Re: Prefab Sprout

[Jon Drukman <jsd@gaffa.MIT.EDU>]

>Really-From: pwh@bradley2.bradley.edu (Pete Hartman)
>In <9011081541.AA16880@gaffa.MIT.EDU> Jon Drukman <jsd@gaffa.MIT.EDU> writes:
>>I really don't like _Swoon_ at all.  And I don't think _Jordan_ sounds
>>like Dream Academy, either.
>
>why not?  I've been considering buying the first two because of all the
>raves I've seen, but if someone whose taste is SO impeccable (right)
>doesn't like them, perhaps I should reconsider.

I dunno, _Swoon_ is very "early 80's" sort of dry, stuttery, quirky 
kind of music.  It seems like they were attempting to do lush songs on
a small budget.  True, _Jordan_ is sometimes overwhelmingly lush, but
I think this is much truer to Paddy's vision of pop art as
reinterpreting the old standard cliches and updating them slightly.

His voice isn't as good on _Swoon_ either.  I know why _Two Wheels
Good_ worked better for me: Thomas Dolby.  I think he and Prefab
Sprout are a match made in Heaven.  Where would we be without the
crazy Fairlight arpeggios on "Appetite"?

The workmanlike production of _Swoon_ leaves me cold, and the songs
just don't grab.  I think _Jordan_ is really the apex of their career,
as an overall product, although there are single songs on _Two Wheels_
and _Langley Park_ that are quite outstanding.

On the other hand, I know a few net.people who swear by Swoon and
claim Jordan is tripe, so you may wish to tread cautiously with my
opinions.

Anyway, good luck finding Swoon - it's import only.  Hard to get.

BTW, the other Prefab Sprout album mentioned was "Protest Songs" and I
think this sort of vanished... I'm not even sure if it ever was
released - I think it was supposed to fit between Swoon and Two Wheels
Good.

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