Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Fun
Average, but good
really surprised by this one. i expected it to be a 2 at best but i enjoyed it. fun, dreamy production, and i like the lead singer. it's almost like a stereotype of what 80s music sounds like (in a good way). it didn't blow me away but it's good, easy listening fave track: when love breaks down
Initila thoughts, it's rather generic for it's genre at this point in the journey already. Probably an unfair criticism, considering that I am trying to remain objective throughout. Some tracks do sound gorgeous though, with their combinations of piano, guitar and vocals. Stand out tracks for me were: "Bonny", "Hallejuah", "Moving the River" and "Desire As". Overall, it's a pretty standard affair as far as my experience with music goes: real instruments and vocals, with some tracks that make my ears prick up more than others. Simply a nice a experience and nothing more.
Esta chachi, tiene rollito tranquilo de ir coche pero no es nada especial ni diferente.
Not as bad as the band name, which is the worst in history. But I still didn't really like it. Gonna be generous
Not terrible, but way better BRITISH bands from this era.
This was okay
Decent enough. I thought one song was pretty good.
Not a bad album, some fair songs on it
Et rimelig jævnt album men meget bedre end jeg forventede fra et synthband jeg aldrig havde hørt om før
I really struggle to rate this one. At times I really enjoyed it, and at times I thought I was listening to a completely different artist. More interesting than your average 80s pop album for sure.
It seems like I should like this more than I do, given my proclivities, but to me it comes across as a cheap ABC
Ultra slick sophisti-pop some good songs, but not enough
Kind of weird. The guy's voice reminds me a bit of Harry Connick Jr which is nice. Overall kind of fun and 80s feeling.
really good album
Good
Decent but unremarkable new wave
Good.
Fin lyssning. Kallades "pop" av Apple Music och det var väl pop när det kom. Liiite weird ändå, jag gillade det.
Cornball but sounds good
Mildly interesting, this one reminds me a lot of the Elvis Costello albums I've gotten throughout this list.
not bad, some nice songs
A lovely album. As Mr Preest has correctly pointed out, When Love Breaks Down is a stone cold classic
“When Love Breaks Down” worth three stars on it’s own…⭐️⭐️⭐️
This wasn't as shitty as I thought it was going to be. But it starts off at the top and goes downhill from there. The first song "Faron Young" gave me hope...the rest just kind of meanders and isn't attention getting as that song. Giving this a three. It's solid 80s pop...glad I listened to it, didn't hate it, but also wouldn't return to it.
It's fine pop music. Nothing really stands out but it wasn't painful to listen to.
Another man. Sigh. I did enjoy a bunch of the acoustic songs in the middle of the second album.
Una piacevole scoperta. Vorrei quasi dargli 4*, ma stamattina non ho voglia di esagerare
***an ok album, easy listening
Eh, its not terrible or offensive to listen to, but its not that great. Feels like a less dramatic and depressed Smiths. I wouldn't say there were entire songs that I enjoyed, more just specific sections. Wouldn't mind this as background music, but I wouldn't seek this one out again.
Another perfectly fine and forgettable brit-pop album.
That was pretty boring. Not distracting as background music, but otherwise insignificant and uninteresting. 3/5
Ok. Nothing special to see here—move along. ★★★
I quite enjoyed this in various places. It wasn't the shitshow I was somewhat expecting. Musically all the songs were melodic and well constructed. Instrumentation was pretty good, even the vocals weren't decent. It's just not really in the wheelhouse of music I lean towards.
Cool music
Blind album and artist. Typical soft 80s that I generally don't listen to but this was was very middle of the road with the vocal tonality and instrumentation.
I wasn't sure what to expect with this album. Never heard of Prefab Sprout and a lot of the never-heard-of-you English bands on this list haven't been great. That said, the Rattlesnakes album by Lloyd Cole & The Commotions from the 80s was great, so I had some hope coming into this one. This record didn't hit me like that one, though there were a few definite highlights on it. The opening track is decent, not amazing. Bonny started much the same, but then a little over a minute in, it kicked in a different direction that I really loved. This, to me, was the best song on the album. That was followed by Appetite which was also excellent, though not quite as good as Bonnie to me. The rest of this wasn't as good, so it was a bit of a let down after the first three tracks set up for a very good listen. All in all, though, it was worth the trip and I got a few new tracks for my own library.
This is an album in a bit of tension for me. Something about the super polished compressed 80s production always turns me off a bit, but there are some damned solid grooves in here coupled with solid writing. Maybe not something I would actively seek, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't vibing through the mid-section of this album. Hallelujah and Moving the River are two of my favorites so far. Appetite is also a jam -- love the vocal layering and glimmeriness of it. Also enjoy Desire As. Falls around a high 3 for me
Bonny was a standout. Everything else was another straight shooting 3 for me.
Oh good! More britpop. The beginning was better than the second half. I liked the energy. Also Goodbye Lucille it's gazoline
It was 80’s pop music, not the best, but not the worst.
Start to blur together
If this had kept the energy and songwriting of the first three songs this would’ve been solid. It did not. Ngl slept through a couple songs cuz the album drags quite a bit. Also British.
Pretty cool. Very 80s British, but one of those bands I would have never checked due to the name. Nice.
This was alright
aight
I really loved the intro track, with its vague 1950s nostalgia filtered through many viscous layers of reverb, synth, and post-modern composition. The album largely failed to excite me after that, and I found some tracks to be grating (see "Moving the River"). But after a second listen, I was inspired enough to increase my rating to 3 stars. I'm curious what future listens might offer.
Quite fun. Nice balance indy with keyboard of the early 80s
This album starts off well, up until around the 6th song when it really loses its way. The rest is forgettable, but it gets a 2.5/5 given the strong first half, especially Bonny and When Love Breaks Down.
