Prefab Sprout: Classic Or Dud

And x-post, count me in on the lobby for a 10+ disc boxset.

Shame that all the b-sides Stewart lists above were already "collected" on the _Silhouettes_ bootleg. I'd like to see a bonus disc with some of the tracks that John Birch included on his fanzine cd-rs. "Cherry Tree", "The Glass Slipper", "Constant Blue", etc.

http://www.prefabsprout.net/media.html

probably. but anyway...

i've never heard any of the 90's b-sides and such. still have a bunch of 80's 12 inches, so those aren't as unknown to me.

I've also figured out that it's the Jordan album I remember from the early 90's, so I will give that a go very soon. Would you believe I wrote 'Prefab Sprout' down on a list of stuff to check out not more than a week before this thread was revived?

I was about to buy The Collection, when I discovered there's a NEW best of that just came out called "The Kings of Rock 'n' Roll":
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kings-Rock-Roll-Prefab-Sprout/dp/B000WTNDOO/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1197444424&sr=8-2

I've got Steve McQueen and Jordan: the Comeback; which one should I pick up?

38 songs for £6.99? Go for it.

@ Geir: Those acoustic renditions are really quite nice, not tossed-off afterthoughts at all like a lot of acoustic re-recordings tend to be.

I've got Steve McQueen and Jordan: the Comeback; which one should I pick up?

"From Langley Park To Memphis" obv. Their most underrated album, IMO just as good as the two "classic" ones.

I bought the deluxe edition without having heard the album before and I have to say I like the acoustic versions better.

THE SWEET SEPTEMBER RAIN

I picked up the 38 Carat Collection used. One of my best bargain finds. Makes me want to check some later stuff I've overlooked.

I've just recently realized how amazing this band is. Was always aware of them, but now it's all I want to listen to. What else should I check out along these lines? Bear in mind I don't mind 80s production but can't handle Scritti Politti or anything that makes Prefab Sprout sound like Chrome in comparison. In other words, less or AS wimpy as Prefab Sprout, but no wimpier.

Scritti Politti! Dude, come on. PS themselves'd say Steely Dan, if they were feeling cocky. Occasional bits of Orange Juice, Pet Shop Boys, Smiths, but noone I can think of right now was all that much like them

I've been meaning to get into Orange Juice for years...I only know a few stray tracks and Edwyn Collins solo stuff!

Couldn't go far wrong with the first two Thomas Dolby albums. There's plenty of others who treaded the fairlight ridden path of sensitive singer songwriter in the 80's but few as good as them.

If I was being mischievous I'd suggest Momus as a more rococo alternative, but fear of being struck down by lightning prevents me.

Aztec Camera's first LP fits nicely alongside Prefab Sprout...Go-Betweens up to/including 16 Lovers Lane...

DEACON BLUE

THE SCOTTISH PREFAB SPROUT

I hope you're jesting.

Aztec and Go-Betweens're excellent suggestions. Maybe Blue Nile too, "Hats" is perfect, similar vibe to slow PS

Y'know what a few Prince songs're pretty close too actually, things off Parade and Sign O the Times, round that

well, Deacon Blue do sound more like Prefab Sprout, and perhaps vice versa, than any other band I can think of.

I concur with the Go-Betweens suggestion. I'd also recommend Microdisney as Prefab Sprout-type fodder - similar mixture of sophiscated melodies and enjoyably glutinous 80s production, except with Pol Pot on vocals. Their Best Of "Big Sleeping House" is a good introduction.

The latest Pearlfishers album Up With The Larks (on Marina) is a dead-on and thoroughly enjoyable Prefab Sprout homage. "Womack and Womack" does the best job of combining bouncy white soul and world-weary lyrics.

^^^been meaning to check them out...there's also a band called le Concorde or something like that who are supposed to recall vintage Prefab Sprout (I've never heard them), and there's Cane 141 (who are mostly downtempo electronica now, but have done very Prefab-ish stuff in the past)...

david scott from the Pearlfishers is an extreme brian wilson obsessive but i was about to suggest him as well as he's a genius and everything he's done since 1995 has been amazing. he's also been making great bmx bandits records the last couple of years.
i always say the judybats were a poor man's american version of prefab sprout, especially on the first two records, they don't have any of that studio sheen but the same odd sense of drama and poetry of everyday life.

