Prefab Sprout | ||
Allmusic Biography : One of the most acclaimed British pop bands of the 80s and 90s, Prefab Sprout was the creative vehicle of vocalist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Paddy McAloon, who has been regularly hailed as one of the greatest songwriters of his era. McAloon has often been compared favorably to Elvis Costello, Paul McCartney, and even Cole Porter, not just because of his lyrical and instrumental gifts but for the ambitious creative vision of his catalog. A notorious perfectionist who is also known for his shyness and his struggles with health problems, McAloons body of work is relatively small (ten albums in three decades), but Prefab Sprouts music is beloved in the U.K., and they have a smaller but passionately loyal audience in the United States. Moving from the smart, beautifully crafted pop of 1984s Swoon and 1985s Steve McQueen (titled Two Wheels Good in the U.S.), Prefab Sprout would explore the influences of American music on 1988s From Langley Park to Memphis, embrace the sound and style of stage musicals on 1990s Jordan: The Comeback, use the Old West as a metaphor on the 2001 concept album The Gunman and Other Stories, and celebrated the power and energy of music on 2009s Lets Change the World with Music and 2013s Crimson/Red. Prefab Sprout were formed in Newcastle, England, in 1977 by Paddy McAloon, who sings and plays guitar and piano, and his bass-playing younger brother, Martin. In the groups early days, McAloon spun several fanciful tales about the origin of their odd name (one favorite was that the young McAloon had misheard the line "hotter than a pepper sprout" in Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewoods "Jackson"), but the truth is that an adolescent McAloon had devised the meaningless name in homage to the long-winded and equally silly band names of his late-60s/early-70s youth. With an early fan, Wendy Smith, drafted into the lineup to sing helium-register backing vocals, the trio released its first single, "Lions in My Own Garden (Exit Someone)," on its own Candle label in July 1982. Written for a girlfriend who had left Newcastle to study in Limoges, France (check the acronym of the title), the song was exceedingly clever but obviously heartfelt. The singles warm reception, including many plays on John Peels radio show, led to the Sprouts signing to CBS subsidiary Kitchenware Records, which reissued the single in April 1983. Another single, "The Devil Has All the Best Tunes," followed later that year. Prefab Sprouts first album, Swoon, was released in March 1984. Shortly after Swoons release, drummer Neil Conti joined the group, and Thomas Dolby was tapped to produce the second Prefab Sprout album, 1985s Steve McQueen (retitled Two Wheels Good in the U.S. due to litigation from the late actors estate). Dolby smoothed out the kinks a bit, and his keyboards helped enrich the albums sound. Prefab Sprout returned to the studio without Dolby in the summer of 1985 and quickly recorded an albums worth of material that was initially meant to be released in a limited edition as a tour souvenir. However, several months after Steve McQueen was released, its song "When Love Breaks Down" (which had been released as a single four different times in the U.K. without chart success) finally became a hit, and CBS feared a new album would hurt its predecessors sales, so the project was shelved. The "proper" follow-up to Steve McQueen was 1988s From Langley Park to Memphis. It became their biggest hit, thanks to the massive U.K. chart success of "The King of Rock and Roll" (about a one-hit wonder stuck performing his silly novelty song on the nostalgia circuit; ironically, it was Prefab Sprouts sole U.K. Top Ten hit and remains their best-known song) and the U.S. college radio success of the genial Bruce Springsteen parody "Cars and Girls." Following that chart action, CBS dusted off the shelved acoustic project from 1985 and released it (in the U.K. only) under the title Protest Songs in June 1989. Issued in 1990, Jordan: The Comeback, which McAloon describes as a concept album about Jesse James and Elvis Presley, was released to enormous critical acclaim in late 1990, but unfortunately, its ornate, lush production and suite-like structure doomed it to commercial failure in the U.S., though it was another big hit