At the end of the day it’s really just another 80s pop band. Did they do some interesting things that you don’t hear in every 80s rock album, yeah, is it enough for me to say that this isn’t just following the template of the decade, no. I enjoyed it, didn’t love it enough to call it anything other than average.
Had totally forgotten.about them. Very maticulasly crafted, catchy tunes. They sound silly sometimes, but the lyrics are genius.
Фоном прослушалось легко, местами приятно. 3.
3 stars
Overstaying its welcome: The album. It starts fine enough, but could easily do without three or four songs less.
I recognized the band name but couldn’t remember any of their songs. The first 1/3 of the album was good and to really good but then it sort of faded to unremarkable songs after that that I don’t ever need to hear again. The standouts are the first track “Faron” and "When Love Breaks Down“
A handful of good songs, not really a good album.
This was fine. Nothing super exciting or repulsive. 3/5
52. not bad
6/10… sophisty pop / new wave / *1985
Really really decent, on the cusp of a 4, but likely a high 3 Breezy, vibey, easy
Temp
Finr
Meh. It was ok.
Okay.
quite good and quite fun!
I feel this has no hits nothing massive standing out but was very well made and enjoyable the whole way through it. This makes it hard to review for me and is really a 3.5 star album.
Never heard of the them. Not bad, not great.
3 maybe 4 stars. Had seen the name before but never listened to anything by the band. What a wonderful treat. First half is very strong and the second half has some decent tracks. This is why this list is so fun at times. Discovering gems like this is exactly what I was hoping for. First listen, Faron Young, Bonny, Appetite, and Desire As stood out. Will listen again later this week.
Album 1025 of 1089 Steve McQueen - Prefab Sprout (1985) Rating : 3.5 / 5 This turned out to be a fine, enjoyable listen. Nothing here made me stop in my tracks or wonder what I’d been missing all these years, but that’s not really a knock against it. The album feels well put together from start to finish. The songwriting is solid, the performances are confident, and everything sounds like it’s exactly where it should be. There’s a sense that the band knows who they are and what they want to do, and they do it without overreaching or trying to force big moments. Overall, it’s an entertaining album that goes down easy. It didn’t demand my full attention, but it held it well enough, and that counts for something. Not one I’ll rush back to, but certainly one I don’t regret spending time with.
It is not bad by any means. Unfortunately not one of the albums that I had to listen either.
Better than I anticipated. Creative. Bad drum sounds.
much love to the prefab sprout fans in my life but they just don't do anything for me
Achei bem genérico.
Has some good moments,especially lyrically, and has some charm and jazzy flourishes, but way too 80s smooth for me to wanna to listen to much beyond this.
Well this was... okay? 'bonny' was really nice, and 'when love breaks down' but overall nothing too inspiring here. Nice 1980s pop and an overall 3? I guess?
Fine for what it is. Nothing special but didn't annoy. No idea why this made the 1001 because it was just average. 3 stars.
I like some Prefab Sprout. The are better than a lot of other 80s pop. Pleasant. No low points, but nothing particular high either. 3.5 rounded down Heard before? Some Owned: No: 43/173(24%) Will I get. No
Very 80s. Enjoyable enough but not world changing.
Decent sophistipop album
Fine
Hope you have a good Appetite for this one.
A bit too disco for me. Some class tunes but not blown away by the album really
An love note from a British indie-pop band that obviously has a love of Americana. It occasionally starts to veer into 'none more eighties' production but melodies are catchy generally, but there is a danger of blandness coming through. Best Tracks: Bonny; Appetite; When Love Breaks Down;
• A lot of these songs sound like something I’d hear a local band play. It’s interesting how modern this album still sounds. • I liked how the stabs in Horsin’ Around change at the end of the verses from a samba-esque beat to being very delayed. The shift that comes when the bass starts walking is really cool too. This song went in so many different directions, I really liked how it came together at the end. • The synth in Desire As reminds me a lot of We’re Finally Landing by Home (used in Summoning Salt videos) • When The Angels is a fun upbeat song to end the album on after a couple of slower tracks • The two bonus tracks are nice to have, they both fit with the album well and don’t stick out as being any worse than the rest of the songs Favourite song: Horsin’ Around
Need to listen again.
I find myself weirdly charmed by the lyrics on this album. Sonically, there aren't really any stand out tracks, but the album as a whole is solid. Three stars. (Favorite track: Bonny.)
Album #1,006 A more classy and sophisticated sounding Britpop band. The music was decent, but not mind blowing.
How do I say this kindly? It's inoffensive. I don't love it, but I don't hate it. They have a nice sound but it's a little white bread to me.
I had hope for this one, the beginning of Goodbye Lucille is absolutely beautiful but after that it became basic Brit Rock again.
Some songs were banger, the rest were sadly white paint
Had no idea what to expect from this ones. Pretty much liked it, definitely worth listening to a couple of times for some of the songs to hit. Version I listened to also had the acoustic versions at the end. I'm not including them in my rating but they were quite good.
Greit nok, litt døvt kanskje
woah
great album
Nothing great. Mediocre.
I have no feelings about this whatsoever. It wasn't bad. I will never think of it ever again
I think halfway through I thought, “This sorta sounds like The Cure, but lacking a more interesting genre/point of view.” It’s fine listening but a lot of these indie-ish britpop bands blend together.
I felt mixed things listening to this album. The voice is good - it gets unhinged. He’s no lightening. Ka chow
This was an interesting album. Pop, yes, but still strange and enticing. Several songs had me dancing, but as a whole it didn’t super click with me. There may come a day that I’ll put this back on, but I couldn’t say when.