As far as travelling in similar orbits, Halloween, Alaska could list both the Blue Nile and Prefab Sprout as influences, both in delivery and music. Stars' _Nightsongs_ is another RIYL.

The first two Dolby albums OTM, as well as some of his later stuff ("Budapest by Blimp" has keys that sound right out of "Desire As").

But really there's no band that combines all the Prefab elements in quite the same way: witty lyrics, heartfelt delivery by Paddy & Wendy, hook-filled tunes, lofty themes, etc.

Anyone heard this? Pretty weak.

Heh, I dig it. The spare arrangement draws attention to the words, with the piano adding gravity.

Being an Editors fan, though, I like his voice. Would love to hear "Til the Cows Come Home" or "I Remember That" done in a similar fashion.

Fred Falke's dj 'mini mix' for annie mac's show (about 20 songs in 5 minutes) suddenly featured that "bap bap bah! shadoo-dad-dooda bap bap bah!" vocal riff from CARS AND GIRLS in the middle. i don't know who i was more impressed with Falke or Prefab Sprout but it brought a huge smile to the old face.

OMG, I hope this true...

http://www.mojo4music.com/blog/2008/09/prefab_sprout_in_new_album_sho_1.html

ADMIRERS OF PREFAB SPROUT and their singer/ songwriter Paddy McAloon - a soulful romantic with the emotional range of Bacharach and the melodic precision of Steely Dan - are by necessity a patient bunch. They have, after all, only heard two new albums since 1990, excepting Paddy’s superlative, mostly instrumental 2003 set I Trawl The Megahertz.

But that wait for new music will soon be at an end, as MOJO can joyfully report that Paddy and his bass-playing brother Martin have been back in the studio to record the long-awaited follow-up to 2001’s The Gunman And Other Stories. Tentatively entitled Let's Change the World With Music - The Blueprint, it will include the songs Let There Be Music, God Watch Over You and The Last Of The Great Romantics, and a source tells MOJO that they are “some of the best songs Paddy has written!” The band are aiming at a February 2009 release.

Ian Harrison

Shame about the title, but if this is true then fab. Judging from the songs listed, this is like Gunman in being drawn from his last decade or so of songs. God Watch Over You was sung by some Australian woman ages ago. It's a splendid song, despite lyrical sappiness - but that's kind of a given with later McAloon.

NB: track 8.

1. Let There Be Music
2. God Watch Over You
3. The Last Of The Great Romantics
4. Let's Change The World With Music
5. Angel of Love
6. Earth: The Story So Far
7. Falling In Love
8. I Love Music
9. Meet The New Mozart
10. Music Is a Princess
11. Ride Home To Jesus
12. Sweet Gospel Music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Dq_v5kZeEM

An exclusive chance to hear 'Let There Be Music,' the opening track from Prefab Sprout's new album, 'Let's Change The World With Music,' due to be released 07/09/09. Brought to you by www.prefabsprout.net

I kinda like it.

Also, I don't know what I ever expected Paddy would look like in 2009, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't that.

still love his voice...

eMusic has two versions of what look like the same Prefab Sprout album: Two Wheels Good and Steve McQueen. Struggling to decide if the bonus disc on Steve McQueen makes that the better of the two discs (FWIW, judging from the soundscans, the sound quality/production are better on Steve McQueen).

the bonus disc is just the solo acoustic versions that paddy did years and years later right? i personally found them to be of no interest.

They're the same album, except it was called Two Wheels Good in the US. Since Steve McQueen was more popular in the UK in its time, it's since been remastered and expanded.

So LCTWWM is out. Anyone given it a proper listen?

err how come I missed this? Please somebody tell me whether I can listen to this... without being wholly and mortifyingly disappointed.

am so looking forward to this...