in the U.K. A fine but unimaginative best-of, A Life of Surprises, met similar respective fates in the summer of 1992. Many thought Prefab Sprout disbanded at that point, and indeed, Conti did leave the band at some point in the 90s. However, McAloon had written (and in some cases, recorded) several albums worth of material during the first half of the decade, abandoning them all before finally releasing the crystalline Andromeda Heights in 1997. The album wasnt even released in the U.S., but it was another deserved U.K. hit. An album of subtle beauty, Andromeda Heights showed how far McAloon had come as a songwriter and singer since Swoon. A much-improved two-disc anthology, The 38 Carat Collection, was released by CBS in 1999 as the group was leaving the label. (Unexpectedly, the groups U.S. label, Epic, belatedly reissued this set as The Collection in early 2001.) Wendy Smith left the group during this period, after the birth of her first child. Prefab Sprout, by this point consisting solely of the McAloon brothers, signed to EMI in late 2000 and delivered their Western-themed concept album, The Gunman and Other Stories, in early 2001. Unfortunately, the albums release was delayed several months when Paddy McAloon was diagnosed with a medical disorder rendering him partially blind. As McAloon was homebound due to his health problems between 1999 and 2002, he wrote an album of music inspired by true life stories he recorded from radio broadcasts. Combining the radio recordings with orchestral arrangements of McAloons melodies, the mostly instrumental I Trawl the Megahertz became his first solo album when it was released in 2003. After a six-year layoff, McAloon returned to recording as Prefab Sprout and released the self-produced, performed, and recorded Lets Change the World with Music in 2009. This sets songs and concept date to 1992 and were originally to be recorded as the follow-up album to Jordan: The Comeback; for various reasons, those sessions never happened. It was initially issued by Ministry of Sound and later in the year licensed by Sony/BMG in the U.K. In 2010, the independent Tompkins Square imprint issued the album in the United States. Both the album Crimson/Red and its lead single, "The Best Jewel Thief in the World," were issued by the Icebreaker label in 2013. In March 2017, a video posted on the Internet featured a homemade solo acoustic clip of McAloon performing an original song, "America," a protest against U.S. immigration policies under Donald Trump. In 2019, Sony reissued McAloons I Trawl the Megahertz under the Prefab Sprout banner. | ||
Album: 1 of 14 Title: Swoon Released: 1984-03 Tracks: 11 Duration: 40:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Don’t Sing (03:53) 2 Cue Fanfare (04:06) 3 Green Isaac (03:31) 4 Here on the Eerie (04:00) 5 Cruel (04:20) 6 Couldn’t Bear to Be Special (03:50) 7 I Never Play Basketball Now (03:40) 8 Ghost Town Blues (03:22) 9 Elegance (03:46) 10 Technique (04:39) 11 Green Isaac II (01:29) | |
Swoon : Allmusic album Review : Paddy McAloon had not yet found the key to the elegant compositions that made Prefab Sprout distinctive when it came time to record their debut, Swoon. He certainly tries hard to make his sophisticated contemporary pop sound distinctive, but the problem is that he does too many things at once -- the lyrics are overstuffed, and the music has too many chord changes and weird juxtapositions, as he tries to put white-funk beats to carefully crafted melodies. A few moments work, such as "Couldnt Bear to Be Special," but Swoon is primarily of interest as a historical item, since it only suggests the promise the band later filled. | ||
Album: 2 of 14 Title: Steve McQueen Released: 1985-06 Tracks: 11 Duration: 45:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Faron Young (03:47) 2 Bonny (03:45) 3 Appetite (03:56) 4 When Love Breaks Down (04:08) 5 Goodbye Lucille #1 (04:29) 6 Hallelujah (04:20) 7 Moving the River (03:58) 8 Horsin’ Around (04:38) 9 Desire As (05:20) 10 Blueberry Pies (02:24) 11 When the Angels (04:27) | |
