Reviews (page 4 of 8)
back vocals are amazing. love the groove
noooooo! started so gud, total ride album, but the longer you listen, the more shit romantic ballads u hear. nooo! BIG MINUS FOR IT -_-
One of the most underrated albums of all time. Maybe underrated is wrong but certainly it isn't appreciated by as big of an audience as it deserves. "Bonny" has an S-tier chorus.
A very pleasant surprise. Had no idea what to expect going into this album, and was immediately met with a strong run of excellent tunes. Even the songs I liked the least were fairly decent.
Genuinely just forgettable. There isn’t a single song here that I can point out.
This was not interesting. Didn’t enjoy this one. Not sure why it is on the list.
This is a very good sounding 80s album, it doesn't sound dated at all, so alone for that I understand why this album is an acclaimed one from that decade. However, I find the songs forgettable and not something I would listen to again - this kind of pop/nee wave is not my thing.
Interesting!
Liked the first two songs but it went downhill pretty quickly after that. Horsin’ Around sounded like the worst song from a Gene Kelly movie
Some flashes of brilliance, but mostly generic 80s new wave stuff. You’ve heard it all before.
This one just did nothing for me. It sounds like every other bland 80s English pop album out there. Same sterile production, same soft vocals, same forgettable hooks. It’s technically fine, but it has zero personality. The only track worth mentioning is “When the Angels,” and that’s partly because it meant the album was almost over. To be fair, it’s a legit banger with some life in it, which only makes the rest of the record sound even more lifeless. Honestly, Steve McQueen feels like background music for people too afraid to turn up the volume. It’s polite, predictable, and about as exciting as a beige wall.
Like it 3/5
Weak, boring 80's music. 2 stars or D+.
Not for me
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.
Yeah I don’t get this album. Thought it was going to start out as an Irish band then ended as slow pop crap.
Bland. Didn't really get the point of this - 'sounded like a budget Aztec Camera in places' is about the best thing I can say about it.
Clever songs, but never too knowingly. Prefab Sprout have always navigated the fine line between polished and smart arse when it comes to their craft. Appetite is a statement alone; When Loves Breaks Down is lush. Overall the album does well to capture that transition from early 80's indie pop to the arrival of the CD audience. It has a delicate touch, but still sounds professional.
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
Good album. Hadn’t heard of the band before but really enjoyed the album. 80’s alt pop/new wave styles. Good straight thru listen. Favorite tracks include Faron Young, Bonny, Appetite, When Love Breaks Down, Hallelujah, Horsin Around, Desire As.
# 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.
This is better than the previous album which was also British pop. Still not very great, though I enjoyed a couple of the songs.
Vert meh, not top 1000 anything worthy.
Nothing wrong with it but very bland. It’s probably too sophisticated for my taste. At one point I forgot that the album was playing which shows how stimulating the music was. After listening to this I put on a Spotify mellow mix to liven things up. Not for me.
Lots of 80s sounds on this one, like emptying a toy box. But unlike some albums it kinda works on here. Borderline 3/4 I’ll probably need to revisit
Initial review: First listen, won’t be the last.
kinda boring ngl
Pretty boring and dull rock album.
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.
I have never heard of this band. Two tracks in and I am really really enjoying it. I agree with other reviewers that maybe the list is not really definitive and is based more on white British people's music taste who were born in the late 60's/early 70's. That all being said, this is a great record. Sounds fantastic and very modern still with the current resurgence of 80's sounds and textures in pop music. "Appetite" is really a great track. Slinky and sexy and has a great bassline too. These are great songs. I love Talking Heads, Donny Benet, nightwave, Ghost, Tears for Fears, and this is right in there. This music is at once nostalgic and modernly beautiful. "Hallelujah" is a nice jazzy yacht-rock sort of tune. Wow, this is a great album. "Horsin' Around" is honest, heartbreaking and at the same time so catchy and groovy. The ending especially really conveys the feeling. I really enjoyed this! This is what I hoping for from this list, music I had never come across but fell in love with in a single album.
Light rock. Ok songs, not very memorable
I wasn't expecting this. The album is really good and I really like the lyricism on this one. However, the album does feel a little bit too much 80's But thay was a good discovery, might listen to more of this band 3.5 But I will round it to 4
Never heard of Prefab Sprouts before. Some interesting melodies but gosh the lyrics are boring. They sound like a band that would make theme songs for awful generic romantic sitcoms. Overall I'll say Meh.
Скромное очарование 80-х - прозрачный звук, мягкий поп-рок, но интересный.
It's alright. Highly listenable but not my fave.
Day646 - wow what a fantastic album. not a bad song
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
Had never heard of the band or the album, but I'm a fast fan. Great songwriting, catchy but keeps you interested. Vocals kinda remind me Glen Tillbrook from Squeeze. Excited to dive into the rest of their albums.
The best and worst of the 80s in one album. Really liked Appetite. Some of the back half dragged on
3.5/5
Never heard of this group or any of the music, not bad, and I'll check out more of their stuff
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
I was looking forward to this having been fed a steady diet of Prefab Sprout by Radcliffe and Maconie on 6Music for a decade. A whole album was really enjoyable, i managed to find a space to appreciate the fun of the lyrics and the pop hooks. I was always of the opinion that the 80's sucked but this proves it wrong
Great album. Saw them touring this at the Warehouse in Leeds in 1986. Memorable. All the great songs are on side 1 and then it gradually fades out by the end of side 2.