Een soort softrock album van de jaren 80? Het is best nice, de zanger klinkt goed, soms lekker overdreven 80s maar alles bij elkaar vind ik dit niet heel vervelend. Wel heel erg het idee dat dit prima in de Zara gedraaid zou kunnen worden ofzo, het is vrij tandenloos. Niet helemaal eerlijk natuurlijk gezien de tijdsgeest, maar ik ben benieuwd of dit nu het spannendste was dat destijds uitkwam. Prima album, maar dit was nou niet echt een hoogtepunt van de Britse popmuziek als je het mij vraagt. Wel geinig dat er een pop album op staat, ik heb me zeker niet geirriteerd maar dit is niet meer dan 3 sterren waard. Als je dit aanzet zal er nooit iemand klagen, maar er is ook niemand die je vraagt welke artiest dit is. FAVO: Bonny, Goodbye Lucille #1
Perfectly fine!
Listenable music. I didnt hate anything but didnt love anything either. Soft alt rock?
Good English 80s popular rock.
Not my favorite type of music but they are talented. Very 80’s vibe.
I like this 😎🆒
Got really excited with the chug a chug locomotive rock n roll opening number, but it turns out to be the only one. Really nice album, but nice isn't a great word for an album. Feels like the kind you fall in love with over a special summer or after a breakup maybe, the Brit critics seem to adore it, but for me not falling into any of those categories it just doesn't seem to hit hard or go far enough.
This was a pretty chill album with some nice vocals. I found it to be a nice background album 7/10
Some interesting moments on here, but overall was a delight to listen to. Some of the acoustic versions were nice too, but I think the electronic elements and other instruments added a lot that you sometimes lost in the acoustic side. 6.5/10
Decent, varied, but not really one for me. 2.5
Enjoyed this listen. I like their voices. Great backing vocals. Also really like the interesting lyrics, arrangements and composition of the songs and the production. Enjoyed the song Bonny and the guitar tone used. Never even heard of this group of musicians.
I quite enjoyed this. I like his voice and his vibe.
It started off decent enough but I found this a bit generic over the course of a very long album. Pop rock?
This was fun an a lil all over the place - first song suggested to me that it was going to be an alt country vibe but it swung all the way to a full pop record. Pretty fun.
B grade New Romantics music. At times sounds like solo album Sting. Not sure if it’s essential to hear before you die. Was going to give 2 stars but I like some of the jazzy chords so 3 stars it is.
Two in a row that I had never heard, at least I'm expanding my horizons. This one is a pretty solid 80s brit pop album. I'm struggling to find what makes it unique, different, or special enough to be on the list. It's a good album, but I do think it might be a little too middle of the road for me. I don't really know how else to describe it. 3/5
I don't really know what to think of this album. It is definitely not an easy listen. On one hand there is not a lot going on, on the other it is very complicated. It tries really hard to be one thing, but is not really anything at all to me. A very mystifying album. I thought it was good, but somehow not very enjoyable. A real odd ball and therefore tough to judge. Let's be safe and put it slap bang in the middle. 3/5
Instrumentals are great but lyrics are lacking.
Pedestrian
Of its time
Lightning McQueen plays new wave.
I enjoyed this a decent amount. Pretty 80s music for sure. When Love Breaks Down and Desire As were highlights.
For a minute there on the first track, this band sounds influenced by The Smiths. There's still a touch of that influence on later tracks, but the majority is glossy 80s pop. The lead singer has a great voice. It's smooth enough for pop but with enough edge to take it into rock territory if he wants. As the album went on, I heard more Elvis Costello in the sound. And it almost has some of the complex jazz-rock arrangements you might hear on a Steely Dan album. I'm seeing the term "sophisti-pop" on the Wikipedia page, and I think that sums up the style well. Nice music with more cool details and interesting choices than your average pop album.
My first time hearing this record and I really like it. The instrumentation is fun and you never really know what to expect while it all unfolds and still maintains a consistency. There's banjo rolls, great contrasting soft backing vocals, synths, and very cool guitar parts that go from nylon guitar delicateness to hard rock electrics. It's all very eclectic and thankfully it's not just the instrumentation that's nice, the actual compositions are solid. The one negative I have is that I kind of feel like this album is missing one or two big memorable tracks. There's a lot of really strong moments throughout but I don't leave the album with a single hook repeating in my head. I did really enjoy a lot of the middle tracks, "When Love Breaks Down", "Goodbye Lucille #1", and "Hallelujah". "Hallelujah" is really great and proggy in a way. I'm giving this a 3/5 but I think there's a lot to like. If I listened to it a few more times I think it would easily be a 4. Really cool record.
This is an album with a very 80s sound. I quite liked it but probably wouldn't listen again
A decent record that contains some surprisingly pleasant sounds. A decent 3/5
Unadulterated pure crystallized 80s mid.
faron young- 5 bonny- 5 appetite- 5 when love breaks down- 5 goodbye lucille- 5 hallelujah- 5 moving the river- 5 horsin around- 5 desire as- 5 blueberry pies- 5 when the angels- 5
new wave album that ain't bad nor is it that particularly special. the voice are pretty good :)
As a fan of new wave, the vocals and melody are not particularly special. There are so many better choices of British new wave than this. For instance, Go West and Johnny Hates Jazz. However, the songwriting, whilst a bit peculiar, is quite imaginative and creative, which is why I think the list makers added this album. I am quite fond of the drumming, though simplistic and not experimental, it is just so clear and really brings the album together.
Missed opportunity at the end of Horsin' Around: instead of Paddy McAloon shouting "HUH!", the album's producer Thomas Dolby should have yelled "SCIENCE!" I liked Bonny and Appetite best. Didn't care for the general cheesy jazz lite vibe overall.
