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Thread: Prefab Sprout

  1. #1
    Tribesman sonic's Avatar
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    Prefab Sprout

    I picked up the album Two Wheels Good the other day. Proggers may even like this band. This is some rather sophisticated pop with quite complex chord changes at times.
    Anyone else familiar with these guys?

  2. #2
    Member Reach's Avatar
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    Yep. Quite a few fans here. That album is otherwise known as Steve McQueen, and yeah, it's a gem.

  3. #3
    I love them, one of my fave bands of the 80s. Paddy is such a brilliant songwriter, his songs are filled with humanity and warmth. TWG/SMcQ and Jordan: The Comeback are my preferred albums, but there’s lots to like.

    -------------
    MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

    "Parece cosa de maligno. Los pianos no estallan por casualidad." --Gabriel Garcia Marquez

    N.P.:“Tensegrity”-Roger Powell/Cosmic Furnace

  4. #4
    The debut Swoon contains quirky gems too, and I personally love Protest Songs, which is often overlooked. I loved them back then and still play them loads today. The lost album that came out a year or so back has not stuck in my head at all though.

  5. #5
    Member bill g's Avatar
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    Yeah I love Prefab Sprout. Paddy McAloon has one of the finest voices in music today, any genre. Two Wheels Good is amazing throughout. Really love 'Bonny', and 'Hallelujah' especially. 'Jordan: The Comeback' I would think would be regarded as their best album. Paddy's solo abum is also great.

  6. #6
    LOVE Prefab Sprout. Definitely in my Top 5 best unknown bands. Better known but no less loved by me is Level 42.

  7. #7
    I just discovered this awesome podcast and what a delight to hear Paddy Macaloon discuss his craft. Seems like a lovely guy.

    https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/...=2&i=249762261

  8. #8
    Geriatric Anomaly progeezer's Avatar
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    Sonic - thank you for making me listen to a band I have heard of (never listened to) for a long time but never knew until today how good they are and how they're right in my current wheelhouse.

    Ordered Two Wheels Good & Jordan the Comeback.

    Oh, and Hi Andrew!!
    "My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician, and to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference"

    President Harry S. Truman

  9. #9
    I have loved this band since their first independent single release which I still have on 12".

    Steve, you ordered well (though over here their second album is called Steve McQueen), get yourself the debut Swoon too and Protest Songs, both are special releases to me.


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  10. #10
    Protest Songs is a slow grower. It seems very low-key compared to the stuff surrounding it, and it didn’t really click with me when I first listened to it. I really enjoy it quite a lot now, there’s some first-rate tunes on this (“Life of Surprises,” “Tiffanys” [sic] and “Diana” are faves).
    Confirmed Bachelors: the dramedy hit of 1883...

  11. #11
    Member moecurlythanu's Avatar
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    I recently picked up a "Best Of" CD, but haven't spun it yet. After checking them out on YouTube, I was very surprised that this band didn't break big in America during the 80s. Their sound was in line with other bands who did achieve success stateside, and the songs I sampled were very good.

  12. #12
    Member interbellum's Avatar
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    I only have Steve McQueen, but that one I've played a lot since it was released. Great production by Thomas Dolby!
    Love this song, especially the change in singing (on the Steve McQueen-version this song is called Goodbye Lucille #1):


  13. #13
    Geriatric Anomaly progeezer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sunlight Caller View Post

    Steve, you ordered well (though over here their second album is called Steve McQueen), get yourself the debut Swoon too and Protest Songs, both are special releases to me.


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    I just got an email from one of my kids, who owes me a birthday present, inviting me to lunch next weekend & a trip to the brick & mortar to buy me a cd. Will look in the PS section first, Pete.
    "My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician, and to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference"

    President Harry S. Truman

  14. #14
    Recently Resurrected zombywoof's Avatar
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    Swoon, specifically the song "Don't Sing" is a huge influence on the Nick Prol album I'm working on.

  15. #15
    LOVE their first 3 albums. After that it's not a band and Paddy uses a lot of questionable synth sounds, though there's always a few gems. A great songwriter. I wish Dolby would produce again and that Conti and Paddy's brother would return.
    Conti played drums for Bowie at the Live Aid show.

