Idle Cure

[metalmaniac777]

After the astounding popularity of yesterday's Bloodgood poll, I thought I would try again, this time with a band a little more in keeping with the "sound" most revered 'round these parts: Idle Cure.

 

This is Christian arena-rock at its finest, with a distinctive vocalist, the ability to both rock out and slow down for a ballad, huge hooks all over the place, big choruses, & tons of backing vox.

 

Their first 3 albums are a little too keyboardy/AORish (despite some hard rockin' numbers) for my tastes, but "Inside Out" and "Eclipse" brought the rock with a tough edge firmly in place. While "Eclipse" is the most aggressive thing they ever released, my vote still went to "Inside Out." Picked that one up in college way back in '91 and it still sees frequent play in my stereo.

 

So, any other Idle Cure fans out there or am I whistling alone in the dark here??

[Jez]

Only heard 2 of these (Tough Love & 2nd Avenue) and only own the latter, so can only vote on those 2.

 

 

2nd Avenue

[RichieZ]

The first one, pretty good Christian AOR band.

[66 mustang]

I think my favorite songs by the band are Breakaway and Just Believe It

[phaffas]

ive only got Inside out... very solid melodic rock album. some good songs on it.

[Thomas/Coastline]

I like the first one the most! CCM/AOR!

[Faust]

Grrrreeaaat band !

2nd Avenue for me

[Geoff]

Your description sounds appetizing, Mark. Do I need to hear these guys? Never heard them before, I don't think.

[metalmaniac777]

Your description sounds appetizing, Mark. Do I need to hear these guys?

Musically, I think you'd like them quite well. Lyrically...well, they are a Christian band, and they make no effort to disguise it. Still, few of the lyrics are of the "praise Jesus" variety. Hold on, let me grab their CDs and take a quick peek to refresh my memory...

 

OK, we have a song about God calling to you, a song about fighting the good fight, a song about how many lost people are in the world, a song about running for "something higher," a song about prayer, a song about how sin doesn't bring happiness forever, a song about "contending for the faith," a song about how God can save a marriage, a song about how America has turned away from God, an anti-abortion song, a song about how dirty sin is, a song about giving God your soul, a song about God helping us through the day...

 

You get the idea. Not a lot of "Jesus" lyrics, but lots of "God" lyrics. Not sure how that sits with you, but musically...yeah, you should definitely give 'em a listen. If you decide to check 'em out, start with "Inside Out" or "Eclipse," which are the best two, in my opinion.

[Geoff]

Your description sounds appetizing, Mark. Do I need to hear these guys?

Musically, I think you'd like them quite well. Lyrically...well, they are a Christian band, and they make no effort to disguise it. Still, few of the lyrics are of the "praise Jesus" variety. Hold on, let me grab their CDs and take a quick peek to refresh my memory...

 

OK, we have a song about God calling to you, a song about fighting the good fight, a song about how many lost people are in the world, a song about running for "something higher," a song about prayer, a song about how sin doesn't bring happiness forever, a song about "contending for the faith," a song about how God can save a marriage, a song about how America has turned away from God, an anti-abortion song, a song about how dirty sin is, a song about giving God your soul, a song about God helping us through the day...

 

You get the idea. Not a lot of "Jesus" lyrics, but lots of "God" lyrics. Not sure how that sits with you, but musically...yeah, you should definitely give 'em a listen. If you decide to check 'em out, start with "Inside Out" or "Eclipse," which are the best two, in my opinion.

Thanks Mark. I don't think I'll seek them hungrily, but I'll keep a sneaky eye open.

 

Lovin' those lyrical subject matters.

[Geoff]

Double post. Sorry. Nachos.

[66 mustang]

for me Idle Cure sounds like 80's KISS with only Paul Stanley on vocals

[metalmaniac777]

For me Idle Cure sounds like 80's KISS with only Paul Stanley on vocals.

You know, it never clicked with me before, but you're right, Steve Shannon (Idle Cure's singer) does sound a lot like Paul Stanley.

[Geoff]

Well, I will vote here soon. I now own all albums but the debut... just got to hear them now.