Had some moments.
noooooo! started so gud, total ride album, but the longer you listen, the more shit romantic ballads u hear. nooo! BIG MINUS FOR IT -_-
Some flashes of brilliance, but mostly generic 80s new wave stuff. You’ve heard it all before.
Like it 3/5
A surprisingly cool album. Seems they were much bigger in the UK than the US and the whole almost lack of backstory of the album title is hilarious as well.
This was a very solid Pleasant album. I enjoyed it if I run across it again I’ll listen, but I won’t go looking for it.
This was an unexpected surprise. I've never heard of Prefab Sprouts but I rather enjoyed this. You could have told me this was a Squeeze album and I would have believed you.
It was perfectly enjoyable I’ll probably forget about it in a few days
Well... if anyone wonders how the typical 80s album sounded, we can refer them to this album. Not that it's bad; it was a nice enough listen. But I don't get why it has been included on the list, because I fail to find anything exceptional about it. Oh, well ... 3/5
# Album Name: Steve McQueen # Artist: Prefab Sprout # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Honestly, a very bland pop album based on a first listen. No big hitters. Just a steady stream of those farts where you arent sure if its a real one, or if you are going to shit yourself. A steady eddy low 3 for me. A didnt hate it, but definitely didnt stick to it # Top Tunes: No idea # Would I listen to it again? No
I’d give it like a 3.5 with the .5 bump being because I really like 80s music for some reason.
Un disc avorridíssim, però perfecta per acompanyar sense que entorpeixi la teva atenció. La cançó estrella When love breaks down és una cosa sosa sosa sosa. Bonny és interessant, Appettite i Goodbye Lucille també està bé. Però crec que és un àlbum per un públic molt més anglosaxó. Edit: va millorant, però només per les cançons que dic i potser alguna més.
Light rock. Ok songs, not very memorable
It's alright. Highly listenable but not my fave.
Another enjoyable British pop album, felt like a calmer version of Squeeze. Lots of stupid/catchy lyrics through the album, I thought I was the only one to call him Georgie Gershwin
It's fine. Slightly above average. Probably wouldn't return to it. 3
It's like if the lamest Squeeze songs (Tempted, Pulling Mussels From A Shell, etc.) mixed with vintage hold music and a touch of the Soft Boys. I actually don't hate it at all, but I will probably never listen to it again.
Overall, not too bad of an album, but just feels a bit meh overall. I also understand that this may have been pretty nice and chill to listen to back in 1985, if you weren't into too intense things.
Interesting.
It's ok. Being a huge fan of the 80's and it's genres, it was refreshing to hear, especially since I had never heard of them. But after that, not really my style. It is a good album, probably better than my rating, but it did not move me in any way. Will listen to them again, for sure, but not this album. And then again, maybe I will. But do not want to right now. Again: ok.
Pretty good
¿Quieres un disco de pop melódico que suene a 1982? Que huela a tabaco de bar y a comida gratis en los aviones. Pues lo acabas de encontrar. Aburridisimo.
🗯 One of those albums that slips in quietly and suddenly feels like it’s been with you forever. I’d never heard this one before, but it hit me at exactly the right time. Steve McQueen (titled Two Wheels Good in the US because… lawyers) is a beautifully understated record — that sweet spot between indie pop and adult sophistication. Paddy McAloon’s songwriting is sharp and literate, but it’s delivered with such warmth you almost don’t notice how clever it is until the second listen. Produced by Thomas Dolby, it’s drenched in soft synths, rich guitar tones, and a kind of gentle melancholy that never tips into gloom. Songs like When Love Breaks Down and Appetite shimmer with that perfect ‘80s balance of polish and emotion — accessible, but far from disposable. It’s the sort of record that sneaks under your skin rather than smacks you over the head — quietly brilliant, quietly timeless. Verdict: Excellent (the thinking person’s pop album, perfectly balanced) For fans of: Aztec Camera, The Blue Nile, The Smiths, rainy windows and quiet 🎵 Album #94 / Prefab Sprout – Steve McQueen (1985) 🗯 One of those albums that slips in quietly and suddenly feels like it’s been with you forever. I’d never heard this one before, but it hit me at exactly the right time. Steve McQueen (titled Two Wheels Good in the US because… lawyers) is a beautifully understated record — that sweet spot between indie pop and adult sophistication. Paddy McAloon’s songwriting is sharp and literate, but it’s delivered with such warmth you almost don’t notice how clever it is until the second listen. Produced by Thomas Dolby, it’s drenched in soft synths, rich guitar tones, and a kind of gentle melancholy that never tips into gloom. Songs like When Love Breaks Down and Appetite shimmer with that perfect ‘80s balance of polish and emotion — accessible, but far from disposable. It’s the sort of record that sneaks under your skin rather than smacks you over the head — quietly brilliant, quietly timeless. Verdict: Excellent (the thinking person’s pop album, perfectly balanced) For fans of: Aztec Camera, The Blue Nile, The Smiths, rainy windows and quiet revelations.
Pretty standard 80s fair, some interesting mix of genres in the music, the first track had me expecting something far more interesting and exciting but was fairly boring after that
Really good sound
Kind of surprised by how much I enjoyed this because I really wasn't expecting much. The first few songs are really fantastic, but it drops off a bit after "Goodbye Lucille #1" and never really picks up again after that. Not saying the album is bad by any means, but this is one of many with a strong start that really plateaus about halfway through. I'm also a little surprised this is more well received than Scritti Politti because they gave me similar vibes, yet that is one of the lowest rated albums on this site. Go figure.
Nah. Boring.
