Reviews (page 7 of 8)
Well now I know for sure that I hate "sophisto-pop". I'm sure that there's lots of people out there who like jazzy pop music about relationships, but I hated every minute of this. Even the half-hit that I vaguely remembered was just a further reminder that I hated that single when it was released in the 1980s, that single was what I based my opinion of Prefab Sprout on, and my opinion was right. There was nothing here to change my mind, just dull and entirely redundant music that I could have happily lived without. This was a waste of almost an hour (for once Spotify adverts were a blessed relief from the chore of this album). Since starting my journey through 1001 albums, I've listened to many albums and musicians I hadn't heard of before. I've found music I now love, but I've also found music I just don't get - this is clearly in that latter camp. I really can't understand why anyone would like this at all, it's just worthless pap.
It's okay. Nothing really bad about it, but at the same time it's pretty boring and easy listening-ish. It's like new wave lounge music. 3 stars.
Meh! Boring, mediocre at best. Please explain how this is in the top 1001 albums of all time?
Not sure what the redeeming qualities of this album were.
Faron Young is a bit of fun, but not my total vibe. Appreciate the banjo play. Very decent pop country-ish track. Bonny is wonderful. All the songs up to When Love Breaks Down are fantastic. Goodbye Lucille #1 floored me. I got sad. I felt the way you do when you need to get over someone. Rough, in a good way. Will have on repeat for a while. Hallelujah is a bit more cultured lyrically. Fancier bass fills. Guitar playing is great. The piano is great too. Feels like more of a jam track. Clearly, all the bigger hits are on side A, haha. Moving the River. Interesting "see me, mum and dad, I'm all grown up now" track. Jovial enough with a smidge of bittersweetness at childhood being over. Struggling to be an adult and keeping up with the things that are set in motion. Horsin' Around. Trying to be a bit Jazzier. Pretty fun. This band is fun. They like their words and duets. It works. The brass in this track is great, it gives the track an energy that bounces around. Bass Solo at the end with big stabs! A great surprise! Desire As. Luscious, sonically. Moody and a little pained. Very dreamy. "I've got 6 things on my mind, you're no longer one of them. It's perfect as it stands, so why then crush it in your perfect hands? Desire as a sylph-figured creature who changes her mind" I'll say this: Christ, help the man who wrote this at that moment! Blueberry Pies is fun. Came and went. When the Angels. It's a bass riff, but it came and went. Lovely, lovely album. The sad songs are the best. It has to be said. Will probably become a lifetime favourite. Some tracks are up there with Spandau Ballet's best IMO. Goodbye Lucille #1 is my favourite of them all. 4/5 stars.
Pop
Prefab Sprout should definitely be on the 1001 awful band names list. I wanted to like this album but it just didn’t grab me at all. The songs fell into the cheesy zone unfortunately.
If I could give it 3.5 I would better than I remember. Horsin Around is really interesting wish the rest of the Album were similar.
Well. It's 80s alright. But is it good 80s?
I liked it
So good
Based on the first song I thought Steve McQueen was going to be more country rock than it ended up being. The fact that it ended up being a collection of really good mid eighties synth was a pleasant surprise. I’ll definitely come back to it. Best tracks: Bonny, Appetite, When Love Breaks Down, Desire As
Easy listening bollocks.
Load of pish
Never heard of Prefab Sprout...British pop band Pretty good sound, fun songs. Added Faron Young to favorites playlist
Never listened to them before but the name sounds vaguely familiar. I really enjoyed this. It touches on a lot of genres I like, like indie rock, electropop, etc. It's a bit wordy and intellectual but without sacrificing pop catchiness. Definitely going to listen to them more.
wow, so glad to be introduced to this one, great tunes and words, deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as smiths, bunnymen, et al
Nice
Heard of the band but never listened to them. Very mid-80s, perhaps echoes of early Crowded House and Squeeze and the Beautiful South. I got to say I quite enjoyed this.
This album surprised me. A lot of depth to the lyrics and the production. The Little interpolation of Gershwin in 'Hallelujah' was a special delight. Goodbye Lucille #1 and Horsin' Around are particular highlights. Not really my normal style, but definitely a good example of 80s Britpop, and I am surprised I hadn't heard anything on it before. 4/5
I’m not entirely sure what the first song thinks it’s doing on this record, the cow-punk on that track doesn’t really fit with the overall sound of this record, which, in a few spots, sounds closer to a less-technical Sea And Cake or maybe latter day Cornelius, to make a somewhat modern comparison. The production here is the highlight for me. Thomas Dolby’s vibrant production keeps this album from being an absolute snore.
i was surprised by this was - very nice overall vibe to it, smooth vocals and great mood
Honestly enjoyed this but it couldn’t maintain the energy of the first few songs
Never heard of this band before. As 80's pop goes, I quite enjoyed this... Maybe 50% of the time. Very hit and miss. Bonny and Desire As are very good.
At the time, this was the first Prefab Sprout album that I listened to, and in my memory it was a 4-star album. Listening to it again now, I find the album a bit more boring than I remembered and I dislike the lyrics. But the first half (that contains all the singles) is stronger than the second one and contains some nice songs, so 3 stars overall.
Eighties pop with sophisticated melodies and chord progressions. I thought I preferred the debut Swoon, but now I'm not so sure anymore. Loved it.
Well crafted but uneventful pop music.
Really enjoyed this. Never heard of them before so it was a pleasant surprise.
This has an 80's sound without the overtly pop'ish we need to have a flauntingly outrageous music video that will get played on MTV vibe to it. Subdued artistry. I liked it.
An unexpected treat. Lovely song writing with lush, crisp, 80s styled production and gorgeous breathy backing vocals. It's a bit front loaded, but from an incredibly high base - the first 5 tracks are perfection. Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: When Love Breaks Down Date listened: 25/08/23
It’s fine, I guess. I don’t know, it’s hard to have a strong opinion on all 1001 albums.
Love the bosinova feel to some of these tracks Fav song: Horsin’ Around
3/10 brit poo vrm rien de cool
Dat viel me toch wel tegen. Ik ken wat mensen die dit echt leuk vinden.
