In 1984, I met a nice Australian girl and I bought her a copy of "Swoon" by Prefab Sprout. This year we have been married for 39 years. "Steve McQueen" is a perfect pop album. The 1980s was not too bad for perfect pop albums. 1982 - ABC - The Lexicon of Love 1984 - The Blue Nile - A Walk Across the Rooftops 1984 - Lloyd Cole and the Commotions - Rattlesnakes 1985 - Scritti Politti - Cupid & Psyche 85 etc
Quiet rightly acknowledged as a great album. When Love Breaks Down a standout track from the 1980s. Still sounds wonderful today. Thanks for reviewing.
Paddy McAloon is such a smart, perfect and woefully undersung pop songwriter. So many great tunes. The fourth album Jordan: The Comeback is very much worth a deep dive.
First, I’m just shocked that Andrew has never heard them! But it just may be that it is my age that is disturbing me. As pure, perfect, pop, Pre Fab Sprout, and this album in particular, stood front and center in the 80s. Dare I say a masterpiece? The entire album is (along with Everything But the Girl’s debut) worthy of a desert island short list. Absolutely perfect ear candy that languishes in broken hearts and desperate, unacknowledged gestures of love. McAloon deserves legendary status if only for the lyric: “I’ve got six things on my mind. You’re no longer one of them.” Andrew - listen to more of it.
All of the above, Arlo. It's hard to believe we've been listening to this for 40 years and it still sounds f*ckng exceptional every time. It's impossible to single one track out, because you'll have changed your mind by breakfast. Sublime.
Good band; they were a lot better than KoRnR. "Bonny" is a good County Durham/Tyneside word. My bonny lies over the ocean; Dance for your daddy, my bonny laddy; etc.
Steve McQueen (Two Wheels Good) is one of my favorite albums of the decade. Interestingly enough, our U.S. version of the album used a different take (better) of the song "When Love Breaks Down". I was surprised that the UK album version had echo effects on the lead vocal and other differences - whereas the US version sounded more clean (like the rest of the album). That "Two Wheels Good" mix is the one that was used on both sides of the pond when it was released as a single - as well as all subsequent compilations. Which makes me wonder if someone made a mistake that was not caught until after the 1984 release in the UK. Perhaps you know what happened.
@@theaudiophiles7889 interestingly, since other comments brought the exquisite Rattlesnakes, it’s worth noting that when the album was released in Germany, Forest Fire contained an extended (and to my mind, superior) guitar solo at the end of the song. For years it was only available as an import until Polydor included it as part of a deluxe re-release package. Always baffled by why labels do these things.
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Simply Class band
In 1984, I met a nice Australian girl and I bought her a copy of "Swoon" by Prefab Sprout. This year we have been married for 39 years. "Steve McQueen" is a perfect pop album.
The 1980s was not too bad for perfect pop albums.
1982 - ABC - The Lexicon of Love
1984 - The Blue Nile - A Walk Across the Rooftops
1984 - Lloyd Cole and the Commotions - Rattlesnakes
1985 - Scritti Politti - Cupid & Psyche 85
etc
Thanks David. It was probably only Rattlesnakes that I appreciated at the time.
Cheers, Jon.
Quiet rightly acknowledged as a great album. When Love Breaks Down a standout track from the 1980s. Still sounds wonderful today. Thanks for reviewing.
Sometimes I simply MARVEL at how someone made from the same ingredients as I - flesh, blood, beard -- can create something as heavenly as Bonny.
Paddy McAloon is such a smart, perfect and woefully undersung pop songwriter. So many great tunes. The fourth album Jordan: The Comeback is very much worth a deep dive.
Very lovely! I have known about them for a long time, but I don't know if I have ever heard them.
First, I’m just shocked that Andrew has never heard them! But it just may be that it is my age that is disturbing me. As pure, perfect, pop, Pre Fab Sprout, and this album in particular, stood front and center in the 80s. Dare I say a masterpiece?
The entire album is (along with Everything But the Girl’s debut) worthy of a desert island short list. Absolutely perfect ear candy that languishes in broken hearts and desperate, unacknowledged gestures of love.
McAloon deserves legendary status if only for the lyric:
“I’ve got six things on my mind.
You’re no longer one of them.”
Andrew - listen to more of it.
All of the above, Arlo.
It's hard to believe we've been listening to this for 40 years and it still sounds f*ckng exceptional every time. It's impossible to single one track out, because you'll have changed your mind by breakfast. Sublime.
I remember hearing them on John Peels radio show and bought the album with King of RnR on it, there were some great songs on it.
I've been going through a Prefab patch! It's such a great album!!! But I would have picked 'Desire As" or ' Appetite' or 'When Love Breaks down''
There is a great acoustic version of this album which is worth a listen. You could stay in the Sophistipop world with The Blue Nile.
Save your speeches, flowers are for funerals. . . . genius
Good band; they were a lot better than KoRnR.
"Bonny" is a good County Durham/Tyneside word. My bonny lies over the ocean; Dance for your daddy, my bonny laddy; etc.
Steve McQueen (Two Wheels Good) is one of my favorite albums of the decade. Interestingly enough, our U.S. version of the album used a different take (better) of the song "When Love Breaks Down". I was surprised that the UK album version had echo effects on the lead vocal and other differences - whereas the US version sounded more clean (like the rest of the album). That "Two Wheels Good" mix is the one that was used on both sides of the pond when it was released as a single - as well as all subsequent compilations. Which makes me wonder if someone made a mistake that was not caught until after the 1984 release in the UK. Perhaps you know what happened.
Interesting. Thanks, Joseph - I've never heard the US version. It does make you wonder...
Cheers, Jon.
@@theaudiophiles7889 interestingly, since other comments brought the exquisite Rattlesnakes, it’s worth noting that when the album was released in Germany, Forest Fire contained an extended (and to my mind, superior) guitar solo at the end of the song. For years it was only available as an import until Polydor included it as part of a deluxe re-release package.
Always baffled by why labels do these things.