An okay new wave album. I don't think it has anything too interesting or noteworthy on it, but it isn't horrible. The vocals were ok if typical for new wave, and the same can be said for the instrumentals.
Enjoyed it more than expected but still wasn’t anything I’d really mess around with again
Very 80s, but not in a bad way. I liked some of the lyrics and the singer's voice.
A decent enough 80s album. Not my fav genre but pleasant enough listen
Kinda liked it ngl
Appetit holder idag, resten er ikke ældet med ynde, og lyder som alt andet fra 80erne.
I typically love new wave brit pop so maybe it was really my high hopes that let me down, but this album was borderline ok at best.
Nice. Pretty good.
Heard the band name but never heard their music until now. Good album.
The last few albums have been lackluster so when I saw '80s UK pop. I was not thrilled. I wouldn't say the album surprised me but it was not bad. Catchy and boppy all the way through. 3.2 outta 5
This is fine. The instrumentation choices make this feel a bit fresh. But otherwise it’s a very forgettable album.
A really pretty okay album. Totally reasonable. I'm not a big pop music fan. I can do 80s sometimes but it needs to be great. These songs are pretty well put together in fairness and there are plenty of enjoyable moments. I did find myself bopping on occasion. But the hooks didn't quite hit the spot in the sort of way that demands another listen. Favourite track - Goodbye Lucille #1. 7/10
Enjoyable!
Not bad for running errands on a Sunday. 2.5 stars would have been better but 2 felt too harsh.
I'm not sure I ever heard these guys before and then after listening to the album a couple times I actually heard them on the radio - on a show that does some deep cuts even though they might think they're normal cuts. It was When Love Breaks Down, which seems to be their most popular song. It's okay, much like the rest of this album. Very 80's soft rock / pop - like George Michael mixed with I'm not quite sure. Simply Red? It's not quite blue eyed soul because there's more synth - if I understand that genre correctly - but the vocals have a bit of soul feel to them. I guess I didn't hate the album but I don't get why it's on the 1,001 list. Best songs were Faron Young, Bronny, and Goodbye Lucille #1.
Not bad actually, a bit surprising this one!
There was a rather pleasant listen. The use of synths really complement the themes at play here. It's lowkey, it's nice, and agreeable. You could argue that it's boring but they ride that line very nicely imo. Nothing crazy but it was still nice to listen. Top 5: Faron Young, Bonny, Appetite, When Love Breaks Down, and When the Angels no bad songs probably some mid if dig deep, kinda felt okish 3.25-3.50/5
As others have said, this sounded like it would be similar to The Smiths. Unfortunately, that ended with the first song then became classic 80s pop rock. It’s not a bad album, just not great.
Relatively middling late 80s BritPop. A few standout moments in the bass, some fun vocal melodies, the usual combination of bubblegum and pathos without veering into DarkWave. I enjoyed.
Steve McQueen – Prefab Sprout (1985) | Pop / New Wave | Avg: 6.55 | Favorite Song: “Bonny” Steve McQueen has a distinct charm: clean, intricate production, clever lyrics, and a softness that’s easy to sink into. “Bonny” stood out as the highlight for me. It’s understated but emotionally sharp, and it captures the kind of fragile optimism the album flirts with throughout. The first half in general hits a strong stride; the arrangements are thoughtful, the melodies memorable, and it walks that sophisti-pop line without ever tipping into blandness. Where it lost me a bit was in the back half. A few tracks felt underdeveloped or too restrained to leave much of a mark. There’s a fine line between subtle and forgettable, and this album occasionally slips into the latter. Still, the polish and songwriting quality are undeniable. It’s a record that knows exactly what it wants to be, even if it doesn’t always hold my attention all the way through. A solid listen, with real high points worth revisiting at some point.
Buen sonido, pero no han trascendido
Nice to listen to, but not something I would add to my playlist. Maybe worth re listening once in a while
Was thinking 4, but then the songs kept getting worse.
I'm not sure I've much of or perhaps anything by Prefab Sprout, so it's kind of funny to read about how much press they got from music critics for their elaborate wordsmithing and songwriting, when all I really heard was very bland love(ish) songs with surprisingly dull music elements, with "Appetite" and "When love breaks down" probably their nadir on this album (despite their multiple attempts to get the latter to stick as a re-re-released single). I wish there were more songs like "Bonny" and even "Horsin' around". It sounds like part of the credit and blame for their anodyne sound goes to Thomas Dolby's antiseptic production of the album, but that can't entirely explain the relentlessly joyless attempts to sing pop songs by a band that didn't seem to want to play pop songs.
this was okay, though I really didn't like "appetite" the album as a whole seemed fine.
Sophisti-pop. The never quite was at the time genre; the never quite asked for in retrospect noun; the never quite ever actually necessary portmanteau. It’s properly daft – as far as I can tell, all that separates this from Tears for Fears’ “Songs from the Big Chair” (‘progressive pop’ apparently) but unifies it with Style Council’s “Cafe Bleu” is … a tendency to take an extra 30 seconds or so to get to the chorus. (Maybe to some extent that’s all music genres are: a way to answer the question of how long it takes to get to the chorus.) To Prefab Sprout, who exists on the happy side of the Sophisti-pop equation: songs that would be good even without superb production, rather than songs that are good only because of their production. This album is difficult to hear outside of its legacy – I cannot in good confidence, for example, say any of its melodies are hackneyed or staid even if I sort of feel so … it’s far more likely I’ve just heard the derivatives that have been done to death – that I only feel like I hear it when I hear it through its antecedents. For example, “Hallelujah” feels a much better song for being considered as of the same breath as Magazine’s infinitely under appreciated “Parade” as it is for being the inspiration for something by Sting or Crowded House. Both equally fair perspectives, I’m sure – but let’s stay on the more exciting side of the sophisti-ph scale where we can. This is an often excellent album, crammed full of brilliant ideas and wonderful little tricks. And, quite importantly, it’s an album that never feels like it’s trying to know more than me or trick me in some way. More authenti-pop than sophisti-pop in that sense, maybe. Who knows. I’ll just remember it as “really quite good”.