Aardig plaatje, maar hier red je de wereld niet mee...
Qua muziek dacht ik: meh. En toen las ik de band-bio: One of the most acclaimed British pop bands of the '80s and '90s, Prefab Sprout was the creative vehicle of vocalist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Paddy McAloon, who has been regularly hailed as one of the greatest songwriters of his era. McAloon has often been compared favorably to Elvis Costello and Paul McCartney. Hah! Mocht ie willen die Paddy! Dream on brother.
Ik ben een sucker voor samenzang, daarom toch drie sterren voor deze zaadplaat.
# 45 : Wow! What a pleasant surprise this one was. It started great and I thought I like this, but then it Got a bit boring at the end. Quiet a nice album though with some good catchy tunes and a the rest fillers, but otherwise ok. 2.5 Star Bonny
3/5 Best: Appetite Worst: Blueberry Pies
Perfectly fine mid-decade pop. Nothing much to say.
cute one, a fall listen i feel like.
Smooth enough, better than I expected from a band I used to avoid
What a freaking nice find
I'd say this is a bit of a weird album. It continuously found ways to catch me off guard and surprise me. The background vocals were always a nice touch. I quite liked it. My favourite song was Horsin' Around.
Chouette album, mais un peu dull comparativement aux titans des deux derniers jours
Not a huge Prefab Sprout fan, but Thomas Dolby's production elevates this a little. About 10% of the lyrics contain nuggets of wisdom as well.
Inoffensive if not a little dull.
Other than Bonny …
i'm roughly halfway through this list and I'm wondering if the rest will be like the first half: one-third classics that are beloved by most people one-third stuff I don't know - and may not like - but that are clearly interesting works of art and then the third like this: garbage tripe that can only be on the list because it hit a sweet spot with the listmaker. this is THOROUGHLY ORDINARY AND BORING MUSIC. it's a genre -- oversynthed, underbaked 80s pop -- that wasn't that great to begin with, and then it's not even one of the best examples of the genre. just because you used to stare at the album cover in your childhood bedroom and wish you were cool doesn't mean this record ever was.
Better than i expected. 3.5
I had never heard of Prefab Spout and thought this was gonna be a weird 80s alt-country album after “Faron Young” but was very pleasantly surprised by the rest of the album’s cool, groovy jazzy rock. It made me want to sit on a rooftop patio and sip champagne and I’m glad I kept trucking through the album. “Bonny” in particular I thought was really strong and “Horsin’ Around was a beautiful prescient tribute to Bojack Horseman. This isn’t my favorite genre or vibe of music but definitely the best of these 1001 albums I’ve heard so far
Much of Steve McQueen sounds oddly familiar, but I’m almost positive I’ve never heard anything by Prefab Sprout. I have to hand something to them, though: Their general style, and particularly the vocals, seem to have influenced a number of bands in the nineties and aughts. The familiarity starts with “Bonny,” but I’m not sure if that’s because they sound like an amalgamation of all aughts alternative bands or because in this particular track the vocals sound quite a bit like those in “Up the Junction” by Squeeze, which actually came out years before this album did. “Appetite” sounds like a first round reject from the Stranger Things soundtrack. Aside from the music itself, “Goodbye Lucille #1” at first reminded me of Buster Bluth from Arrested Development, but then evolved into a reminder of the “Johnny, Johnny” lullaby commonly heard around Hanszen Sundeck circa Fall 2018. Eating sugar? No papa! The band’s familiarity (or perhaps their easy-to-replicate style) continues to show itself in “Hallelujah,” which sounds more like a mid-tier Death Cab for Cutie song than anything else. The tracks at the end of the record fall flat and blend together, particularly the uninspiring “Moving the River,” “Horsin Around,” and “Desire As.” Overall I found nothing much to like and nothing much to dislike about Steve McQueen. I wouldn’t be surprised if Prefab Sprout influenced a number of alternative bands, but there’s no mystery around why they didn’t stand the test of time.
This album intrigued me. It had a different sound but I enjoyed it.
I went on a journey with this. Was kinda into the first couple songs which then transitioned to “this is cheesy but has a weird charm to it”. But by the time I got to Horsin’ Around, I was once again wondering exactly why I must hear this album?
There were glimmers of interesting things, but it never really came together for me.
Never listened to much Prefab Sprout, but I've always thought I should do. So it was interesting to listen to, although ultimately it's not going to make a long term playlist for me.
Average to slightly above average. Nothing very interesting...nothing really bad. It's just there. I listened, then I said. OK. What's next? Standouts: Nothing really. 3/5
Not typically my thing, but this album blew me away. Amazing songs and all the best parts of 80s production without the cheese.
lots of talk of theft. probably puts one croissant on at aldi and takes four
Never heard of this band before. I could have gone the rest of my life without ever hearing this and not felt like I missed anything. It wasn't terrible, just meh.
Some good some boring.
Any album that has something as brilliant as "When Love Breaks Down" is essential in my mind. What you have is some of the most beautiful, quirky and enduring British pop music ever made. Paddy McAloon the band leader has to be one of the finest songwriters of the eighties and this album his masterpiece.
Absolute most of the tracks lacks "the thing". Got bored a bit for most part of the album.
I hate the band name. I'm confused by the music. But for the mood it hit me in, it worked.
Not for me
Like the mix between jazz/pop, lots of harmonising that worked well throughout the album, liked the work on the keyboard to make the dreamy tone.
Vond het album maar zozo. Geen uitschieters van nummers
So tired of British rock
5th July 2023 Listened while in the office. Evening with Sav and Sally - love island and prawn pasta. Enjoyed this, indie punk crossover. 3.5 if I could.
Rating: 9/10 Best songs: Faron young, Bonny, Appetite, When love breaks down, Goodbye Lucille, Hallelujah, Moving the river, Horsin’ around
First listen Saved 1/11 Top track: Bonny
Meh. Nothing grabbing
Really intriguing in its packing of at least three modes into one record. The first and most translatable is poppier sibling to some of the recent post-punk revivals. The other sets of songs are dedicated to electronic pop edging into a certain amount of balladeering. The end of the record struggles to support its own weight. The diversity of influence marks Prefab Sprout a not-quite-favorite to watch.