¿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.
It's fine, but not having got attached to this album when it came out (ie not benefitting from a healthy dose of nostalgia about how it helped me get through my first heartbreak), it's very hard to find it remarkable at all.
I do not like this at all.
This album was lots of fun. No huge standout songs, just enjoyable all the way through.
🗯 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.
This one was definitely not for me.
It's been a while since I was totally blindsided by how good an album was, so this is a nice surprise. 9 great songs, and 2 good ones make this an easy 5 stars. This is probably the first album I've listened to where the backing vocals are the best part of the album. Without Wendy, this is maybe 3 or 4 stars, but she adds great depth to the whole album.
Absolute peach! I’ve been listening to this album regularly since it was released. Great and thought provoking lyrics, great music and beautiful singing. This isn’t even their best album, try Swoon
Selectively catching up in a few albums after some time. Strong smiths vibe, which was a good thing. Nice discovery for me.
A all timer for me Track 1-5 is as good a streak as any album. To my ear - interesting that they took modern recording techniques and mixing to folk, country and other traditional instruments and made a wholly unique sound that others occasionally dabbled in but I’ve never heard anyone else ever make their identity. If you only listen to a few tracks, When Loves Breaks Down, Goodbye Lucille #1 (some amazing vocals in this one) and When the Angels are what I’d recommend. I think they were probably influential to a lot of bands people hated like Roxette and Savage Garden so got guilty by association My mum used to play it in the rare times she got control of the (actual) ghetto blaster around Christmas so nostalgia may be doing heavy lifting here.
great really enjoyed
It’s like like value brand depche mode meets wham
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.
Loved some of the tones on this, but not enough musically for me
Pretty unremarkable, but not offensive. It was fine I suppose.
OK, which Wikipedia editor listed this as sophisti-pop? 'Coz lemme be the first one to tell 'em, this ain't sophisti-pop. At least not enough that it'd be the first-listed genre! Like, come on; don't scare me like that! I mean, it's altogether a good thing this isn't more sophisti-pop. To make a long story short, it's not a genre I've had a good relationship with, exactly. I don't have active disdain for it like I do post-punk, but I've had to tone down my commentary on it because the people in my group who **do** like it were catching strays, and that's not something I wanna be doing. Like, I'unno, that one Everything But The Girl album, Sade... None of it's worked for me. It's too smooth and "smart"; it just slides right off me and I'm boooored. Meanwhile, you have **this** album. It starts with a dang country jam! Like, woah, woah! What's goin' on here? **This** is how it's starting? Maybe it won't be so bad after all! And while it actually didn't stay that way, I gotta admit, it's not bad at all. Naturally I wanna give most of the credit to producer Thomas Dolby, me being such a fan of "She Blinded Me With Science" and "Hyperactive!", I guess I should split it with the guy who wrote all the songs, Paddy McAloon. As is typical for me I ended up not really paying attention to the lyrics, but just going off of how it sounded sonically... Damn, yeah, it's real good. It's 80's as hell, and while for some people that kind of over-production would be a turn off, for me it's right up my alley. This kind of "thing you picture in my head" sound just really does it for me sometimes — and this is dang well one of 'em. I think if I have any major nitpicks, it's that I hafta agree with a group member that it **probably** should have ended on "Desire As". The following two tracks aren't, but they kind of give the impression like I accidentally queued bonus tracks from a later reissue, y'know? Like it used to stop **here**... But now there's a something extra and we're gonna keep going, I guess. And I think that's about the size of it when it comes to me and this album. I'unno, my feelings just aren't very complicated: I really enjoy the sound of it... And, yeah! I had a good time with it, and that's the bare minimum I could ask for from any album. I guess I might just be glad it didn't turn out like when I watched my first Steve McQueen movie: pretty boring except for a car chase. I gotta give you props, Prefab Sprout. Just can't give you being sophisti-pop. Like, seriously, Wikipedia editor...
Wasn't expecting much with this album, but turns out it's holding some damn good 80s pop. Solid 5 Stars.