Too long but ok
Rating: 6/10 Some catchy vocal melodies and decent instrumentation.
pretty interesting but i got bored
Put this on in the background as I worked on the laptop. Nice stuff if not super memorable. Lead singer has a nice voice that is very 80's Brit pop. The one standout song for me was "Bonny". It made me stop what I was doing just really listen.
This album shows up a on a lot of best lists, so I’ve tried getting into it a couple of times before. Got a little closer this time, but I’m not a full convert yet. I’ll try again in another 10 years. I really like Faron Young, though.
2.5/5 - I needed to hear this because I didn’t know sophisti-pop was a thing before today. This album starts off pretty strong, but side B is a snore. I listened to the acoustic version of this album, and that was better for me, because it’s a little more focus on the songs without the overly lavish synth production. Everything about this record is really British, including the album art. “Bonny” was probably my favorite track. Rounding up because of the really unusual lyrics that kept surprising me. “Turkey hungry, chicken free. I can breakdance on your knee.” ?!
Kann man sich gut anhören. 3,7 Sterne.
I thought it was okay, had one good song, but on the overall reminded me of a Wham cover band. Would be fine to see them to chill out in a small venue but nothing to get excited about here.
1st half could have been almost 4 stars but lyrically not quite there. Very strong enjoyable 3
I couldn’t really resonate with the breakup themes or the sound of this album. It wasn’t bad, but it also wasn’t memorable enough to stick with me.
Never heard of the band. Decent album. Some songs made me slightly move my hips, some made me think of everything but the music. Not my kind of music, but decent enough - Wont listen to it again tho
The general vibe I got from being about halfway through the album is "floating". The music and vocals are very floating and easy to listen to, there ain't no rough instruments, everything is just very clean sounding
This can be filed under ‘back in the day’! My two favourite Prefab Sprout songs are King of rock ‘n’ roll and Cars and girls. Neither of them are on this album. The first 15 minutes was pretty good - When love breaks down and Faron Young are Classics. And it was nice to remember being young.
The lyrics ‘I’m turkey hungry I’m chicken free’ from the song Moving the River are the only thing I remember from the album.
Apprezzo tanto il talento e riconosco l’innovazione, non molto il mio genere. Strumentali praticamente tutte pazzesche.
Few good tracks
McQueen has a distinct sound and smooth vocals. I liked "Bonnie" and "Appetite". Will check out their other albums.
It was ok, nothing special, not terrible.
Toujours cool de découvrir des artistes dont je n’avais même pas entendu le nom dans le passé. Dans le cas présent c’est pas mauvais, mais quand même oubliable. J’ai du l’écouter 3 fois en voiture et j’ai de la misère à me souvenir d’une chanson spécifique. Ça manque de pep, ça manque d’intensité il me semble. Ça tombe un peu à plat. Sauf Bonny, je l’ai bien aimé elle. When Love Breaks Down pas mal aussi.
*shrug*
Faron Young 3.4 Bonny 3.6 Appetite 3 When Love Breaks Down 3.3 Goodbye Lucille #1 3.3 Hallelujah 3.1 Moving the River 3 Horsin' Around 3.2 Desire As 3 Blueberry Pies 3.1 When the Angels 3.1 Score: 3.190909091
Seemed like a typical 1985 Pop album. I could sense the Dolby influence.
Sounds fine. Unremarkable. Kind of sounds like Men at Work and other 80s contemporaries.
I liked this but I didn't find it revolutionary.
I really liked parts of it, I wanted to like it but after listening a few times it just doesn’t hit for me.
Kinda fell into the background for me. Sounded much newer than it's age. Can plenty of influences over the years.
Not bad
Beetje saaie jarentachtigmuziek. Weinig valt op, veel komt het linker gehoororgaan binnen en vliegt langs het rechter gehoororgaan weer naar buiten zonder verstand of gevoel te beroeren. Alsof je in een lift staat kortom. De nummers dat ze even wat anders doen (Horsin' around) vallen nog het positiefst op.
Ik open de wiki en zie de term sophistipop staan. Daar krijg ik al gelijk de kriebels van, want dat betekent over het algemeen snobistische meuk. Met tegenzin zet ik de plaat aan. Dan valt het me enigszins mee, het is meer typische jaren 80s Britse wavey met vrij veel galm en reverb en wat punky invloeden. Althans in het eerste nummer, daarna is het wat softer allemaal. Het doet me wat denken aan ABC met Lexicon of Love, alleen was dat iets bombastischer en hadden de hitjes meer hitpotentie, wat ook is gebleken. Prefab Sprout is totaal niet bekend geworden voor zover ik weet. Ach, het is allemaal wel uit te houden. Het is dus aan de softe kant, de zanger zit tegen het zeurderige aan, maar er gebeurt muzikaal net genoeg om het interessant te houden. Ik was hier vorige week aan begonnen. Toen kon ik het niet afluisteren, omdat mijn broertje begon te klagen. Wat ik ergens wel snap, want het is een beetje zeurderige jaren 80 muziek. Nu ik het een week later afluister, kan ik het beter hebben. Ik vind het wel aardig eigenlijk. Niet genoeg voor 4 sterren, alsnog een vergeetbare 3.