Gotta say I don't know why I needed to listen to this before I die. Innoffensive and nice so can't give 2. But yeah. Nothing.
first time listening favorites faron young bonny appetite when love breaks down least favorite goodbye lucille #1
One of those albums that I never heard about before but turned out to be a smash. Steve McQueen is a fascinating journey that takes you to through a riveting collection of emotions with its harmonies and tones. It makes you fell like home, an 80s home, even for first time Prefab Sprout listeners like me.
80s as anything but really solid stuffbin here. You have to be in a certain mood I think to enjoy but I was and I did
I liked this pretty well, smart lyrics, though found it had something of a soft and uniform tone that tended to fade it into the background.
hmm, really unsure. enjoy it, but apart from the first song i don't really connect with the record. objectively good tho 3.5
An interesting one - kind of sleight, but I sort of got under its spell. There was a frankness to the lyrics I really appreciated, and they still managed to retain a lot of poetry. Sometimes it tipped over a little into the twee on tracks like Blueberry Pies, but there was some genuine heartbreakers in here. Not always the most exciting instrumentation, a little dated sometimes, but enough going on to be engaging. I won't be taking in the album as a whole again I don't think, but definitely there's a couple of tracks on here that stuck with me. Three and a half. Fave track: When Love Breaks Down
Discovered this album about a month ago and had been really enjoying it, was wondering in the back of my mind if it would show up on this list. Had never heard of it before and thought that despite not having a huge legacy, there was some really strong pop songwriting. Maybe I need to do some more reading on it, but this definitely feels like a solid and possibly under-sung piece of 80s indie pop. Strong three and a half. Fave track: Faron Young
This is fantastic. Sure, it's the 1980s and it's pop. But I hear synthesizer sounds and production ideas here that contemporary weirdos like Alex G and Oneohtrix Point Never have very much kept alive today. The songwriting is nuanced and excellent. And the solo-acoustic, 2006 versions are every bit as stunning. The 7-minute version of "Desire" especially.
This was great, I really enjoyed. The songwriting really surprised me! 4/5
Conosco solo Appetite.... Invece ho capito che lo ascoltavo tutto quando è uscito. Mi piaceva molto ed anche adesso non mi dispiace.
With the notable exception of the opening track, this is just like everything else I've heard by the Sprouts; tweely irritating.
I dug this album. I heard little hints of Simon & Garfunkel, a little Romantics, even some Wham! It's a solid, well-executed representation of the mid-80s. Moving the River was the standout track for me.
Ok.
8/10, muy buen comienzo pero decae notablemente en las ultimas tres canciones.
8/10 super cool! I probably would’ve liked this more if George Michael made it, but it’s still a really solid album
Surprisingly pleasant, very light, with a lot of great melodies. Toes the line between "light and interesting" and not, and occasionally trips over that line ("Horsin' Around" being the notable example). Favorite tracks: "Faron Young", "Appetite", "Desire As"
Some intricate hooks in the first half, but overall I don't really get why this is so well-regarded.
Not especially bad, just too generic british 80s pop.
Some songs were really great, others pretty boring. It's a hard one to rate. 3 stars will do it.
The first song was kinda cool, but I didn't finish the album.
This album had all the makings of something I'd despise going in. Stupid name for a band, album title that seems to be making fun of album titles for no reason, Britpop...not great. And then the album started out hot. And then quickly became what I thought I would hate about it. The music just becomes so uninteresting so fast. Favorite track: Faron Young
They should have taken themselves more seriously. I think their silly band name and their 'quirky' biggest hit (King of Rock n Roll - not on this album) ultimately made them seem like a gimmick and detracted from their talents. I'm pleasantly surprised by this album.
Poor kinda biring 80s vibe man
Best left in the 80's bargain bin. Where it pretty much started started.
Dull, but not horrible.
I quite like the first half (well, maybe third) of the album. Feels dated, but in a strangely nostalgic way. 2.5
very cool
A more fey Smiths? Nah.
Suuuuuuucks
"Steve McQueen" was a commercial success, reaching number 21 on the UK Albums Chart, and it remains one of Prefab Sprout's most beloved works. From the opening track "Faron Young" to the closing ballad "Horsin' Around", "Steve McQueen" is a very good album that never fails to keep you invested. The album's standout track, "When Love Breaks Down", is a beautiful love song that features lead singer Paddy McAloon's warm and emotive vocals. The vocal set is indeed a very big highlight whilst listening to this. The album's production is also very good, with a mix of acoustic and electronic instrumentation that creates a unique sound. The songs are cleverly crafted and lyrically rich, with themes that range from love and heartbreak to Hollywood glamour and existentialism. It’s a beautiful record that I heavily recommend you check out.
Meh
This was just a classic 80s sound. I liked it and it was a good length. I don’t think there was anything so incredible about it but it was good.
The UK version of Crowded House? Not a critique; just the immediate and impression after the first few songs. update: more like Crowded House crashes Joe Jackson's recording session. Combining the wiki quotes from press reviews combined with it being firmly planted in the mid-80s i'm actually surprised it doesn't sound *more* mid-80s than it does. Sure, the music fits the era to a T but other aspects of it sound a little more pleasing (i.e. less-dated) to me (keyboard sounds being a notable exception). Overall it's nothing chill-inducing or otherwise mesmerizing for me; it was a pleasant-enough listen and does make me sit back and think of an era of crowded malls, video games, and riding bikes in overly bright clothing; nostalgic value alone though didn't boost it enough - I'd have no trouble listening to it again but not something that'll really stick with me. Having had a vague memory of their existence, I suspect I'll have the same thought if I hear the name again years from now. 5/10 2+ stars.
Interesting enjoyed it.
Started promising with a couple of decent tracks but loses momentum shortly thereafter thanks to thin production, obnoxious horns and piercing keyboards that many 80s albums are guilty of. I don't remember this band even though I'm an 80s child. They didn't make a mark in my home and native land (🇨🇦) and I do tend to mark bands I remember from that time a bit higher. Still, meh.