Steve McQueen : Allmusic album Review : Smart, sophisticated, and timelessly stylish, Steve McQueen (titled Two Wheels Good in the U.S. after threats of a lawsuit from the actors estate) is a minor classic, a shimmering jazz-pop masterpiece sparked by Paddy McAloons witty and inventive songwriting. McAloon is a wickedly cavalier composer, his songs exploring human weaknesses like regret ("Bonny"), lust ("Appetite"), and infidelity ("Horsin Around") with cynical insight and sarcastic flair; hes also remarkably adaptable, easily switching gears from the faux country of "Faron Young" to the stately pop grace of "Moving the River." At times, perhaps, his pretensions get the better of him (as on "Desire As"), while at other times his lyrics are perhaps too trenchant for their own good; at those moments, however, what keeps Steve McQueen afloat is Thomas Dolbys lush production, which makes even the loftiest and most biting moments as easily palatable as the airiest adult contemporary confection. | ||
Album: 3 of 14 Title: From Langley Park to Memphis Released: 1988-03 Tracks: 10 Duration: 45:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The King of Rock ’n’ Roll (04:23) 2 Cars and Girls (04:26) 3 I Remember That (04:14) 4 Enchanted (03:47) 5 Nightingales (05:53) 6 Hey Manhattan! (04:46) 7 Knock on Wood (04:17) 8 The Golden Calf (05:06) 9 Nancy (Let Your Hair Down for Me) (04:04) 10 The Venus of the Soup Kitchen (04:28) | |
From Langley Park to Memphis : Allmusic album Review : As suggested by the title, From Langley Park to Memphis is Prefab Sprouts spiritual journey into the heart of American culture; obsessed with rock n roll ("The King of Rock n Roll") and Bruce Springsteen ("Cars and Girls"), fascinated with gospel music ("Venus of the Soup Kitchen") and locked in a love/hate relationship with New York City ("Hey! Manhattan"), Paddy McAloon turns an iconoclastic eye to the other side of the Atlantic in order to make some sense of it all. An airy, lounge-pop feel permeates the record, which also sports cameos from the likes of Stevie Wonder and Pete Townshend. Still, while ambitious in both concept and execution, From Langley Park to Memphis pales in comparison to its masterful predecessor Two Wheels Good -- a shortcoming acknowledged by Prefab Sprout themselves with the title of their next album, Jordan: The Comeback. | ||
Album: 4 of 14 Title: Protest Songs Released: 1989-06 Tracks: 10 Duration: 42:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The World Awake (04:26) 2 Life of Surprises (04:05) 3 Horsechimes (04:24) 4 Wicked Things (03:11) 5 Dublin (03:42) 6 Tiffanys (03:50) 7 Diana (04:10) 8 Talking Scarlet (04:34) 9 ’til the Cows Come Home (04:12) 10 Pearly Gates (05:29) | |
Protest Songs : Allmusic album Review : Protest Songs was recorded by Prefab Sprout in 1985 in the wake of the masterful Steve McQueen/Two Wheels Good, but shelved in favor of the subsequent From Langley Park to Memphis; it finally surfaced to little fanfare in 1989, appearing almost as mysteriously as it was abandoned four years earlier. Its a wonderful record, but perhaps too close in sound and spirit to Steve McQueen for comfort -- From Langley Park, for all its flaws, is a much more adventurous effort, and with the benefit of hindsight, it seems reasonable to assume that Paddy McAloon wished not to stick with the tried-and-true but instead attempt something new and different, successful or not. That said, fans who loved Steve McQueen and its gossamer pop beauty will find much to savor here -- songs like "A Life of Surprises," "Talking Scarlet" and "Diana" (the latter an evocative portrait of the late "peoples princess" and her effect on British society) rank alongside McAloons finest, informed by the stately grace and ingenious wit which remain the hallmarks of every Prefab Sprout record. By no means a lost masterpiece, its still an essential piece of the puzzle. | ||
Album: 5 of 14 Title: Jordan: The EP Released: 1990 Tracks: 4 Duration: 15:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Carnival 2000 (03:23) 2 The Ice Maiden (03:37) 3 One of the Broken (03:55) 4 Jordan: The Comeback (04:12) | |
Album: 6 of 14 Title: Jordan: The Comeback Released: 1990-08 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:03:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Looking for Atlantis (04:01) 2 Wild Horses (03:41) 3 Machine Gun Ibiza (03:43) 4 We Let the Stars Go (03:39) 5 Carnival 2000 (03:23) 6 Jordan: The Comeback (04:12) 7 Jesse James Symphony (02:15) 8 Jesse James Bolero (04:09) 9 Moon Dog (04:07) 10 All the World Loves Lovers (03:50) 11 All Boys Believe Anything (01:34) 12 The Ice Maiden (03:19) 13 Paris Smith (02:55) 14 The Wedding March (02:50) 15 One of the Broken (03:54) 16 Michael (03:02) 17 Mercy (01:23) 18 Scarlet Nights (04:15) 19 Doo Wop in Harlem (03:43) | |