I’m at a 4.5 that I’ll bump up to a 5. Well, this sort of threw “sophisti-pop” on its head for me with the first track being a sort of R.E.M.-esque country cut about disdain for the mundane, and then it just kept surprising me. I’m starting to find that “sophisti-pop” is maybe just fancy genre talk for “80s singer-songwriters who stuck to pop”, because this is certainly not the same thing as Sade, the Blue Nile, or even Everything Like The Girl. This is really just a pop album with a rock lean to my ears; yes, the lyricism is flowery at times & comprehending them that can elevate a few tracks, but I think they’re equally as straightforward, since a lot of these are just love songs. To my ears, so much of this album is guided by the instrumentals & vocals as a guide to portray the emotion, and it works really effectively; this might be one of the best-produced ‘80s albums I’ve heard so far. Thank you to Thomas Dolby. I hesitate to really label this as “sophisti-pop”, since the same sort of elements are there, but I just think this album shines even on a casual listen. Take a track like “Bonny” for example, where it feels like a ‘90s track more reminiscent of a Matchbox 20 or a Sister Hazel. Even if you don’t catch a lyric, there’s a growl in his voice that kicks the track into gear. That sort of thing applies throughout the album; there’s plenty of new wave ‘80s tropes & production here (especially on the more synth-heavy stuff), but I don’t think this album really strays from the core belief that the music is the most important aspect. Hell, take a listen to “When Love Breaks Down” – when Paddy gets to the chorus & starts to let it out, the track just gives a sort of infectious energy, while still feeling totally instrumentally calm. That’s the energy this album tends to give off – calm on the outside, and just a bit more chaotic & nuanced on the inside. I don’t want to go on another track-by-track breakdown on what each track sort of gives off; I did it for The Blue Nile, but since I think the music speaks for itself more here, it doesn’t feel necessary. I will say though, as far as the 4.5 goes, it’s simply that the last 2 tracks just fell a little short for me after how blissful “Desire As” became. “Desire As” is the only track where I think a full paragraph might be necessary, because it might be my favorite track on the album. For some context, given that most of the tracks here talk about the aftermath of a breakup / affair (“Goodbye Lucille #1” being an inability to move on, “Horsin’ Around” being a reckoning of immaturity & its consequences, and plenty more), I think “Desire As” is the perfect culmination of all of the lessons of those tracks coming to a head. It’s basically just choosing to walk away from a paranoia-driven relationship on one’s own accord, even if happiness existed in spades before any accusations came flying in. Vocally, it’s sort of monotonous (with some good subtle vocal shifts), but I like that approach, as it gives the track a sort of level-headed maturity. Lyrically, there’s some repetition, but I see it as a sort of self-affirmation that he’s made the right choice to walk away. The production work sells the track brilliantly; the instruments build up, from a sax line to added percussion to some swirling string work, and layered backing vocals to bring the track & the album to a sort of climax point. When you have a track that feels like every lesson has been learned, why wouldn’t you end on that, as opposed to a track about angels killing Marvin Gaye because they’re jealous of him? OK, well, that last track is conceptually cool as hell actually (though a little flat in execution), but still – this album should’ve ended on “Desire As”. Regardless, a pair of good tracks that just fall short after a great one is no reason to bump an album down all the way to a 4. This is a good one, and I really found myself entranced by it at points. Consider me sold on Prefab Sprout as a band I need to listen to, consider me a bit annoyed that there’s not any solo albums from Thomas Dolby on the list (seriously, great production work – hopefully he’ll pop up on another album), and consider this album as being a worthy pick on the list to my ears. It’s an easy bump up to a 5.
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
I remembered the band name, but none of the songs. I expected to hate it, but it's actually pretty good. Favorite song: horsin' around
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
Steve McQueen!
Kinda liked it ngl
Appetit holder idag, resten er ikke ældet med ynde, og lyder som alt andet fra 80erne.
Prefab Sprout burde være et skældsord. Sådan et man bruger når noget er lækkert på overfladen, men inter kvalitativt indhold har.
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.
The Ramones meet Pink Floyd's the Wall. Probably influenced all the Brit pop artists on this list. Also, some bad synth. Otherwise forgettable.
When I first listened to the album I just wasn’t interested. Soooo glad I gave it another chance. Sorry Prefab Sprout, it was definitely me, not you! What a joy to listen to. Loved all the different instrumentals. The use of the classic 80s synth was just enough without going overboard. The shift in Horsin’ Around made me think it could have been written for a musical. Very talented group!
Okkkkk now this is what I’m taukin about, I loved this! There were so many different styles at play throughout this album - loved the almost Wild West vibe in the first song. This album was easy listening soft rock vibe and exactly what I had been wanting to hear with older albums from the 70s/80s. My personal favorite song on the album was Bonny - lead vocals on point, reverberated background singers awesome, and chill ass backtrack. The acoustic part of the album also 1000/10, extremely well done👏🏼👏🏼