"Faron Young", " Appetite", "When Love Breaks Down", "Desire As" and "Blueberry Pies" are essentially good songs, in spite of their dated sophisti-pop instrumentation (some of it aged well, and other parts did not). Yet the trouble is that the rest, more than half of the tracks, actually, is a borefest. And the production values are not the only thing to blame here. The middle part of the record, especially, is a slog. The only thing I can remember well from it is that "Goodbye Lucille/Oh Johnny, Johnny" nonsense, but frankly I wish I could have forgotten that. An interesting anecdote: just like for Lemonheads' *It's A Shame About Ray*, recent reissues of this album come with an acoustic, "Unplugged-like" session with the band playing the most memorable tunes of this record. *It's A Shame About Ray* was pestered with a clicheed nineties sound, and *Steve McQueen* is plagued by the same sort of thing, but this time from the eighties. I take those types of addition as a confession: "Hey, now we know the production of our supposed 'magnum opus' sucks balls... So here's what it could have felt like in a better world". Interestingly, the acoustic versions only confirmed what I thought of each of the individual songs. And believe me: even played on an acoustic guitar, "Goodbye Lucille #1" still sucks. 2/5. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: a little less than 600, I've temporarily lost count here Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: approximately a half so far Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: a quarter Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): the last quarter (including this one)
Meh.
Charmingly crafted pop songs, Prefab Sprout have a gentle way about them but less admirable for it.
Had never head of this band or any of their songs and found myself pretty pleasantly surprised. Bonny is an immediate standout and has been stuck in my head all day. A good lazy Sunday album to put on. 3.5/5
Mild, mellow, non-offensive, and almost entirely forgettable pop. A bit like Crowded House but without their quality tunes.
Sassy and clever lyrics. Some interesting sounds. A fun album of its time
I don't know why, but I've never listened to Prefab Sprout until now. I may have had a preconceived opinion of the band without hearing them thinking they were another boring Brit-Pop band. From the first track until the end I was pleasantly surprised they sounded good and I ended up enjoying the album. A solid record that isn't stuck in one genre or style and overall a fun and interesting listen. On the bonus disc, I appreciated the acoustic versions of the songs that really showcase the strength of the songwriting.
Very nice listen. First time for this album and this artist, really good sound to the whole thing. Very solid album all around! Probably will check out others like this!
This album is so 80s, I half expected to see Marty McFly skateboarding down the street while listening to it. From the synth-heavy pop beats to the heartfelt lyrics, "Steve McQueen" is a true gem of the decade that brought us shoulder pads and big hair. And let's not forget the album cover, which features the band in the 80s, trying to look like they're in the 50s – could it be any more 80s? But don't let the nostalgia fool you – this album holds up today. The catchy hooks and infectious melodies are just as irresistible now as they were back then. So if you're looking for a dose of 80s goodness, "Steve McQueen" is the album for you. It's so 80s, you might even start to miss the mullet you had in high school. But hey, at least you'll have some killer tunes to go with it.
This was interesting. I kind of liked it but it wasn't love
Yes
The first 5 songs gave me the impression that one might consider this either criminally underrated or possibly the greatest album of all-time. And then the rest of the album drives that Steve McQueen motorcycle right off a cliff. It's sort of like Steve McQueen's film career now that I think about it. McQueen certainly wouldn't have bothered with a song about Blueberry Pies. Bonus points, I guess, for front loading the album with solid bangers. Good to see Thomas Dolby appear on this list, albeit as a producer.
Guitar-driven 90s pop, nothing too notable
I had not heard this band before. I see that they were never big in the US (which doesn't mean necessarily mean anything). But this is good pop/rock. Especially given the state of pop and rock in the mid-'80s. It was pretty abysmal, with the music either being too poppy (Paula Abdul??) or the rock was mostly big hair bands. This is good stuff. Based 100% on sound, I'd only give it 3.5, but that's just because there's now a lot more music like this, but given when it came out, it's four stars.
Me encantó, pero, por alguna razón, cuando lo digo "no me la creo". Lo disfruto mucho, pero al mismo tiempo no lo "siento". Es muy difícil describir lo que siento por este álbum y, aunque me gustaría poder decir que eso es bueno, me hace sufrir por hacerme dudar. A pesar de esto, cuando lo analizo, tiene todo lo que quisiera en un álbum, por eso le doy 4 incluso si no puedo apreciarlo como me gustaría
Good album
Didn't know this band and this album came as a nice surprise. Album has it's ups and downs, but overall quite fun with some surprising elements
Decent but utterly forgettable 80s pop.
Pretty enjoyable album (3.5/5)
Mostly very mediocre but never annoying to listen to.
Took me a few listens to appreciate it. Sounds a bit like the Style Council, kinda nice
первый раз слышу про таких ребят, но милый альбом. можно потом даже проверить ещё
Pop pop pop
Had five 2 star albums in a row so I really needed this. lovely.
Boring
3/5. Okay this was pretty fun. Airy and jazzy with some rock. Might spin again, it would nice to listen to all the way through again.
Not really sure where I come out on this one. Impression before listening was based on name, album cover and Wikipedia article showing UK post-pop...not a good mix. Did not get what I expected when I hit 'play'. The first two songs were quite good and I thought this might be a favorite new album. But the rest didn't continue in the same vein. Not bad, and it stayed quite musical, but it didn't keep a hold on me either. Good album overall and glad I got to listen to it. 1 - bad 2 - average 3 - good 4 - great 5 - outstanding
Until the back half, I was really sold on this album. Very unique and classic sounding. Would replay
Not a genre of music I often seek out, but when I do it's always a pleasant listen. Never heard of this band before, but thoroughly enjoyed my time discovering them.