Jordan: The Comeback : Allmusic album Review : Jordan: The Comeback is Prefab Sprouts largely successful attempt to embrace the breadth of popular music; wisely reuniting with producer Thomas Dolby, Paddy McAloon freely indulges his myriad ambitions and obsessions to weave a dense, finely textured tapestry closer in spirit and construction to a lavish Broadway musical than to the conventional rock concept LP. Over the course of no less than 19 tracks, McAloon chases his twin preoccupations of religion and celebrity, creating a loose thematic canvas perfect for his expanding musical palette; quickly dispensing with common pop idioms, the album moves from tracks like the samba-styled "Carnival 2000" to the self-explanatory "Jesse James Symphony" and its companion piece "Jesse James Bolero" with remarkable dexterity. Dolbys atmospheric production lends an even greater visual dimension to the songs, which -- with their tightly constructed narratives and occasional spoken-word passages -- seem almost destined to someday reach the stage; indeed, Jordan: The Comeback is like an original cast recording minus the actors, or a rock opera without the silliness and bombast -- a truly inspired work. | ||
Album: 7 of 14 Title: The Best of Prefab Sprout: A Life of Surprises Released: 1992-06-26 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:05:36 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The King of Rock ’n’ Roll (04:23) 2 When Love Breaks Down (04:08) 3 The Sound of Crying (04:44) 4 Faron Young (03:47) 5 Carnival 2000 (03:23) 6 Goodbye Lucille #1 (04:29) 7 I Remember That (04:14) 8 Cruel (04:20) 9 Cars and Girls (04:26) 10 We Let the Stars Go (03:35) 11 Life of Surprises (04:05) 12 Appetite (03:56) 13 If You Don’t Love Me (03:44) 14 Wild Horses (03:41) 15 Hey Manhattan! (04:46) 16 All the World Loves Lovers (03:50) | |
The Best of Prefab Sprout: A Life of Surprises : Allmusic album Review : Prefab Sprout was always too good for the radio. Hearing the bands immaculate, gorgeously crafted pop songs alongside disposable, unimaginative records seemed like blasphemy. Perhaps many American radio programmers felt the same way, as most of this best-of compilation is obscure to U.S. listeners. While Two Wheels Good and From Langley Park to Memphis are superior purchases, A Life of Surprises is an engaging introduction to a group that is nowhere near as bizarre as its name. Much has been said about Paddy McAloons warm, comforting voice, but like Paul Heaton of the Housemartins and the Beautiful South, his soothing croon can sometimes hide some pretty depressing lyrics. "When Love Breaks Down" is classic 80s new wave heartache: teary-eyed synthesizers, downtrodden basslines, and McAloons whispery talk create a film noir atmosphere of deep sadness. The lyrics are sharpened by his adult observations. "When love breaks down/You join the wrecks/Who leave their hearts for easy sex," McAloon sings. The brutal honesty of those lines easily elevate "When Love Breaks Down" to the top class of breakup songs. Even more powerful is "Goodbye Lucille No. 1 (Johnny Johnny)," sung from the perspective of a man trying to make a close friend get over a girl who has rejected him. The words are frank and painfully realistic as McAloon doesnt sugarcoat the dialogue. McAloon rips into his buddys futile romantic fantasies and lets the hard light of reality shine upon him: "Ooh Johnny Johnny Johnny you wont make it any better/Ooh Johnny Johnny Johnny you might well make it worse." If this sounds dreary it should be noted that Prefab Sprout isnt one of those grim British raincoat bands. The group has a number of wonderfully upbeat moments, such as on the exhilarating "Hey Manhattan!" and "Cars and Girls," a clever commentary on Bruce Springsteens preoccupation with automobiles and women. | ||
Album: 8 of 14 Title: Andromeda Heights Released: 1997-05-28 Tracks: 12 Duration: 47:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Electric Guitars (03:41) 2 A Prisoner of the Past (05:01) 3 The Mystery of Love (04:37) 4 Life’s a Miracle (03:42) 5 Anne Marie (04:35) 6 Whoever You Are (02:47) 7 Steal Your Thunder (03:41) 8 Avenue of Stars (03:59) 9 Swans (02:34) 10 The Fifth Horseman (04:42) 11 Weightless (03:36) 12 Andromeda Heights (04:03) | |
