Desire on Ice


Desire on Ice is a studio album by Tav Falco. It is his sixth solo album, and fourteenth album total including those released under the name Tav Falco Panther Burns. The album features reworked versions of original songs written by Falco, most of which were featured on previous albums. A large roster of guest musicians appear on the album, including Jon Spencer, The Reverend Horton Heat, Bobby Gillespie, Ann Magnuson, and many more. Desire On Ice was released by Org Music on 12 September 2025 on vinyl LP, CD, and digital editions to positive reviews.

Background

Tav Falco producer and Panther Burns member Mario Monterosso developed a concept for a Tav Falco album that drew from previous Falco-penned original songs, and then reinterpreted the songs in new and unusual ways. The concept resonated with Falco, who liked the concept of bridging the moments when the songs were written with his current state of mind, as well as the idea of being true to the original songs whilst bringing a fresh and adventurous approach to the new interpretations.
Monterosso began working on Desire on Ice in late 2023 after the completion of a set of US tours which yielded the live-in-the-studio album Nashville Sessions: Live at Bridgestone Arena Studios. The production process took approximately eighteen months to complete. Falco and Monterosso recorded basic tracks for Desire on Ice in February 2024 at Sam Phillips Recording Service in Memphis, Tennessee. In addition to Monterosso, Panther Burns members Giuseppe Sangirardi and Walter Brunetti worked as session musicians on the album.
Several of the reworked tracks were recorded for Falco's previous album Conjurations: Séance for Deranged Lovers. Others include "Cuban Rebel Girl", "Vampire from Havana", and "Doomsday Baby". Also included are three new tracks, entitled "Prologue," "Crying for More" and "Epilogue." Memphis writer and longtime Tav Falco Panther Burns confidante Robert Gordon contributed liner notes to the album.

Guest appearances

Monterosso assembled a large set of celebrity guest musicians to appear on the album. The guests recorded their parts for the album remotely and were given free artistic agency in the collaboration process. They include: Tav Falco Panther Burns alumni Jimmy Rip, Jim Sclavunos and René Coman ; Charlie Musselwhite; Bobby Gillespie ; Jon Spencer ; The Reverend Horton Heat; Kid Congo Powers ; Chris Spedding ; rockabilly guitarist Boz Boorer; Eddie Angel ; female performers Ann Magnuson, Nicole Atkins and Jolie Holland; and many more.

Reception

Desire On Ice was released by Org Music on 12 September 2025 on LP, CD, and digital formats.
The album immediately received excellent reviews. Mojo magazine gave the album its own inset and rated the album five stars. Uncut rated the album 8/10, and devoted a full page to the album's story, along with an interview with Falco and a full listing of the album's celebrity guests. Classic Rock magazine also rated the album an 8/10, describing the album as "Irresistibly intoxicating." The Vinyl District rated the album an "A", stating that "Soaking up all guest contributions to Desire on Ice is a sheer pleasure, but more importantly, the set flows as a robust album experience...with no knowledge of the stacked lineup required." Vintage Rock gave the album 3.5/5 stars, commenting that "Desire On Ice rebuilds these songs into something new, and there are few albums which tell such a complete story of an artist's long journey through the music biz."

Personnel

Musicians:
  • Tav Falco – Vocals, guitar
  • Mario Monterosso – Electric guitar, piano, backing vocals
  • Giuseppe Sangirardi – Bass
  • Walter Brunetti – Drums
  • Puccio Panettieri – Drums, Percussion
  • Scott Bomar – Bass
Guest Musicians:
Additional personnel:
  • Mario Monterosso – Producer
  • Scott Bomar – Mixing
  • Dave Gardner – Mastering
  • Mastering – Dave Gardner
  • Mitch Rossiter – Layout
  • Alberto García-Alix, Laura Levine, Youri Lenquette – Photography
  • Liner Notes – Robert Gordon, Tav Falco
Recorded at Sam Phillips Recording Service, Memphis

Mastered at DSG Mastering, Los Angeles