After the first song I was excited but it lost me for most of the rest of the album. That first track was great, it felt like 4 songs all fighting each other in the best way. I enjoyed very little of the rest. I did enjoy the criminally sparse reverb-y synth in the background of a few tracks that sounds like 80s Vangelis, like think Blade Runner soundtrack when it plays the oddly nostalgic light airy synth lines. Desire As has very pleasant synth tones throughout but unfortunately I didn't enjoy how the actual song was put together. The jazzy rhythm of Horsin' Around was pretty neat. Favorite tracks: Faron Young, Horsin' Around Least favorite track: Blueberry Pies
overall quite pleasant
Ultimate 80s radio meets...even more ultimate 80s? This album provides everything good that eighties has to offer, which is not much. Synth beats, very soft rock, annoyingly soft and tender vocal, and nothing that stands out. The first song had some potential, "Faron Young", with a more lively disco beat, that was very entertaining and bringing some energy to the table. There is one "but", a big one at that - "Steve McQueen" peaked at that song, and the further you crawled along, the more miserable you got. I definitely think that 80s music is (especially this from UK) is over-represented on this list. Maybe you should pick up few album, to show what a waste of time that was and then just move on? Well, on to the next one, can't wait to see which British post-punk album it will be...
a little too poppy for my liking
It’s alright 80’s pop, but it doesn’t deserve to have 5 minute songs on it for being so simple. Some alright hooks though.
4.0
This was a happy discovery. I had never heard this group, but I quite liked the vibes of each song and the interesting lyrics. It wasn't a surprise that Thomas Dolby was involved with this album, because he was always a favorite of mine back in the day.
I found this album rather boring.
Liked it better the second time through. Listening on headphones revealed layers that weren't obvious on speakers. Feels like it would benefit from repeated exposure.
I really enjoyed this - it was a lot of fun! Some really good playing going on, some pretty catchy lyrics.
A little boring if I'm honest
2.5
I guess it was kinda relaxing but I have nothing else to say
Nooo this was so bad 1/5
Oh my, this was dreadful. Really, really painful. It was like the worst form of elevator music imaginable.
I’m getting mid 80s British garage band and I’m not particularly a fan of that. It isn’t exciting or new, but nothing particularly wrong here. I didn’t enjoy it. 3/5
Meh. Very shiny and expensively produced, a few clever lines, but mostly just generic 80s bland nonsense.
ok
boring
Great stuff
Ei ollut hassumpi kasarilevy! 3/5
Tykkään etenkin alkupuoliskosta, kiva tyyli. Ehkä hieman loppuu veto lopussa, niin jää nelonen antamatta.
Aika geneerinen poppis-levy, ei napannu erityisesti. 2/5
I don't even know how to describe this album, genre wise. Is it New Wave, is it soft rock, is it 90s alt rock? All of the above maybe?
Never heard of this band before, and I was a little skeptical that I would enjoy it after seeing the decade and type of music that it was. I hate hate 1980's pop/new wave with a passion, BUT this album was a huge surprise. I thoroughly enjoyed it song to song, there wasn't really one that I didn't like. Ok Prefab Sprout, ok.
Perfectly palatable 80s synthy pop, nothing more, nothing less for me
7/10 - Nice background music
This is a decent 80s album that has some signs of contemporary stylings but also is lackluster with typical 80s pop sounds. The first half of this album is pretty solid. Bonny and appetite are nicely made songs. The second half of the album is whiny 80s pop that doesn’t hold up. If this album was as good in the second half as the first it would be much more memorable. Overall some has replay value and it’s good. 6.5/10
Zzzzz
Best Song: Goodbye Lucille #1. The opening guitar sequence was really pleasant. Rest of the song was just okay. Worst Song: Horsin' Around. Sounds like a rejected soundtrack for the in-universe sitcom from Bojack Horseman. Overall: Another day, another boring British band. I like a pop band that uses sad and melancholy lyrics like those found here, but I still need the music to be more interesting.
I like it but not enough to buy it.
Maybe I just don't get it, but this album sucked ass and was super boring. Blegh.
A lot of decent, easy-listening 80s pop song. No real stand outs but I enjoyed Bonny, Appetite, Desire As. Overall, their sound grew on me but after ending up on an the extended version on Spotify I really prefer their acoustic versions at the end to the original tracks. 3.0
Thoughtful, non cheesy ⁸⁰s pop
File under "where did they have to go to dig this one up from". At its time, the album brought a couple of minor hits that were played a bit on the radio, but there should be light years between that and being anything to die from...
7/10
Some great moments but overall found it quite bland. (Though that may be the result of having Prefab Sprout and Captain Beefhart mixed up in my head.)
Many of the albums I end up giving five stars find the perfect balance between two contrary drivers in the artist. And so it is here: the pop rush and classic songwriting chops on one side, the witty wordplay, clever time signatures and chords on the other. Side one is one of the strongest side ones of any album in the eighties and it's a crime that When Loves Breaks Down wasn't number one: the record company clearly thought so too as they kept re-releasing it every ten minutes with another free single. No 25 with a bullet and since covered by the Zombies, Snow Patrol and Lisa Stansfield who clearly all know a classic when they hear it. they'd get the big hits on the next album, slightly too much pop rush and not enough of the grit in the oyster.
Oh look! 80s Post Punk / New Wave!!!!!! From England!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This album asks the very brave and original question: what if music were boring and kind of bad? The answer may surprise you. Shout out the most cringe-inducing British band name ever
Every song is interesting! The lyrics are interesting on every song though occasionally stretched to make a rhyme work. I had never heard any of the songs on the album. Very 80s synth but in the best way. So much variation in instrumentation! I LOVE this album! My favorite song was Horsing Around mostly because of the brass
This is so so good! BONNY DON'T LIVE AT HOME
Brilliant album.
Not good, this is more evidence that 1985 may very well be the worst year in music
Majestic pop. Clever, erudite, smooth and catchy. Like Steely Dan through a UK 80s wine bar with a disco floor.
My husbands thinks it is 5 star. I don’t.
A great find. Every song enjoyable 80 British pop that I actually enjoyed.
It starts well, but at the end, it's just a standard pop-rock song from the '80s. Nothing else.