 

I've lived with 'Eclipse' for a while now and I had delegated it to my trade list, but after telling Matty-Boo this he said I was wild and crazy so I heard it again. I think it'll stay. It scares the shit out of me that both you fellas (Mark and Matty-Boo) call this their hardest album, because honestly to me it just sounds like pop-rock, pure and simple. I'm hoping the others are more rock than pop, but I'm keen to find out.

 

I remember when I decided I would trade it - I was driving around with my brother in the car and this was in there. I had the volume sooooo low as I was embarrassed by it. That is not a good sign as I am NEVER embarrassed of the music I listen to. Is it that bad, or was I just scared he'd find out I was listening to a Christian rock CD? We joke about them often and he knows I have them, but he's never experienced them. I think if he heard the lyrics in the chorus of 'What's your point of view?' he'd have ended our brotherhood. Yeah, I don't know. I don't love the disc, but I think 'Living water', which I LOVE, might just save it for me.

 

Comments on the others to follow.

[hardrockhaven]

"2nd Avenue" gets my vote no question. I'm waiting for these guys to reunite along with Fighter. Now that would be good news!

[Geoff]

"2nd Avenue" gets my vote no question.

For the moment, I'm leaning this way too.

 

It's hard. These guys have a really good sound musically, the backing vocals are huge and there are some great tracks. Maybe the only downfall is that a few of the tracks just don't have that killer catchy hook.

 

But yeah, surprised that Mark calls 'Eclipse' the most aggressive album because for me - barring the debut, which is the only album I don't own - I find it by far the weakest of the four I own. It comes across a lot poppier and the message is a lot stronger and far more blatant. But to me it was their first non-hard rock disc with a good, hard guitar presence.

 

For me, I barely noticed "the message" on 'Tough love' and 'Inside out' and I thought both were very good discs. 'Inside Out' just edges out 'Tough love' for a few more good tunes. Listening to '2nd Avenue' now and I'd call this their heaviest, most hardest rocking hour. Sadly, it's a little more preachy than 'Tough love' or 'Inside out' but not as bad as 'Eclipse'.

 

I still won't vote yet, but at this point in time I'm leaning towards '2nd Avenue' as it's a pretty damn nice slab of hard rock. I'd love to hear the debut, though. Overall, definitely one of the less preachy 80's christian hard rock bands I've heard.

[metalmaniac777]

When you boil it down to brass tacks, all the Idle Cure albums (save the debut, which is definitely more AOR-ish) are very similar in style & hardness. It's difficult to judge if "Eclipse" is heavier than "Inside Out" or whether "2nd Avenue" sports more balls than "Tough Love," because all of them are pretty close. Every CD has its fair share of hard rockin' tracks, so if you like one release by this band, odds are you'll like 'em all, and you can't say that about a lot of groups. The quality between albums doesn't differ much, though obviously each listener will have their personal favorite.

 

Without digging through the lyric sheets, I never noticed one Idle Cure album to be any more preachy than the others; they've always been a blatantly Christian band, never striving for crossover appeal. Of course, given my beliefs, none of that bothers me.

[Geoff]

Without digging through the lyric sheets, I never noticed one Idle Cure album to be any more preachy than the others; they've always been a blatantly Christian band, never striving for crossover appeal. Of course, given my beliefs, none of that bothers me.

Yeah, reading the "thank you" parts in the lyrics book I was scared, and that first track on 'Eclipse' shouting out 'Let me tell you what God's about' allowed me to go into these albums cautiously.

 

But as you actually said above, these guys are not so much the whiney type that go on about Jesus dying for them on the cross and that their every thought and move is for their saviour Jesus God Christ. They do leave room for people like you and me to read/listen to them very differently. Even just the use of the word 'You' in many songs instead of God or Jesus leaves the imaginative out there to try and convince himself the song's about a girl, or even a dude, a pug or a tadpole. Just anything but God.

 

Basically, I judge it by if I'd embarrassed I'd be to play it in front of friends or family, and I wouldn't play 'Eclipse' in front of anyone, but based on first spins I'd have no problem spinning 'Tough love' or 'Inside out', and probably not even most of '2nd Avenue', even if I'd probably skip over a few tracks.

[66 mustang]

been listening to my fav song by the band today

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BJgxBxp7Wo

[JamesEagle]

Not got anything by this highly-rated band, their stuff doesn't seem to be very cheap. Any suggestions as to the heaviest of their albums?