  16. #16
    I wish he'd make his albums with a real band let alone the original bandmates he had but putting that aside, his latest Crimson Red is pretty damn good.

  17. #17
    Big fan, Paddy Mc Aloon is a gifted songwriter and arranger. I like nearly everything he did. My favorites are Steve MC Queen and Jordan the Comeback for the grandiloquence of musicals and pop.

    Last edited by alucard; 02-26-2017 at 05:14 AM.

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by 3RDegree_Robert View Post
    I wish he'd make his albums with a real band let alone the original bandmates he had but putting that aside, his latest Crimson Red is pretty damn good.
    Yes I agree this is the best release since those early albums. I would love to see more of the stockpiled albums released, but in truth the only one to come out was a little disappointing. There are meant to be a pile of fully recorded albums sat there in chez Paddy though.

    I did get to see them quite a few times when they were a real band and on the way up, good times.

    I really dig Paddy's solo album too, although it is a left field offering, but is sure to appeal to open ears on this forum.

  19. #19
    Geriatric Anomaly progeezer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by progeezer View Post
    Sonic - thank you for making me listen to a band I have heard of (never listened to) for a long time but never knew until today how good they are and how they're right in my current wheelhouse.

    Ordered Two Wheels Good & Jordan the Comeback.

    Oh, and Hi Andrew!!
    Definitely my new flavor of the day now!! Just ordered Swoon based on Wheels & Jordan. I'm too f*****g old to be buying new music, but I doubt I'm done sprouting.
    "My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician, and to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference"

    President Harry S. Truman

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by sonic View Post
    Proggers may even like this band. This is some rather sophisticated pop with quite complex chord changes at times.
    Their mainman Paddy McAloon has mentioned bands such as Turning Point and Hatfield & the North among his faves, you can at times also hear the odd Robert Wyatt motion going on.

    Swoon and Protest Songs are their finest, IMO. Steve McQueen is solid as well.

    You'd may want to check out Everything But the Girl (their first two albums), The Blue Nile and arguably some of Scritti Politti's work as well, as they shared some of PS' influences.
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

  21. #21
    Member bill g's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sunlight Caller View Post

    I really dig Paddy's solo album too, although it is a left field offering, but is sure to appeal to open ears on this forum.
    His solo album is nothing at all like Prefab Sprout, but for music to wallow in on a dark, lonely night, there is not a better album I've heard. I rank it as one of my favorite albums of all time, for the mood alone. But I sure didn't think so on first listen.

  22. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by Scrotum Scissor View Post
    Their mainman Paddy McAloon has mentioned bands such as Turning Point and Hatfield & the North among his faves, you can at times also hear the odd Robert Wyatt motion going on.
    There’s some almost Canterbury-esque complexity going on on a few of the tracks on Swoon. That off-kilter jazziness got smoothed out by the time of Steve McQueen.

    You'd may want to check out Everything But the Girl (their first two albums), The Blue Nile and arguably some of Scritti Politti's work as well, as they shared some of PS' influences.
    I agree with all those recommendations. Note that the aforementioned Robert Wyatt actually plays some keyboards on SP’s Songs to Remember.
    Confirmed Bachelors: the dramedy hit of 1883...

  23. #23
    There's some beautiful stuff on '97's Andromeda Heights too.


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  24. #24
    Member bill g's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 3RDegree_Robert View Post
    There's some beautiful stuff on '97's Andromeda Heights too.


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    Yes, AH is a very emotional album for me. 'Avenue of Stars' is gorgeous. And, man 'Swans' is so poignantly beautifully sad, someone would have to have a stone for a heart not to be at least somewhat moved by it.

  25. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by Scrotum Scissor View Post
    You'd may want to check out Everything But the Girl (their first two albums), The Blue Nile and arguably some of Scritti Politti's work as well, as they shared some of PS' influences.
    I have a soft spot for all three of these, but especially for Scritti Politti and their first album "Songs To Remember" plus their earlier singles, which have now been collected on the CD "Early". Their mid-period lush pop period was good, but the early stuff is where it was more off kilter and interesting. The later albums "Anomie & Bonhomie" and "White Bread, Black Beer"are also worth hearing too.

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