i'm proper GIDDY about this album and i can't even find the words for how this lights up my heart and soul! but i'll try... firstly, how have i NEVER heard of this band before? it is EVERYTHING 80s music should be but somehow even more, as if a modern-day artist set out to make a nostalgic album that spanned multiple decades and genres. i'm getting wham!/george michael, culture club, tears for fears, the cars, devo, billy joel, david bowie, billy idol, with elements of funk, soul, jazz, 90s, lounge, even twangs of old western/country all at once - it's so effortless but precise with the layers, instruments, harmonies, just incredible! "faron young" is a fun and bouncy opener, nodding equally to cowboy country and billy idol rockabilly pop with a lighthearted delivery but still having substance. "bonny" is a personal favorite, the melodies and harmonies are so eerie and full of yearning, just quintessential 80s. "horsin' around" is fucking incredible, what a genius blend of 80s pop/rock with jazz and the lyrics told a real story - it made me feel like i was hearing this live in a cool jazz lounge. "desire as" is so brooding, the lyric "i've got six things on my mind. you're no longer one of them" is so gut-wrenching in its dismissive simplicity. and that ALBUM COVER!? it goes SO FUCKING HARD!?! actually LIVID that i haven't been listening to this for the last 30+ years - WHAT ELSE IS OUT THERE?! i've been waiting and wondering what my first 5 star review would be because i've been so stingy until now but i couldn't be more thrilled to give it to this masterpiece! and really excited it's something i didn't know before, since that's what this is all about! i would play this album ANY TIME! maybe perfect for an evening spent casually chatting with some close friends and/or loved ones, sipping a really nice cocktail or glass of your favorite spirit in a dark, mellow bar hidden away under a busy city street and maybe it's raining outside. and i'm wearing a broken-in, faded soft leather jacket (or maybe denim). yeah ///post-note/// i wrote my review and rating WITHOUT hearing the acoustic tracks since they were not part of the original recording but are you FUCKING KIDDING ME - SOOOO GOOD! the re-interpretations of the stylings and use of different instruments like the harmonica are incredible. the lyrics and his delivery hit SO HARD on the acoustic tracks! that extended intro to "desire as - acoustic"?! guys i'm in love sorry i'll shut up now
I enjoyed this album. Lots of atmospheric guitar and synth with the bass and drums really locking in the song. Special shout-out to the drummer who subtly built and relieved tension in the song in what I thought was a clever way. I liked it. But I'll be honest with you reader, often when I listen to atmospheric rock all I want to listen to is U2s Joshua tree. So I put that on several times while listening to the album over the weekend. Streaming income considered, I probably singlehandedly earned U2 $3 of Spotify's money because of this album. But really I promise I enjoyed the album. I just started a cycle where it would give me the itch for some With Or Without You, which I would have to sing in my car at full volume, giving the performance of a lifetime to the street around me, before I would return to this album again. Really truly, I liked this album, but it would see the stone set in my eyes, see the thorn twist in my side, but it waited for me. Sleight of hand and twist of fate, on a bed of nails i make it wait. But it waits without me. With or without me.
5/10
Pretentious 80’s soft rock. 12 year old me probably would have thought it was cool and “deep”. 50 year old me thinks it blows.
Upbeat and cool, I’d listen again
Nice. Pretty good.
Had never heard of Prefab Sprout before but it's a good album, very nice
Heard the band name but never heard their music until now. Good album.
Thought I might like it. Didn’t.
Kind of endearing, sounds like the 80s. Relaxing listen. Low 4.
6/10 - I’ve heard of Steve McQueen
Very 80s but it actually works quite well for this album. The vibe kinda reminds me of the replacements but a bit blander
A banger throughout!
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.
Another that I didn't need to hear before I died.
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!
Have this a second day and an extra listen or two. A few tunes grabbed me. A lot of them lost me though. 2.25
Starts good then completely falls off
Wasn't really digging it that much, not completely terrible though I guess.
Not bad for running errands on a Sunday. 2.5 stars would have been better but 2 felt too harsh.
There are moments on this album that sound like they are from abut 10 years later. And then there are moments that are squarely from 1985 (ironically, the one that features Thomas Dolby is one of those songs). Ultimately, it was all right. I really liked the sound in "Horsin' Around," in particular. I have to wonder how bad this album sounded 40 years ago, but not enough to seek it out. Ultimately, I can see how this might have been considered groundbreaking, it has some really interesting ideas which were used by others at least 10 years later. Top tracks: "Appetite," "Bonny," "Horsin' Around," "When The Angels"
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.
The Wikipedia page on Prefab Sprout has a lot of superlatives - "some of the most beautiful and intelligent records of their era", "most beloved pop music of the 1980s and 1990s" and that Paddy McAloon is "one of the great songwriters of his time." That's a little much. This was pretty much boring soft listening and I enjoyed it better as background music (never a good sign) - I got pretty bored on a close listen. I like the Thomas Dolby connection, and I'm sad that Dolby's The Golden Age of Wireless is not in the 1001 since it's so much better than this. Tracks I liked: Faron Young, Bonny.
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
Quite good. I liked this a lot.
The greatest album of all time. The best production on an album ever. The most well written album ever. I mean, c'mon! I genuinely don't know how Paddy MacAloon comes up with this stuff, "Moving the River" is just banger line after banger line. "Faron Young" is the oddest sounding country song ever, like it came from space, and it works. "Bonny" is fucking heart wrenching, and Seal does a great cover of it. "Appetite" is a beautiful song about sex. "When Love Breaks Down" should have been a mega hit, don't think I've ever heard a better verse to chorus transition. "Goodbye Lucille #1" offers Paddy's best vocal performance (along with "When the Angels"). God, I fucking love this album. I'm too high to go more in depth as I cannot think past a sentence anymore, but this is probably my favorite album of all time. Thomas Dolby makes it sound like it's coming out of your mind instead of going into your ears Also, the acoustic version is possibly even better than the original, depending on your mood. Prefab Sprout the fucking GOAT
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.
The UK produces some of the most uninspiring music ever since the end of the original British Invasion - I mean, it’s just meh.
Bland
Vuelta chill por olague
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.
This was a pretty good find. Another great 80s Art Pop and New Wave album that I hadn’t checked out before. It has a wonderful nostalgic and reflective quality, paired with smooth and polished lush production. An added bonus is that it was produced by Thomas Dolby.
1/5
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 liked this a lot. Heard of em but never heard em, and was happily surprised.