Andromeda Heights : Allmusic album Review : Due to Paddy McAloons obsessive perfectionism, Andromeda Heights was the first Prefab Sprout album in seven years. Of course, it was greeted with anticipation, but the album doesnt quite fulfill the hopes of the groups fervent followers. On one hand, it doesnt deliver enough after the sweeping Jordan: The Comeback, since it is just a collection of 12 well-crafted songs. On the other hand, the sound of Andromeda Heights is so similar to all of Prefab Sprouts previous albums, its hard to believe that it took McAloon so long to write the album. Even with these faults, Andromeda Heights is a solid Prefab Sprout record, filled with elegant melodies, wry lyrics and immaculate production, but after seven years, that nevertheless ranks as a disappointment. | ||
Album: 9 of 14 Title: 38 Carat Collection Released: 1999-10-18 Tracks: 38 Duration: 2:35:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Lions in My Own Garden (02:36) 2 Don’t Sing (03:53) 3 Couldn’t Bear to Be Special (03:50) 4 When Love Breaks Down (04:08) 5 Faron Young (03:47) 6 Appetite (03:56) 7 Johnny Johnny (03:55) 8 Cars and Girls (04:26) 9 The King of Rock ’n’ Roll (04:23) 10 Hey Manhattan! (04:46) 11 The Golden Calf (05:06) 12 Looking for Atlantis (04:01) 13 We Let the Stars Go (03:35) 14 Carnival 2000 (03:23) 15 The Sound of Crying (04:44) 16 If You Don’t Love Me (03:44) 17 Life of Surprises (04:05) 18 A Prisoner of the Past (05:01) 19 Electric Guitars (03:41) 1 Cue Fanfare (04:06) 2 Cruel (04:20) 3 Bonny (03:45) 4 Moving the River (03:58) 5 Desire As (05:20) 6 Horsin’ Around (04:38) 7 Pearly Gates (05:29) 8 ’til the Cows Come Home (04:12) 9 Enchanted (03:47) 10 I Remember That (04:14) 11 Nightingales (05:53) 12 Jordan: The Comeback (04:12) 13 All the World Loves Lovers (03:50) 14 Jesse James Bolero (04:09) 15 Doo Wop in Harlem (03:43) 16 Life’s a Miracle (03:42) 17 Swans (02:34) 18 Andromeda Heights (04:03) 19 Where the Heart Is (02:02) | |
Album: 10 of 14 Title: The Gunman and Other Stories Released: 2001-06-25 Tracks: 10 Duration: 43:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Cowboy Dreams (05:19) 2 Wild Card in the Pack (03:40) 3 I’m a Troubled Man (03:19) 4 The Streets of Laredo / Not Long for This World (04:38) 5 Love Will Find Someone for You (03:23) 6 Cornfield Ablaze (04:48) 7 When You Get to Know Me Better (03:08) 8 The Gunman (08:39) 9 Blue Roses (03:11) 10 Farmyard Cat (03:13) | |
The Gunman and Other Stories : Allmusic album Review : After the seven-year gap between 1990s Jordan: The Comeback and 1997s Andromeda Heights, many Prefab Sprout fans were surprised by the comparatively brief four years between that album and 2001s The Gunman and Other Stories. The album holds other surprises for the longtime Prefab Sprout fan; for one thing, backing vocalist Wendy Smith is absent, having left the group after the birth of her first child, and for another, its a Western-themed concept album. Actually, though, this last shouldnt be too surprising, as singer/songwriter Paddy McAloon has had a thing for the American West as far back as the 1984 single "Dont Sing," and has always shown a love of traditional country music, as on Prefab Sprouts 1985 cover of Jim Reeves "Hell Have to Go." That said, this album owes more to Jim Webb than Jim Reeves. In the manner of Jordan: The Comeback, this album has a nearly symphonic feeling. Veteran producer Tony Visconti is a master of balancing orchestral parts with a rock rhythm section, and so The Gunman and Other Stories is considerably less airy than Andromeda Heights, which is not to say that it rocks out or anything. The lush arrangements and just-so embellishments of strings and reeds recall the polite sterility of Viscontis 70s heyday, but as always, the melodic richness and evocative lyrics of McAloons songs keep them from being boring, middle-of-the-road pop. The glorious love song "Blue Roses" and the unapologetically silly "Farmyard Cat," a goofy square dance played by a full string section and bleeping electronic percussion with the dopiest lyrics of McAloons career (yes, including the chorus of "The King of Rock and Roll"), are two particularly brilliant tracks. Still, this