Back in the 80's before the word 'indie pop' made any sense, there was an English band that actually possessed all the qualities of that very genre. Oddly named Prefab Sprout fronted by Paddy McAloon produced a couple of clever, elegant and delightfully awkward pop albums in the middle of that period.Probably the best of them, ´85's 'Steve McQueen', has just been released in a remastered edition including a bonus cd of new acoustic versions of the songs.
Like most indie music this album didn't create a lot of havoc on the charts but the critics drowned it in superlatives. This is no surprise as these very slick songs, effectively manage to cover all sorts of influences, from 1940's cabaret style to bossanova, and doing it without ever loosing sight of McAloon's masterful melodies.
What strikes me most is how well this music has stood the test of time. Here is some opportunities to judge for yourself.
Video:
Goodbye Lucille (Johnny Johnny)
MP3's:
Prefab Sprout - Desire As
Prefab Sprout - Appetite (acoustic version)
2 comments:
Nice to see one of my favorite albums get a bit of recognition.
Swoon and Jordan: The Comeback are other great albums from Prefab Sprout. Paddy Mcaloon is too often overlooked as a great songwriter.
Ouch, it is so strange to feel all sorts of memories brutally bursting in my mind as I listen to Desire. This album is so beautiful. I am deep into melancholy now!
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