Lead vocalist Iva Davies said the album was the first time he had worked with producers he could "get on with" and also the first time they had a surplus of songs to choose from. "We've actually got more songs than we'll ever be able to use. It's very strange. It's created problems because they've all turned out really well and I'm loath to give anything away."
Icehouse had already cemented themselves as one of Australia's prime new wave/synth-rock acts. Measure For Measure, the band’s fourth studio album, would represent a further shift in refinement for the band, particularly following the rawness of 1984’s Sidewalk, as their sound evolved beyond the post-punk energy of their earlier works into a more lush, cinematic soundscape that would further embrace synthesisers and ambient textures.
Impeccably produced, mixed, and mastered, Measure For Measure was a pleasure for the senses as the music contained within isn’t the only extraordinary aspect, as the album's artwork is stunningly beautiful and is amongst the greatest that Icehouse ever released, it was a warm and full-bodied sound and a sonic signature record.
The opener "Paradise" had a pulsating synth element that adds to the overall atmosphere of the song as well as playing into the style of the album as a whole, the greatest aspect of Paradise was Iva Davies’ magnificent vocals, which hover over the entire musical bed. Paradise was the perfect combination of art-rock and ambient pop. "No Promises," despite being the first single from the album, had previously been released on the Boxes (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), from 1985, and was included in an original composition and a reprise, but it is this re-recording that stands out as the gold standard. Driven by a shimmering synth-pop rhythm and an uptempo beat, No Promises was another exceptional tune.
"Mr. Big" shifted the tone of the album, somewhat abruptly, yet the more you listen to the record, the more you’ll appreciate the shift from Paradise and No Promises to this rockier, glam-infused tune. It’s Icehouse amongst their most playful, with a healthy dose of crunchy guitar riffs, a sassy delivery, and brass instrumentation by Simon Lloyd that shines and adds to the overall vibe of this addictively good song. "Angel Street" returned the tempo to one that's a little more contemplative while the near out-of-phase musical styling adds incredibly textured layers to the song. "The Flame" was a slow-building epic. The mood and atmosphere captivate and encapsulated the senses via the song’s three-dimensional soundstage. "Regular Boys," was with No Promises, part of the Boxes soundtrack. However, it does present another significant structural shift in the album's mood and tempo. While I’m used to it, having listened to this album since the 80s.
"Cross The Border," was another interesting tune that despute the tribal percussion sound, the melodies and rocking edge tune, proved to be a standout tune that suited well with the album strcuture, "Spanish Gold" was a smooth, upbeat number that works remarkably well within the band’s ambient pop-styled framework. Presented in a hazy, almost dreamlike style, "Lucky Me" was one of the most abrupt rock-structured tunes Icehouse ever recorded. Still, the rawness shows diversity, and it can be seen as being somewhat out of place on this release, but as alluded to earlier, once you’ve listened to the album several times, you’ll consider it to be perfectly normal and well-aligned, even with the more delicate songs on the album. and finally "Baby, You're So Strange" was an utterly brilliant tune with a swagger, riff-heavy, distorted and crunchy styling, combined with Davies’ gritty, yet smooth, vocal delivery, makes for not only one of Icehouse's most flamboyant numbers.
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