Still feeels like I could copy paste many of my ratings, summary: it's alright
Quite good, aggressively 80s. I didn't feel this when listening for the first time so I gave it another listen just before rating it and getting my next album. Second time around, sitting down on a gloomy Sunday and listening with proper headphones instead of a bad car stereo, I really appreciated this a lot more. Well written and instrumented for sure. Still not massively my thing but I appreciate it. Favourite: Faron Young
kinda forgot how much I LOVED this album
This is bad. It has some of the 80s tone to it but it isn't good. Thankfully it is only 45 minutes but it is not memorable. It is not the worst album on this list but it is not a 2.
a bit fifi
It's probably among the most pristinely produced records out there - so crystalline it actually stands out - however while it starts strong in a new-wave-y kind of way, it tapers out to Steely Dan-esque proggish ballads pretty quickly. It really starts losing it's steam by the 5th song and it feels like it's never going to end... meh
One hit wonders who I'd never heard of. Nice enough music, just doesn't excite me at all. 2.8
Moments on the verge of greatness, but mostly an album full of misses and a little too much cheese. Synths are dated and the cadences and changeups are a little bouncy.
For British 80's music, this was almost tolerable. I didn't mind the vocals as much as the extreme 80's synth. Regardless, if you miss the 80's and enjoy randomly buying vintage / quirky things from the thrift store, this album is for you.
I really wanted to like this. I just didn’t.
I’m gonna attempt to dissect and figure out the meaning of the name Prefab Sprout without any Googling. Prefab usually means prefabricated - a construction thing. Though what if it's pre-fab, and fab alone more commonly is short for fabulous. A sprout is when a plant starts shooting up. Or a brussel sprout. It was also a TV channel aimed at preschoolers a while back. But I don’t think an English band from the 80s named themselves after a 21st century kids channel. So I’m gonna go with a plant sprout that isn’t fabulous yet. So they’re The Seeds? They made an album called “Steve McQueen.” Steve McQueen was not pre-fab - he was pretty fabulous. The first two songs I’d consider pre-fab, and I was getting my hopes up, but then things got a little too fabulous for me. I prefer the Sprouts (or the Seeds) to be a little less typical 80s fabulous.
I like the first song. The rest of the album didn't quite live up to it for me but it was fine.
For the first half of the album I thought Steve McQueen (“The actor!” I can hear Doc exclaim to Marty) was singing. Then I read the Wikipedia page and realized it was Steve McQueen the album and not the actor. Ah ha! This album sounds nice with a hint of the 80s. Hallelujah is a drag though. Overall this is an album worth listening to.
Side B lets the album down but some brilliants tracks on side A
The songs sound a lot like something they would play today in 2022. The songs are all enjoyable and easy to listen to. I was hesitant to listen to this album cause I thought it wouldn’t be something I like but it’s really good I’m glad I listened to this.
I like this album a lot, but it does start to drag toward the end. Great jazzy pop sound though!
An enjoyable and upbeat album
Steve McQueen is an interesting mix of pop, rock and jazz - pretty much new-wave without being entirely new-wave if that makes any sort of sense. Prefab Sprout are able to bring together ideas and themes of the joys, fears and disappointments of love. Best: When Love Breaks Down Worst: Blueberry Pies
This is ADVANCED elevator music. This is elevator music for that elevator that takes you to the elevator dimension, where people speak in riddles and the sky is green and it rains sideways. Just to be clear, those are words of praise.
If I want synthy 80s pop, I want it to be loud and proud! This gives me a feeling like garlic skin sticking to you all floaty and annoying. It's kind of half arsed never quite lets you climax or never gives 100% which is insanely irritating haha. I hate albums that are this long almost exclusively unless I really love all the songs. An irritating experience. Also just to counter a lot of reviews I've seen on here, I am British and I do not get this!
Well I'm not sure at all about that. Have Elvis Costello vibes.. did not enjoy
I didn't mind this. Not what I expected at all. Feel like Prefab Sprout are a band I've always known of but not sure I'd ever listened properly. I found it fine in places but overall a bit forgettable.
It wasn't for me.
Pop ochentero. Un 2.
Conocía When Love Breaks Down.
Fun pop
Prefab Sprout are a very me kind of band bit I've never got much further than the greatest hits. I know this record is lauded and I've listened quite a few times over the years, without loving it. It's good, but not as great as I hoped. Underlined by the fact that despite listening several times again the best song is on the greatest hits: when love breaks down.
I had never heard this album before - I liked it, and I feel like I could grow to like it quite well. Breezy, stylish, 80s Brit-pop with sophisticated instrumentation (a little disco/jazzy). I liked Bonnie and When Love Breaks Down. I agree with other commenters that the album cover doesn't fit the vibe of the music at all. 3/5
Lame, boring 80s pop. The author of this list seems to favour this type of music for some unfathomable reason.
Nothing spectacular, I would say, but a nice collection of easy-to-listen-to poppy rock.
This album is bad. There are two songs at the end that pass some sort of bizarre magic test of muzak pondering. They were fun for some reason. Other than that, the only thing that this album has going for it is the name of the band. Why prefab sprout? Of all names you could name a band, why?
Surprisingly good album and kinda of sounds like Culture Club at times. "Bonny" was my favorite on the album. 7/10.
Some interesting songs on this album. I wouldnt say any of them stood out to me but none of them were bad or anything. This record didnt stand out to me for any reason. 4/10
Started out strong enough with Bonny, Appetite, and When Love Breaks Down, but it feels like they got lazy halfway through the record and only regained their energy in time for When the Angels. This is a 1980s prom album, the only problem is that the students would have started heading home after track 6 because the music suddenly became boring. At its best, it's bright, ✨ shimmering ✨, and very 80s. All in all though, very middle of the road.
Has there ever been another brilliant lyricist so badly let down by their music? This is a lyrically wonderful album, but with the exception of Desire Is, it has no memorable or above mediocre tunes on it. I know, both from Desire Is and their big hot (not from this album) that they can actually write a song, rather than brilliant lyrics and a passable backing, so it is a disappointment. The production is also horribly dated - I suspect it would even have sounded dated by 1990. A missed opportunity.
Interesting vibes, slower and calmer than pop and kind of dreamy.