Damn, his horse lost a G3 race and he got so emotional he wrote a song about it... It was fine. Soft and all, but the only song I really liked was Appetite
That was a weird mix of many groups
A bit boring but some occasional Depeche Mode vibey moments
Surprisingly good album. Never heard of the band. Pop for sure but has good relisten value.
New addition to the Happy Work Focus playlist!
Maybe somewhat ironically, this album reminded me of the period when I had my friend’s Royal Enfield on loan. It super cool at first, but pretty quickly became annoying and heavy and the same problems kept repeating themselves.
This album started off pretty strong, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Unfortunately by the 2nd half I felt like it was only becoming a bit too much of the same, at which time I kind of stopped paying attention to the album as much. 2.75 / 5
It was alright, albeit a bit unmemorable. Did I enjoy listening to it? Sure. Would I listen to it again? Probably not.
Sonne un peu comme The Smiths mais avec du synthé. Assez cool. Overall bon, mais cest pas le truc qui m’a le plus accroché
It was alright
Easy listening, in a good way.
I THINK I liked this album. It was good, but it was hard for me to place it in time. On one end it sounds like 80's pop (which it is), but also I could see it being released today by some indie band. In that way it sort of seems timeless. I didn't particularly find any standout hits that really struck me, but an album as a whole I would put on again to have playing in the background.
Sorpresivamente bueno
Cool sound, nostalgic 80’s vibe with some unique artistic choices for a britpop album. Nothing that really blew my mind, but I had no trouble listening through the whole thing. Appetite, When the Angels, Desire As, all solid tracks!
Starts great, ends great, really mushy in the middle. Faron Young and the Faron Truckin' Mix were really good; everything else was fine.
Not bad.
I think the songwriting is fairly strong, but not enough to get past the dull jazzy 80s production.
Much better bands of the time, but not a bad effort.
Not spectacular, but a nice listen.
80s youth vibes, pretty good album
Cool sound
pretty good, i enjoyed it, especially bonny and goodbye lucille #1
Correcto
Better than expected. Didn’t blow me away but surprisingly enjoyable
Pretty middle of the road for me. It was an easy listen, not super memorable, but fun.
Really creative album! Lot of musical variation which I enjoy. This album does sound a bit dated and stuck in the 80s.
not bad, just a little too sleepy for my taste but my dad probably would have liked this if he spoke english in 1985
It’s fine but I didn’t need to listen before I died
Watch The Great Escape if you haven’t. Steve McQueen has a great motorcycle scene in it
That boring English 80's percussion.
Even more British rock, thought it was fine, a lot of different sound between the songs so the album did not sound monotonous
I've known and enjoyed this record for years. Is it perfect, with every track being a smash? Absolutely not. It has its fair share of lowlights. But the "Bonny", "Appetite", "When Loves Breaks Down", "Goodby Lucille #1" 4-song run is virtually unbeatable. 3/5
I guess the production value is quintessentially 80's. Other than that it's, well, not much of an album? Grocery store music, which has its time and place, but it's not this list.
Starts really well but definitely falls off
killer cover
On the outset, this was pretty great! A few vaguely familiar tracks that Dad had possibly played too. Bonny, Appetite, and When Loves Breaks Down were all saved to my library. HOWEVER… By “Blueberry Pies” the energy and enjoyment was gone, left with plain, drab, meh-ness. Evens out to middle of the road.
Pretty good. Recognised a few tracks from Dad playing them over the years (Bonny and Appetite specifically). Nice alternative 80s sound.
2.6 Probably more parts corny than cool. The first couple songs gave me high hopes, but the it kind of blended together after that.
Dull. Not supposed to be
Dad- 8 Mom- 8 Mike- NA Lori- 2.5 Michael- 7 Miles- NA Cole- NA Avg- 6.38
Interesting mix of the genres.
Thoughts before listening: I have heard of this band, but I have no idea what they sound like. Probably British new wave and maybe part of the new romantic era (whatever that was). Review: I'm not actually sure what sub-genre this falls into, but I really like quite a bit of it. The first track "Faron Young" is one of the better discoveries I have made on this project. Just a great, catchy song with country influences but still very much an 80s new wave song...maybe a Violent Femmes vibe? The rest of the album doesn't quite live up to the promise of this song, with the sound often becoming a little too soft rock for my tastes, but it's overall an enjoyable listen. 3-stars
I think of myself as fairly well versed in 80s music, but I had never even heard of Prefab Sprout before this. Sounds like they were much more popular in the UK. They strike me as very similar to much more popular options that either are, or should be, included on the list. That said, I enjoyed listening and it took me down a very 80s synth pop road. Favorite songs: Bonny, When Loves Break Down. 3.5⭐️
It’s ok but not my type of music
This is a pretty solid album. I like how it's produced in that all of the instruments sound crisp and clean (except the cheesy 80s keyboards!). Paddy's voice is so smooth. Liked Songs Added: Appetite When Love Breaks Down
Easy to listen to. No real bad parts to this album, but no particular standouts either. ⭐⭐⭐
Very light and airy. Pretty fun record from an artist I had never heard of before. It's really easy on the ears - the music and vocals. Corny at points, but not too bad overall.
Decent, but you start to get bored real quick from the meandering tracks. Ultimately inoffensive.
Nothing special or offensive of note here. Very ok. As otherd have noted in these reviews, the first song is the best of the bunch, but only marginally.
This album takes some twists and turns creatively and if you can find it within yourself to think of the 80s as a medium rather than a genre or a style, you may be rewarded.
Random thoughts: * I'm not really sure what this music is. 80s pop, jazz, soft rock, something else. It was definitely not what I expected. * I liked this music overall. The lyrics were quite weird: "Horsin' Around" and "Blueberry Pies". What? * I definitely want to listen to this one again. I just can't quite figure out what it is.