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.
crystal clear production, fine as background music but nothing grabbed me
Great easy-listening jazzy sophisto-pop. Sounds like a mix between Al Stewart, Burt Bacharach, and a little Steely Dan. The recordings have a warm haze to it, and a lot of cool instrumental parts and choices - I think I'll come back to this one once in a while.
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
Good sounding album. Saved to library
4 star
If you try to imagine the most typical album from the 80s you will probably just imagine this album. Not bad per se but just run of the mill.
Rating: 6/10 Some catchy vocal melodies and decent instrumentation.
pretty interesting but i got bored
I LOVE Prefab Sprout. Fuck I wish Americans knew about them more, they're close to unknown here unless you're a music nerd of a certain age. Just a masterclass in effortless songwriting. So good.
I liked this, it started out a little Smiths-esque, then became more American sounding half way through, nice discovery
3.5. Цікавий поп-альбом, який непогано балансує між доступністю та витонченістю. Задає приємний настрій. Були в окремих піснях прикольні нетривіальні рішення, які розбавляли трохи фонове відчуття від окремих пісень. Під настрій можна переслухати
Цікавий альбом, залишив собі у бібліотеці. Така приємна поп-музика 80х з нетривіальним аранжуванням і мелодіями.
Not really for me
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 is weird. It’s fine, there are parts I like, but other parts I just can’t abide. Overall I don’t think it’s one I’ll ever want to revisit.
Prefab Sprout . . . Who knew? The prospect of discovering albums like this is what got me excited about doing this project. I had some ambivalence about it on first listen, but I've come to learn that that's often the sign of a very good album. This is solid songwriting with a unique voice. The '80s production sheen is there, but it's not overbearing. (The production sounds remarkably modern, actually.) I was initially thinking three stars, but I enjoyed it so much more on my second listen, I think it's gotta be four.
Pop shite. Sonic pablum. Milquetoast synth garbage. God, I hated this. I had to turn the music off 4 different times before re-engaging. I made it to the end, and celebrated with another listen to Pantera as a palate cleanser. But then, jk pointed out that there's an acoustic version of the album, as well. I gave that a listen and turns out, it's much better. If the medium is the message, then please talk to me via unplugged guitar than Casio noise box. If we were listening to the acoustic album, I'd give it three stars, but we're not.
Fun lyrics. Enjoyed it more than I would age anticipated
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.” ?!
Different than much of the typical 80s pop music that you might hear. There is some cool difference in here from the typical, but not enough to have me coming back to this one.
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: 25/1001 I find the indie-pop sound with minor jazz undertones to be an extremely interesting blend that is broadly appealing to me. The songs on this album are full of life, with unique sounds and enchanting backing vocals that creates a full listen. It's so smooth and rhythmic in a really delicate way. I've listened numerous times, and with each one the songs become more full and meaningful. The first half of this album is an ideal opening for me. There are stylistic differences, such as the singing of the word 'appetite' on Appetite, but each song was unique and colorful. The second half is more mellow and relaxed, balanced by a weirdness that is mesmerizing and thoughtful. I don't like it as much, but songs like a Desire As build in such a beautiful way it's impossible not to like them. 1. When Love Breaks Down 2. Bonny 3. Goodbye Lucille #1 Honorable mention: Horsin' Around only because it made me think about Bojack Horseman. Overall, I found this album to be full of subtle characteristics that all compound to make a uniquely beautiful sound in an enduring way. Its enchanting nature provides a captivating and diverse listen. I give Steve McQueen by Prefab Sprout 4/5 stars.
The first 5 songs are incredible and are some of the most well written songs of the 80s. The second half takes a confusing turn into Muzak. Still great, but it could have been better.
Kann man sich gut anhören. 3,7 Sterne.
Um... Yeah... Nah... Generic at best.
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
dreamy 80s, yeeees
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.
contrary to what other people on this site thinks, i consider this as a really decent 80s pop album. the sounds are refreshing and i absollutely love it. although the second side pulls it down a bit. but still, 4.5/5
This was a great listen, never heard of these guys, but looked like the album received critical acclaim back when it was released and deservingly so. Was a nice unexpected treat.
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
Inoffensive but unremarkable
Everything about this album is so violently 80s, from the cover to the instrumentals. I love 80s music so that's not a problem at all. Lots of interesting influences on the album and they all lead to a pretty cool sound, especially on a song like Hallelujah. An all around pretty good album.
At first grabs me, then repels. Begins well, but then sounds more like Sade wannabe and I start skipping ahead. Couldn't get past the first two, sadly.
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.
Started with personality, got mired in its own juices as it played. Ended at the right time. Another song or two would have pulled this one under.
It started off good. But then it sounded like I was trapped in the waiting room at the dentist office.
I love this album. It was one of my first CDs. Elegant 1980s pop that's smooth and smart. The album cover pairs so well with the sounds. I can feel that English misty, cool, which is how I might describe these songs.
Very 80s, but not my vibe.
Apprezzo tanto il talento e riconosco l’innovazione, non molto il mio genere. Strumentali praticamente tutte pazzesche.
Few good tracks
I’ve listened to other albums that kinda sound like this that were really mediocre or downright bad - but idk, this is just BETTER than those. One of the best examples of jangly 80s Brit pop? I loved the songwriting, I loved the construction, I loved the voice. Reminded me a bit of Aztec Camera whom I also really enjoy. Lovely discovery!