When I saw the band name I was hoping this was the album with King of Rock and Roll. Nice solid album, hard for me to see why it's on this list, but judging from other reviews it seems like it's hitting a lot of people right in the nostalgia.
This album was obviously meant for the 1001 insipid albums list. They almost grabbed my attention on Goodbye Lucille which built up to a chorus where the singer started putting in a bit of feeling. Then back to the humdrum verse. Then they really crushed my interest with the next song, followed by the next ad nauseum. I didn't know them. They were only successful in the UK which really tells the story. Lots of great British music hit our charts during the 2nd invasion (I'm Australian) but this stuff has nothing of interest. Horsin' Around is the final nail in the coffin. This album may end up with only one star. Yep. One star. It went from insipid to annoyingly twee.
3.5 jazzypop
Delightful 80s sound. Clean and well mixed
Love this sound. Ideally a 4.5
Fantastic
Jazz sprinkles.
Yuck. Basically 80’s crap pop. This has everything I hate about 80’s music. Synthesizers, cheesy lead vocals, cheesy backup vocals, piano rhythms. Way too much emphasis on lousy singers and no real music behind it. Hated it.
A bit one-key and forgettable. Middle of the road 80s pop that avoids some bad 80s stuff but I can't comprehend how this is a must-listen, it's so beige. 2/5.
The album art has them doing their best to look hard, but it's a pretty twee, janky, pop rock album that doesn't offer an awful lot. Think the Lightning Seeds or The Magic Numbers but with a bit less oomph. Synths sound very dated, it's all a bit cheesy. Will gladly never listen to a song from this album again. Not painful on the ears though, so it squeaks a 2.
Never heard of these guys before... but not too bad, actually. I'm kinda getting an old Crowded House vibe listening to this - probably in the vocals and pop structure of the music... might also be the cheese-factor. Dunno? Still, pretty good. Might give it another listen down the track. Stand out tracks: Bonny, When Love Breaks Down.
Liked it. Listened on my head phones and thought it was well recorded. Liked the bass player a lot.
80s new wave pop with a nice twist; very enjoyable listen Thomas Dolby stellar production Enjoyed the sways in subj material (infidelity in horsin around, lust in appetite, regret in Bonny); liked the album a lot
Meh. 3/5
just sort of passed me by though can't say anything bad either
C’etait pas mauvais, mais rien qui ma surpris. J’ai tout de meme aime. Je n’avais pas beaucoup d’attente. 3
It was fine.
fabulous example of 80s pop. definitely will listen to the songs on this album for a long while! highlights: bonny, appetite, when love breaks down, hallelujah, when the angels
This was a nice listen. Had a uniqueness to it.
I'm not saying it was a bad album but it was very much setting the tone for the 80s.
I feel like Wiki describing this as a “pop” record is misleading, it’s both more interesting and less accessible. It’s one of the more unique albums I’ve heard so far, I’ll probably like it more over time. Highlights: “When Love Breaks Down”, “Desire As”, “Goodbye Lucille #1”
Christ. Fagan flashbacks. I almost called it at track three but persevered. Not rewarded.
Love this album. Only low point for me is the opener 'Faron Young'! I guess it's more in that Smiths 80s rockabilly style and the structure and lyrics are pretty straightforward so that's why they made it a single.
Good enough 80’s album but didn’t do too much for me really.
Ovo je kultni album ali ga iz nekog razloga nisam slušao😄
A perfectly fine album of perfectly good songs, plenty of originality too, but.. it just doesn't get me excited in any way.
Very good pop album actually, definitely see what Destroyer was going for 👍
Nothing special
I can’t believe I made it through the eighties without ever hearing of this band. Not really a big fan of this style but I guess I can’t understand why they weren’t more popular. The second half sort of peters out but the first half is full of songs that I could see being hits.
It's just bland, middle-of-the-road, milquetoast, vanilla, 80s pop. There's nothing of note or substance here and its inclusion on the list is utterly baffling.
Outra banda que eu nunca tinha ouvido falar. Achei legalzinha. Melhor música: Bonny
1985, британцы, ненавязчивый поп / поп-рок. Второй альбом. Меланхолично, но не грустно. Легко, ненапряжно, но в целом скучно. Лучшие трек - заглавный бодрый Faron Young.
This album was a solid 80s pop and new wave album. I noticed tinges of country in the backbeat in several places. The production by Thomas Dolby, is incredibly layered and brings out the idiosyncrasies in the songwriting.
Never had heard of this bad but liked fairly well. Really polished sounding pop. 3/5
hidden gem. loved it and had never heard of the band before
When love breaks down is head and shoulders above the rest of the album. One hit wonder. A pleasant sound, all very very stylish but very much of its time.
bit pedestrian for my zingy zappy contemporary tastes
The 1980's really had a distinct sound, the sound of synth. The noticeable echo/reverb of lead vocals, the question of which instruments were real, which ones were not? Such a conflict of a decade musically. The people that grew up as children in the 80s have fond memories of the decade as more of a nostalgic thing, but if the argument is that the 80s should be taken seriously, the sentiment may change quite a bit as the line from nostalgic and simple is very thin between embarrassing and glad-its-over. "Steve McQueen" however seems to retain some actual band members playing actual instruments or at least sound like they are. Sure, the synth is ever-present, but serving as a backdrop to acoustic guitar strums, seemingly real sounding drums, and a bass. As the album progresses, this promise seems to dissipate and start to sound mostly electronic. The undeniably clean, and super-polished sound of the decade seeps through and reminders of why this decade remains difficult to take seriously come in. Objectively, the vocals are actually pretty great, the structure of the songs are very vanilla yet executed well, but maybe a little too well. If there is anything the 80s synth-pop movement tended to lack as history looks back on it, is authenticity. The technological revolution that permeated entertainment made artificiality the thing to do, but humans thankfully grew out of that phase and went back to something a bit more raw, and unpolished.