So... OK. Turns out I knew about the Prefab Sprouts from back in the day. I thought they were OK to good, but honestly I never heard a whole album or anything. I looked forward to a full on album listen and was... I was kinda let down TBH. I felt like the album was the musical equivalent to a movie that is visually OK and acted OK but where the story just isn't that interesting. In other words, I found a whole album Prefab Sprout experience to be kinda boring in a way. One other remark would be more neutral but of interest: It does not age badly by any stretch but somehow you feel the age in it. I don't know why. It did nothing to hurt the album, just a weird sort of thing I noticed. They are not the only band by far and away that has this oddity. Nevertheless, at the end of the day I was left in a kind of unwanted MEH state.
This was a weird album by a band I've never heard of but it wasn't bad, pretty middle of the road!
i think this is one of those records that is still incredibly consistent, but the structure of the thing is what holds it back. the B-Side is still good, of course. i've come around on "Horsin' Around", and "Desire As" is as good as any song on the flipside, but by virtue of having that flipside present with all its gold undistributed across the record, it makes the latter half look like a slog, a comedown after 5-6 consecutive highs. "Goodbye Lucille #1" is basically a perfect closer and they just... don't go for it. what an A-Side, though -- delicate but flashy synth flourishes, the right twinkle of guitars, and those wonderful sardonic lyrics that Paddy's such a master at writing. sometimes, if i lose the mood quickly enough, i'll put on a record and then not flip it over and choose to do something else. if i ever lose the mood for Steve McQueen, i'll still feel something.
Fine.
Honestly didn’t stick with me well enough to give a detailed review.
Another unknown band. nice vocal. Good tunes. Overall good album.
Meh 2.8
Reminds me of the smiths who came a year before but they don’t have Johnny Mars guitar to keep you around
I really liked Appetite (the acoustic version was particularly great) and When Love Breaks Down. The acoustic stuff was definitely what shone through on this album although I don’t think that was on the original release. The album overall was fine. It’s better than middle of the road but not a 4 so a 3 it is.
Gonna be honest, I audibly groaned at seeing it was a sophisti-pop album. Feel like I've gotten one or two of those before and didn't like them. That said, pretty solid album. Think the first half is stronger than the second half. Appetite is great. Even when its trading in a lot of 80's sounds and production styles that I normally would dislike, it doesn't come off as unbearable to listen. And compared to other sophisti-pop records I've listened to, it's very consistent in sound and style throughout. That said, it sounds like a lot of music that I do dislike, it just happens to be the best version of that music I've heard, so while it's still not really my thing, I can appreciate that it is good.
I wish half stars were an option on the rating style because this one feels like a strong 7. A lot of fun songs on the tracklist made this one a breeze to listen to this morning. Favorite Songs: Faron Young / Moving the River
Enjoyable but musically unremarkable. If I'm being frank, I didn't give this one my full attention, but even then, I was happy with the lyrical writing. However, it is the music, which didn't require much concentration, that leaves me unimpressed. It feels like paper-thin jazz fusion that could have benefited from commitment to its component genres. At no point was there a rhythm that got me moving or a melody that had me swooning, but I'm willing to chock this one up to taste. 6.75/10 Favorite Song: Hallelujah
I'd never heard of Prefab Sprout before this, and it took me a couple listens to figure out how I felt about this one. I think I dig it; there are little moments in the songs that I quite love, but it doesn't ever quite come together perfectly into any song. This is a high three for me right now. I'll probably come back to it later.
It's...fine? Nice? Perfectly OK?
The lyrics are witty and the 80s instrumentals are beautiful, but the tunes aren't there, and nothing sticks.
Competent 80s pop rock with clever lyrics. Triffids hit harder with similar to me.
3/5
I like Prefab Sprout, but I guess maybe mostly like Swoon. This one’s got some good songs but some semi-duds too. A good album but I wish it was better. Isn’t that the way it is
- Feast or famine here. Swinging from delightful 4-star ditties to incredibly dated, emotionally flat 1-star borefests. - Tracks 2-5 ("Bonny" to "Goodbye Lucille #1) are all very solid and I find myself entranced. Unfortunately these are buttressed by the cacophony of "Faron Young" and the painful "Hallelujah." - Some hot spots beyond that, but for every fun twist in "Horsin' Around" there is a slog in "When The Angels." - Sidenote: These lyrics are truly nonsensical. Usually does not bother me, but this is starting to go past interesting to silly.
The author of this list has to be English and have nostalgia for the 1980s. This is yet more totally average 80s music by a British group I've never heard of.
There is nothing really memorable about this. I'm not a fan.
80s sophisticated pop rock. Good but not exactly my cup of tea.
Solidly 2 stars, but the song Bonny is 5 stars for me, so I’m bumping it up to 3
fine
I'd struggle to call it notable or interesting, but it wasn't bad.
Album title = coolest, band name = lamest. Put these two together, and it averages out to a solid 3 star rating.
Es como un pop-rock meloso onda Rod Stewart o un poco menos pop, pero ochentoso. Arranca muy bien, más melódico, con mucha guitarra rítmica y después se va desinflando, poniendo mucho más lento y robótico.
This is good. The first half has some really good songs but then the rest just blends into the background. Its good but unmemorable music.
Sadly, apart from "When Love Breaks Down," and maybe one or two others, I found this too mellow and the mid-80s production sounds really dated to my ears.
Can’t remember either 3
popy but arrangements are amazing
80's pop. Reminds me a lot of Ben Folds
Soo mid. Incredibly mid. Would not relisten
Kinda surprised by this, it was almost recognisablw but not really.
3.5★. Really liked the first half, but the second does take a drop, although nothing bad.
Meh. It was blandly ok.