassette cover also had a label on it that read DoublePlay: Complete Album Plus Extended Remixes. It was these added bonus tracks on the original U.S. cassette release that made the whole album priceless ! You would think for being a c.d. the record/c.d. company could've squeezed these tracks on. Oh, well, the c.d. itself sounds crisp and sharp and more alive than my worn out tape. Maybe you do have to give in a little to get a little..."

Twins on your side

Jeff Schumacher | USA | 02/25/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you are going to buy just one of Thompson Twins' catalog albums, let this be the one. Yes, it does feature some very important, and popular tracks...but, the remaining tracks deliver some of the best the Twins have to offer. Featured artists, Grace Jones and Thomas Dolby, add their talents to an already fulfilling album. Whether you are in the mood to dance, relax or get the goose bumps (relating to "If you were here" and "kamikaze"), you will find a satisfying journey with a Quick Step & (a) Side Kick. Dance favourites: "Tears" and "Love lies bleeding", leave you begging for more. And the pure fun of "Judy do" and the mello-dramatic "All fall out", could have, like the rest, been worthy of single release."

No joke - the best synthpop album of the '80s!

Jeff Schumacher | 10/22/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm not sure I can really explain how incredible this album is, but I think I know WHY it still captures my imagination 20 years after its release. This is the record I wore out on vinyl TWICE! "Love On Your Side" is the greatest single ever in my little world.Reason? This is one of the few all-synth (except for a lone guitar on "Watching) albums that captures a perfect balance of electronics and human warmth. I attribute this to the genius of its producer, the late Alex Sadkin, who keeps this record more human than any of its peers. I bet a lot of that has to do with the fact that sequencers weren't used extensively here. (That's evident in the extended 12" version of "Lies," where Tom flubs a note.)This Japanese edition is well worth the high price, as its sound quality is significantly better than the UK and US editions I own (the UK one dating to somewhere around 1987, and the US one a couple years later). This is one of the recordings I know the most intimately, and it's NEVER sounded better than on this CD.If you love synthpop, this is the album for you."