You look at the album see it’s cover and year and immediately want to give it a 1/5 however that would be serving a huge injustice… Firstly I really dig this albums vibe. It’s kinda cheesy but it’s also intelligent. Like new wave with a jazz flavour. Almost in the general area of music as the style council but actually good. It has a very strong first half and I’ll always stand by the fact that Faron Young in particular is such a cool song (though it’s very different from the rest of the tracklist). And that appetite is a perfect pop song. But this album is one of the only albums more front loaded than hot fuss by the killers. Sure side 2 has good tracks like horsin around and when the angels but I don’t think anyone could make the argument that desire as and blueberry pies are the same level of quality as Bonnie or when love breaks down. Also unrelated to the album I think the lead singer will become Santa. 4/5
What kind of shit joke is this? Prefab sprout without the hotdog jumping frog song? Who knew they were a serious outfit, I though they were just the 80s version of las ketchup. Should have stuck to novelty.
A wise man once told me to eat all my sprouts or my dick would rot off. I didn't believe him. By age 14 all I had left was a rusty, festering wound where my dong should have been. My predicament forced me to construct a new cock out of an old dildo and newspaper. It was a disaster.
No hotdog jumping frog, so...erm, no.
I'm a sucker for well crafted 1980s pop but this really didn't grab me. They've welded the earnestness of 1980s Smiths era indie to a big pop sound and in the process seem to have forgotten that pop is supposed to be fun. Google tells me this is sophisti-pop. I've never heard of sophisti-pop but the name seems to fit. I bet Patrick Bateman was a fan. Although FYI guys, there's nothing "sophisti" about the name Prefab Sprout. Dreadful, dreadful name that.
Lätt att lyssna på, lika lätt att glömma. Helt OK!
Hat mir unterm Strich gefallen. Befürchtet hatte ich die nächste Platte einer uninspirierten britischen Band, wie sie zuhauf in dieser Liste zu finden sind. Ein für die 80er ungewöhnliches Album, auch wenn es nach den 80ern klingt. Hatte von der Band vorher noch nie gehört.
Jesus, that is one British album cover. Aaaaaaand it's a mix of new wave and pub rock/pop - exactly as expected. Fairly listenable in an inoffensive way, but I lost interest towards the end. 3/5.
I have always admired Paddy McAloon as a songwriter. The 80s frequently get a bad rap musically. While I have a lot of issues with a lot of the production (overproduction) in the 80s, there is a great deal of good songcraft to come from that decade. For fans of sophisticated pop, Prefab Sprout’s Steve McQueen is near the top of that list. With obvious tips of the hat to Pasul McCartney and Elvis Costello, with some additional jazz-pop elements thrown in, Steve McQueen is a great listen from start to finish.
Honestly not sure what criteria qualifies this album or band for this list. To me this is a far less good version of The Style Council or Spandaux Ballet. Nothing interesting. Not bad, just bland.
A nice if unexceptional record. I’d never heard of this group before, but this further confirms my theory that this list is mostly made by white British critics in their forties and fifties picking their favorite stuff rather than trying to get a list of the most important albums of the modern era. Bony was my favorite tack, it had great production and a nice little melody, as was when love breaks down. Maybe I should have known about this group and missing something?
Definite vibes from this one.
Wow that was truly miserable, I have no idea how anyone could connect with this: music is the driest, most unsoulful pop goop imaginable, the lyrics are weird, and the whole thing has a locked in a dark closet humming to himself vibe.
Good
For some reason me and my friend Tara, the guitar player in our jazz band, got ahold of this album back in the day. We were in the most whitebread suburban part of middle America but we sure dug Prefab Sprout. Made our own t-shirts using my brand new Macintosh. Being in high school in the 80's was pretty much the best .
First one of these new wave albums I finished in a while. OK GO vibes at spots.
började som en fyra men föll lite platt mot slutet. dom fyra första låtarna är kanon
Like a really bad and down tempo version of The Housemartins.
Eh. I like my 80s albums with a little more grit. This is a bit to bright and pop-y for me. Not unlistenable, but not my thing.
2.5
Hi- Faron Young, Hallelujah I first heard of Prefab Sprout from a book, either Fast Sofa or something by Douglas Coupland...I thought it was a made up name, but I guess not! Faron Young is bouncy rockabilly, reminding me of Talking Heads. I was hoping there would be more of this...instead the rest of the album is mostly ballads like Roxy Music. It's not unpleasant, probably just not what I expected.
Fínasta plata. Dettur aðeins niður í seinni helming.
4-, unique style, I like it
Very well produced for 1985, almost sounds like the music wants to jump out of the speakers. (6/10) FT: Bonny, When Love Breaks Down
Can’t do the English Beat, etc
This didn't make a huge splash in the US, but it was a vital piece of 1980's college radio. It's among the best Side A to be found, with solid tracks back-to-back. This re-listen gave me a reason to revisit why I never "flip over the record", and was reminded that the second side is considerably less consistent. However, the rush of Faron, Bonny, Appetite, When Love Breaks Down, and Goodbye Lucille #1 more than justifies a solid rating. I'd give it 9 our of ten, but will round up for sheer nostalgia value and Thomas Dolby's production.
I LOVED this
Not for me
Some 80s VH1 vibes
Actual pretty solid
Muito bom.
Easy to listen to, while nothing earth shattering. 3
Knew the band and the singles but had never listened to the album before. First half definitely better than expected, though the album definitely tails off on the second side.
Steve McQueen didn't really jump the fence.
for relax on retail park rally
I love this album so much, I've become so obsessed in such little time. It's just that good. The first 5 songs.... just hit after hit for me. Highlights: Faron Young, Bonny, Appetite, When Love Breaks Down, Goodbye Lucille #1, Hallelujah
Likable and sweet. Needs more spinns.
I'm really perplexed by this album. At first, the coffee shop hipster vibe really turned me off. I've now listened to this album four times. It's uniqueness has me coming back and trying to figure out what's so special. I have to live with this one before I can truly give it a honest rating. But, for now...
What at first sounds like a typical 80s pop record is actually full of long, complex songs and excellent lyrics. Styles don't change, but shift, from track to track and the music explores a lot of sonic ground.
Beautiful album, easily the best of Prefab Sprout