2.09
Fuck rating albums. Just let me listen.
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.
Je croyais que le concept était les 1001 albums à écouter avant de mourir… pas un album qui donne le goût de mourir!! 🤣🤣🤣
Connaissais pas pentoute, la pochette m'a inquiété, mais c'est vraiment le fun, smooth et plein de bon stock! Il y a du new wave sure, mais ça me semble être précurseur d'un courant indie beaucoup plus tard avec War on Drugs, The National, et Bon Iver. L'utilisation des pads sur certaines tounes comme Desire As c'est du génie. Les passes plus r&b + jazz sur blueberry pies, ça me parle. When the Angels, c'est plus cu-cul 80 ça aurait pu sortir de Prince ou Springsteen ça me parle moins.
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.
These off beat, weird albums are why I like this list. This is a cool album that you think sounds like lots of other things but can't say what. There's a lot going on here. This is music for adults.
4/5\pretty good for old music
Great album!
I liked this but I didn't find it revolutionary.
i really enjoy pop albums, especially vintage pop albums with a BEYOND clean sound and aesthetic. this album is as smoooooth as a fresh slab of butter. this album sounds like a rainy day. echoey instruments, clever sampling (is that a fairlight i hear?) and absolutely GORGEOUS mastering, courtesy of thomas dolby. mostly lovey dovey lyrics and subject material, the good and the bad. it's super relaxing. i could probably play this in a store and all the people inside would get nice and cozy.
I really liked parts of it, I wanted to like it but after listening a few times it just doesn’t hit for me.
I like the people they're compared to. I don't like them. Early in the album has intriguing jangle vibes, quickly dissipating into bloodlessness.
It definitely felt like 1985 listening to this. Easy to identify the hit on this album "When Love Breaks Down" that said, about 2 songs later Kyria (my wife) tapped out and DNF. I did finish it, but I didn't love it. It wasn't an awful album, but it was a boring one.
It was cool at first but then I couldn’t wait for it to end. Maybe it was just my impatience to listen to something else, but sometimes that’s just the way the cookie crumbles
With an album/artist name combo like Steve McQueen by Prefab Sprout, I wasn't expecting anything outstanding from this album. I went into this thinking I'd get a somewhat forgettable 3/5 that I would just move on from after my next album. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how good this album is. I really like this! As dumb as their name is, I think Prefab Sprout actually have something pretty good going on here! It's not the greatest thing ever, but there's a lot to enjoy with this album. The writing is pretty good. It's got some depth and uniquely inspired origins for the songs. Nothing stuck out to me as being cheesy, which is surprising given the fact that this is 80s pop we're talking about. Speaking of 80s pop, the sound of this album is definitely that of an 80s pop album, but like, a pretty good 80s pop album... cause that's what this is. It's got synths and stuff, but they're used well in combination with a solid drum groove and even some nice guitar work. I like the singing. It sounds good and has some cool moments. I've seen some people say that the album's a bit top-heavy. While I agree that the album's best songs are earlier in the album, with "Bonny" and "When Love Breaks Down" being highlights for me, my enjoyment of the album didn't dwindle with each passing minute. It kept me engaged, which is always a good thing. This album's nice. Good job, Prefab Sprout. You've impressed me more than I expected. Light 4/5.
After listening to each track I instantly forgot it
Another New Wave album that is entirely skippable. This kind of music has never spoken to me and without complex interpretations or cool iterations, it luls me to sleep. There is a song or two on here that is alright, but overall its just not my vibe. 1/10
Kinda fell into the background for me. Sounded much newer than it's age. Can plenty of influences over the years.
I couldn’t find whatever secret sauce there was that earned this album its place on the list.
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.
De eerste opzwepende klanken zetten mij op het verkeerde been. Het eerste nummer heeft de uitstraling van een bandje dat gewoon lekker ongedwongen muziek maakt. Ik krijg er zin in. Maar het blijkt een glad vervolg te krijgen. Of glad? Dat hoor je stroperig te noemen volgens het boek. Grappig, twee termen die als je ze letterlijk neemt, het tegenovergestelde effect hebben. Doorglijden of blijven plakken. Maar figuurlijk wekken ze wel dezelfde associatie: gadverredamme. En dat laten ze al vanaf de start van die nummers weten, met zo'n vies jaren '80 intro. Ik zou deze band een strafpunt willen geven omdat hij mij op het verkeerde been zette. Maar eerlijk is eerlijk, we hebben wel erger voorbij horen komen.
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.
Liked this quite a lot, far more than I expected from a 80's pop record. There were some killer tracks on here, and only a couple of missers. The good way overshines the bad.
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
Very vibey, loved it.
That was a weird mix of many groups
Liked the moments where it tied into New Wave a bit better but it was otherwise pretty dull.
i really did not like this!
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.
great vibes
I liked it. Perfect for driving around Budapest while listening to it!
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.
