POP MUSIC REVIEWS : ICICLES AT WORK

Power through simplicity and clarity. That was the message when the Icicle Works performed Tuesday at the Roxy.

A few years ago, the single “Whisper to a Scream” marked the Liverpool trio as one of the more worthy of the new British bands getting attention here. While most of its contemporaries have souled out on limp imitations of American R&B; or suffocated in frigid electro-pop, the Icicle Works has concentrated on warm, straightforward pop basics.

In fact, many of the band’s melodies--the best, such as the recent British hit “Understanding Jane,” soar to near-Spectorian heights--would seem almost quaint if not for the driving, stripped-down arrangements fueled by drummer Chris Sharrock’s rowdy polyrhythms and colored by singer-guitarist Ian McNabb’s rich tenor.

Similarly, such pleasant titles as “Love Is Full of Wonderful Colors” and “Hope Springs Eternal” were balanced with pedal-to-the-metal rockers, including an encore of Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll.” Other bonuses included a credible version of Neil Young’s “Needle and the Damage Done” and a vivid song about the band’s hometown that sounded nothing like the Beatles.

The 90-minute set dragged a bit in the middle as attempts to vary the texture and tempo fell a little flat. On the whole, though, the Icicle Works was exciting, entertaining and gimmick-free. Perhaps that’s why it is currently without an American record label.