is not entirely top-drawer material. The title track and several other songs were originally offered to (and in some cases recorded by) other artists, including, implausibly, Cher and U.K. TV personality Jimmy Nail. As a result of this and the constraints of the overarching Western theme, this is easily McAloons least-personal record. For the immense skill evident in the nearly nine-minute title track, a mini-operetta that encapsulates all the themes of honor, romance, and retribution at the heart of the album, theres a kind of detachment to the lyrics, a feeling that McAloon is clearly writing in character, but not investing too much in the results. This is not the worst Prefab Sprout album -- that title will forever belong to 1988s too-slick-by-half From Langley Park to Memphis -- but it pales in comparison to Paddy McAloons best work. | ||
Album: 11 of 14 Title: Kings of Rock & Roll: The Best of Prefab Sprout Released: 2007 Tracks: 37 Duration: 2:33:01 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The King of Rock ’n’ Roll (04:23) 2 When Love Breaks Down (04:07) 3 Cars and Girls (04:26) 4 The Sound of Crying (04:44) 5 The Golden Calf (05:06) 6 Carnival 2000 (03:23) 7 Appetite (03:56) 8 Moving the River (03:58) 9 A Prisoner of the Past (05:01) 10 We Let the Stars Go (03:35) 11 Nightingales (05:53) 12 Johnny Johnny (04:29) 13 Life of Surprises (04:05) 14 Nero the Zero (03:45) 15 Desire As (05:20) 16 Bonny (03:45) 17 Couldn’t Bear to Be Special (03:50) 18 Wild Horses (03:41) 1 Faron Young (03:43) 2 Hey Manhattan! (04:46) 3 Don’t Sing (03:53) 4 If You Don’t Love Me (03:44) 5 Looking for Atlantis (04:02) 6 Electric Guitars (03:41) 7 I Remember That (04:14) 8 Green Isaac (03:31) 9 Here on the Eerie (04:00) 10 The Yearning Loins (03:41) 11 Cruel (04:20) 12 I Never Play Basketball Now (02:37) 13 Swans (03:40) 14 Donna Summer (03:16) 15 The Ice Maiden (03:19) 16 The Mystery of Love (04:37) 17 Scarlet Nights (04:15) 18 Anne Marie (04:35) 19 Pearly Gates (05:29) | |
Album: 12 of 14 Title: Let’s Change the World With Music Released: 2009-09-04 Tracks: 11 Duration: 46:36 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Let There Be Music (03:44) 2 Ride (04:04) 3 I Love Music (04:49) 4 God Watch Over You (04:33) 5 Music Is a Princess (03:31) 6 Earth, the Story So Far (05:01) 7 Last of the Great Romantics (04:39) 8 Falling in Love (03:10) 9 Sweet Gospel Music (04:23) 10 Meet the New Mozart (04:13) 11 Angel of Love (04:23) | |
Let’s Change the World With Music : Allmusic album Review : From Prefab Sprouts early-80s singles up through their often brilliant but much maligned album The Gunman and Other Stories in 2001, Paddy McAloon has written some of the finest pop tunes youre likely to hear in your lifetime. Comparisons have been made with Cole Porter, Lennon/McCartney, Brian Wilson, Stephen Sondheim, Jimmy Webb, Elvis Costello, and many others, but he remains a truly original and gifted singer and songwriter. While Prefab Sprout could never be called prolific in terms of physical album releases, McAloon has continued to write and demo material throughout the bands 20-plus-year career. In recent years McAloon has dealt with a series of health issues that have left hiim virtually unable to carry on as a recording artist. Thankfully, he continues to write songs that can be sung by other vocalists, and perhaps one day he will be able to grace listeners with his own voice again. Until then, listeners will fortunately be graced with previously unreleased Prefab Sprout music, such as Lets Change the World with Music, the often rumored 1992 follow-up to the Sprouts Jordan: The Comeback album. While the album was never actually completed by the band, McAloons fully formed demo is not just a hint of "what might have been": its one of the most consistent albums of the bands career. Lets Change the World with Music is a loose concept album that is based around the intense, oftentimes religious, joy of music and the gift it brings to those who allow it to overcome and overwhelm them. While McAloon is not a Bible-thumping evangelist, he uses religious imagery to describe the magical power of music and how it can literally change the world. Those who choose to push music to the background in their lives may not understand where McAloon is coming from, but for those who have lived and breathed