I think I stumbled across Cactus World News on a late night music TV programme, possibly the Old Grey Whistle Test, although I can't be sure. I was though immediately taken by the songs I heard, of which "Worlds Apart" was one of them and I found myself frequently humming it days, weeks later. The only thing I new about them was that they came from Ireland although I didn't know which part of Ireland.
When I acquired Urban Beaches I was impressed. It was an album full of swirling guitars, driving bass, thumping drums and passionate vocals. Some great tunes too. At the time I was not very similar with U2's early work apart for a couple of singles, with "The Unforgettable Fire" and "The Joshua Tree" being their content in my record collection around that time. As a result I wasn't aware of the similarity of guitar playing styles, and I might have figured that Cactus World News were from Dublin.
The full album of Urban Beaches has not been uploaded onto YouTube so in order to listen to I had to find each track individually.
The opener "Worlds Apart" remains the highlight, with early U2 style driving bass, urgent guitars and a pleading, emotional vocal with the anthemic chorus "Worlds apart, worlds apart, closer than I've ever been to you". A stunning song, and still good to sing along to.
"Years Later" is the other truly great track here, with more rising fervant vocals, another great riff and anthem like chours. "Closing the door on the door on the past now its gone, closing the door on the on the past now its disappeared with the time" and "things will never be the same again, well five years on so much has gone close to ruin". Towards the end the pace disappears, some lines are spoken before guitars come exploding back to finish.
The final single from the LP was "The Bridge", which has a toe-tapping beat, another rising chorus, and more U2 style guitar playing.
Elsewhere on the album, "In A Whirlpool" is a mid-temp song with bounding drums, and just the bass playing the middle break. The stacatto guitar riff at times hints at the reggae riff from "Safe European Home" by The Clash, but without sounding like reggae !
The lenghty closing number "Maybe This Time" has a significant change of pace to virtually all of the rest of the album and the quiet instrumental outro is quite beautiful, whilst "Church Of The Cold" has a guitar riff suitable for a 70s spy/fi adventrue series such as The Persuaders or Department S.
"State of Emergency" closes side one and has a menacing, slightly haunting intro with a spaghetti western/spanish feel to the guitar. It goes on too long though, aiming to be a masterpiece but it doesn't quite deliver. "Promise" starts with a slow tempo acoustic intro, has a rising chorus, then swirling guitars before an almost spoken ending. "Jigsaw Street" is unmemorable.
"Pilots of Beka" starts with a blowing wind intro, then acoustic guitar and bass before more The Edge guitar playing. I have no idea what they are singing about and it is perhaps the weakest melody here. The guitar is nice though.
On replaying it hasn't quite stood the test of time, I would no longer rate this as a great album, but it is still overall in the good category, with a couple of stand-out moments. However, if you like early U2 then you will love Urban Beaches.
1. Worlds Apart
2. In A Whirlpool
3. Promise
4. The Bridge
5. State of Emergency
6. Years Later
7. Church Of The Cold
8. Pilots of Beka
9. Jigsaw Street
10.Maybe This Time
Released 1986
UK Chart Position : 56
Singles :
Years Later ( No 59 - 1986 )
Worlds Apart ( No 58 - 1986 )
The Bridge ( No 74 - 1986 )
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