Great sound, this album really drew me in. Had to re-listen because I spent my first one clearing out my room and the album helped so much that I was just in the zone and didn't have many musical thoughts left😂 an odd, floaty mix that sounds introspective, welcoming, melancholy and joyful. Really interesting find
i actually enjoyed this a bit more than i expected to?? for some reason it reminded me of when i was a teenager and i briefly worked in a spa where my job was to clean and make coffee and refill all the pots of nail polish, and they often played a lot of Magic FM and this kind of music would play a lot. idk, i don't really know anything about Prefab Sprout but i feel like their songs would fit well on Magic FM's playlist circa 2004. anyway this was nice and nostalgic and i'm feeling generous so i will give it a 4.
A very nice drink of cold, fresh water. The lyrics are very sensitive with the gentle voice of Paddy McAloon to match. It is very sappy in a way that seems to have only been achievable in the 80s. Some songs are much stronger than others but there is a little glimmer of gold in all of them. I am very surprised that I've never even heard of Prefab Sprout before!
Nice surprise!
This McQueen approves
First song reminds me of Django Django but... created by aliens that haven't quite learned what music is. This album is so strange. It's like the singer, instrumentalists, and producer are all making different songs. Song structures are weird, the instrumentation gets verses and choruses and bridges mixed up, chord progressions are completely random, the lyrics don't match the rhythm, and the lead vocalist gives an oddly subdued performance. It's a collage of unrelated songs put together to make a new song if you squint, but the details are all wrong. Making something that's so perfectly the uncanny valley of music might deserve an award, but as an album, this is a 1.
Talk about dated. The only redeeming song was “Bonny,” but even that was only decent.
Wimpy weak rock-lite
There’s truly nothing unique about this album, but it’s not difficult to listen to, just boring.
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
Another album I actually own. Problem with having your music collection on a server is that it is just too easy to play single tracks (for this album mostly Appetite) and you hardly ever listen to the whole album anymore. This prompted me to do just that after a long time and it something I really must do more.
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.
I was not previously familiar with the artist or album. This album did not really do anything for me. It sounds like generic 80s pop to me. No interest in listening again.
This album is fine, but that's it. Just fine. Not much different than half of the other Brit Pop albums listed.
1985 England. Sophisti-pop, indie pop, jazz pop. !!!!!
Wonderful Poppy summerbreeze - in a way . I love this one so much. If the 80ies in my part of the world would have presented this and much more of it in its time instead of the ever repeating Madonna, PSB, A-Ha, Duran Durans etc. I would not have dismissed the decade then only to discover it decades later. My personal highlight though is the beautiful 60iesTriumph Trophy TR6C on the cover, iykwim ...
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!
Sounds nice, but devoid of creativity or melody or interesting musical ideas. 80s overproduction over meandering instrumentals. This band is like... some guy wrote a bunch of poems, his neighbor happened to run a music studio and said "oh I've got a crack team of musicians who can make this into music for SURE!" then kinda produced this smash of weird lyrics and musical sounding noise with no direction or passion or cohesiveness
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.
So, four tracks in with this on in the background and I have spaced out the whole time. I'm not going back, this is some vanilla ass 80s music.
What a great (and unfairly forgotten) record, urbane and understated, tender and intelligent. R&B for '80s kids who never knew learned to dance or were comfortable dancing. Still sounds good – very good, in fact – today.
Not good. And so many of them! I actually hate it
Nothing special or noteworthy. Just another bland album on this list. 2/5 Won’t listen again
Snore
Drivel
Much better bands of the time, but not a bad effort.
2.5 stars Basically every work day since around 2011, I’ve listened to Lauren Laverne’s show on BBC 6Music. Prefab Sprout gets mentioned a lot on her show (probably listener requests) and shows up on her playlist sometimes, but I’ve never paid much attention to them. I thought I was going to like this album more than I did. The first song was very Smiths but that turned out to be a red herring. His songwriting reminded me of Aztec Camera (I really love their album High Land, High Rain), but stylistically this record is smooth jazz-pop à la The Style Council, which I can get behind… to a point. Unfortunately, this record gets cheesier as it goes on. There’s an aggressively 80s easy-listening vibe that’s hard to get past. I’m amenable to 80s pop that walks this line but this goes over it for me. The lyrics are interesting. Paddy McAloon can definitely turn a phrase. But I found the narrator off-putting a lot of the time, with his tales of cheating and self-confessed crappy behaviour. I think Destroyer took a lot of cues from Prefab Sprout on Kaputt, which is a great album I’ve listened to a lot, so I’ll give them that. Next time Lauren Laverne plays a Prefab Sprout song I’ll pay more attention, and enjoy it even. But this is not a full-album band for me.
It's The Smiths for Tears for Fears fans. It's The Smiths for people already in love. It's The Smiths for optimists. It's The Smiths for people too into the 80s. It's The Smiths for people who voted for Reagan. It's The Smiths for Americans. It's The Smiths for normies. It's The Smiths but mid. It's The Smiths but less problematic... hopefully. It's The Smiths but not The Smiths. It's The Smiths for people who hate Morrissey. It's The Smiths without a sense of humour. It's The Smiths for people who get what they want every time.
not my thing but nothing horrible eather. a bit too corny for my taste. 5/10 fav songs : When the angels
I enjoyed this way back machine to the mid 80's
I don't think I'm calm enough for this. Also, I wanna revamp most of the 80's "new wave" music in this list.