music since their early days, Lets Change the World with Music is a revelation (pun intended). From the intro of the leadoff track, "Let There Be Music," it is immediately obvious that this will be a different Prefab experience to what most fans are used to. In the past (especially on Jordan: The Comeback), the band used keyboards to add depth and atmosphere to its tracks, but Lets Change the World is a different ball of wax: it is all keyboards. As stated previously, this is McAloons demo version of his musical vision and does not feature backing vocalist Wendy Smith or brother Martin...or anyone else for that matter. And to be honest, even without the other bandmembers, its an absolute joy to listen to. Would it have sounded better with real strings, real drums, guitars, and proper production from someone like Thomas Dolby? Its really hard to tell, since the album is a nearly perfect collection of songs celebrating the glory of music, becoming a glorious piece of music in the process. Some of the lyrics on the album may seem a bit twee and trite on the surface (particularly on "Music Is a Princess"), but in the context of the album, they become touching and heartwarming. Like all Prefab albums, there are moments of absolute joy on display mixed with an equal amount of bittersweet and touching songs that reach right down and stir your soul. Highlights include "Ride," "Earth, the Story So Far," "Last of the Great Romantics," "Angel of Love," and the title track. For the uninitiated, the Prefab Sprout albums to investigate first would certainly be Steve McQueen and Jordan: The Comeback, but Lets Change the World with Music isnt far behind. It is a beautiful, joyful, and unpretentious musical love letter written to and about this life-changing force called music. | ||
Album: 13 of 14 Title: Crimson/Red Released: 2013-10-07 Tracks: 10 Duration: 40:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Best Jewel Thief in the World (03:49) 2 List of Impossible Things (03:43) 3 Adolescence (04:27) 4 Grief Built the Taj Mahal (03:28) 5 Devil Came a Calling (03:41) 6 Billy (04:37) 7 The Dreamer (06:00) 8 The Songs of Danny Galway (03:48) 9 The Old Magician (02:51) 10 Mysterious (04:22) | |
Crimson/Red : Allmusic album Review : Even though he had been suffering from hearing and sight impairments, Prefab Sprout man Paddy McAloon actually picked up the pace with the release of Crimson/Red, an album that follows Lets Change the World with Music by four years, halving the eight-year wait after 2001s The Gunman and Other Stories. Its also interesting that songs like "Mysterious" (an appreciation of Bob Dylan) and "The Songs of Danny Galway" (a lush love letter to the work of Jimmy Webb) cover the same ground as Lets Change the Worlds numerous odes to the power of pop music, but that album was arguably "tricky," because with the Sprout, overly smart and overly ambitious are the delicious pratfalls fans still savor. This one, like previous albums Steve McQueen (titled Two Wheels Good in the U.S.) and Jordan: The Comeback, is both grand and easily accessible, opening with a perfect example called "The Best Jewel Thief in the World," where busy and big work in tandem with the songs highly infectious hook. Singing it aloud might just make you more clever and warm, while the great "Adolescence" ("Whats it like?/Its like a psychedelic motorbike/You smash it up ten times a day, then walk away") sorts out that kinetic and wide-eyed stage of life quite nicely. The music throughout is just as beautiful and bold as the lyrics, with "Devil Came a Calling" being built out of a loving tower of country music camp, while the much smaller "The Old Magician" works its magic with a little bit of keyboards and guitar. A tight ten-song track list, immaculate production, and an overall classic album flow are all icing on the cake, and when it comes to McAloon quotables, "Power, wealth, and a mansion on Fellatio Dr." jumps into the gifted mans Top Ten. | ||
Album: 14 of 14 Title: I Trawl the Megahertz Released: 2019-02-01 Tracks: 9 Duration: 53:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 I Trawl the Megahertz (22:05) 2 Esprit de Corps (04:51) 3 Fall From Grace (03:38) 4 We Were Poor .... (04:49) 5 Orchid 7 (04:20) 6 Im 49 (03:48) 7 Sleeping Rough (03:34) 8 Ineffable (02:42) 9 ....But We Were Happy (03:48) |