At first this didn't resonate with me at all, but the extended version followed the original album with acoustic versions, which broke the ice. You need to be in a mood for a mid-80's softer and somewhat symphonic approach to things, but I'm now a fan.
Not spectacular, but a nice listen.
I didn't thing much of this album when I first heard it, but oh how a grower it is. Very stylish and slick sophisti-pop that utilizes that ultra commercial mid-80's sound to great effect. It elicits a sense of nostalgia in me, even if I wasn't alive for the 80's. I don't know how big these guys were in their day, as I never hear about them outside of music nerd circles, where Paddy McAloon is a sort of an unsung icon. I should probably explore more of their work. Key tracks: Faron Young Appetite When Love Breaks Down
Mid-80s crap
If they'd just removed a few of these god awful B-sides, this could have been a perfect album. But with what we already have, it's already pretty good. It should be universally agreed that the A-side run of the album is sheer quality. The songs just get better. I've heard this album before, but enjoyed it much more today. Highlights for me are Bonny and Hallelujah. Where the latter is particularly underrated. A solid, popyy, dreamy album. It has wisps of Aztec Camera about it as well, with less post punk and more pop. A gem of the 80s, one could argue.
This is well made but nothing stands out. I'm ignorant as to British pop that didn't really cross over into the US so this is my first and last listen. 2/5
New album, new band, etc, etc. Total snoozefest.
I liked the first song which gave me hope that this was going to be an interesting album but the rest was pretty disappointing. Quintessential bland 80's sound, cheesy synth block chords and forgettable empty pop, this isn't anything I'd ever want to hear again.
Interesting listen, overall enjoyed it. It benefits from starting off with “Faron Young”, which is a weird but charming mix of styles. Will revisit.
80s youth vibes, pretty good album
What a great surprise this album was. I’ve never heard of prefab sprout before. There are some great tracks on it and really only one or two that I wasn’t 100% on. Sonically it sounds fantastic. I looked it up and found out that Thomas Dolby produced it, which made a lot of sense. Great lyrics -loved it.
Cool sound
pretty good, i enjoyed it, especially bonny and goodbye lucille #1
Correcto
81/100. A sweet and charming record. Despite its slow pace, the album carries a rich and compelling energy throughout. The production is top-tier, giving the songs a polished yet emotional feel. It's a strong, understated listen.
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.
I thought that by 956 albums into the supposed 1,001 albums you must listen to before you die I would have escaped the drudge of 80s UK Pop. I have failed. The one good thing about this album is that Steve McQueen wasn't around to hear it. 2/5
Light and airy pop with a lot of gloss. OK for what it is.
Hot garbage
It's a good album that sometimes sound way too 80s and on others you couldn't tell when it was made - in a positive sense. I do also like the acoustic versions (for example of 'Desire As'). This is something I will listen to again!
Much better than I was expecting. Has that boring vibe but in a good way. When Love Breaks Down and Hallelujah are great.
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
Very nice. Enjoy the instruments and the voice
Watch The Great Escape if you haven’t. Steve McQueen has a great motorcycle scene in it
I really wanted to like this as it seemed like it would be right up my street but it was pretty dull
That boring English 80's percussion.
Really solid album, musically great and vocals outstanding.
Even more British rock, thought it was fine, a lot of different sound between the songs so the album did not sound monotonous
Having no previous experience or knowledge of Prefab Sprout, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Pretty cool album cover, expected something rockier. They have some jangle rock sounds but lean to the pop genre. First track, Faron Young ended up being my favourite. Sounded almost like Mick Jagger and MGMT making a song, really enjoyed it. Bonny was also excellent, just a really nice breezey song so much so, they even had the faint sound of breeze hiding within the soft vocals and sharp chords in the first bit of the track. Not sure they ever reached the same level of the first two tracks but those first two were so strong. The remaining had some I didn’t care for, primarily Horsin’ Around but overall a really good jangle pop record. Rounding up from 3.5 to 4 stars
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
One of the greatest discoveries of my life. Everything is very sophisticated for a simple pop band. Everything is very well positioned in each arrangement. Great lyrics. The kind of band that comes up with a great work to mark the history of music.
This album was a delightful surprise. The production value and sound hit a real sweet spot that reminded me of Crowded House, albeit a little less pop oriented. Though the album doesn't end as strongly as it begins, it maintains the overall vibe and interest. I wish I had discovered this back in the day.
British Steely Dan on the cusp of the crushing wave of Brit pop. I was REALLY digging this from the get go, but it does lose a bit of the momentum and magic towards the end.
Steven McQueen opens with a promise to be one of the greatest 80’s albums of all time. It doesn’t quite keep that promise as we approach the end, but it’s a great album nonetheless.
Outstanding album, one of my favourites
Maybe I was just in a wistful mood but this got me feeling some kinda way
I thought this was pretty good. There's a lot of modern indie in this mixed with some tasteful pop sensibilites. It's a nostalgic and romantic album that uses its moments well. I was pleasently suprised. Strong 4
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.
I dig it. I can picture the remixes.
Beautiful, kinda nostalgic sophisto pop
Even allowing for the 80s-ness, this isn’t a good album. Sort of feels like pop-jazz.. like a free form pile of shite
4.5/10