Needle Time

  Prefab Sprout - From Langley Park To Memphis [KWLP9 UK 1988 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] Following the dizzy pop stardom found on the Steve McQueen album, make that Two Wheels Good if living in the USA, Paddy McAloon came under pressure from CBS to deliver another hit album, so he gave them the demo-like Protest Songs album. CBS were unimpressed so enforced a delay whilst McAloon returned top the studio with a host of producers, and a little bit of help from Stevie Wonder & Pete Townshend to write more radio friendly pop songs. From Langley Park To Memphis was the result and whilst brimming with commercial Sprout-pop, it could only deliver one hit single,  The King Of Rock'N'Roll . It still surprises me today that Hey Manhattan and Cars And Girls failed to breach the upper UK charts as they should both be considered Sprout standards these days - this album also featured another single which bombed, but remains one of my favourite McAloon penned tunes, The Golden Calf . A1...

  Prefab Sprout - Swoon [KWLP 1 UK 1984 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] Last ripped in 2014 and featured on ESWA for just two weeks, I thought now would be a good time to revisit this album, there have also been one or two re-rip requests, so this is for all those who requested a re-rip. I bought Swoon on the back of a couple of the early singles in 1983 & 1984 and have loved it ever since. Prefab Sprout's debut LP has been much overlooked since the fame which followed the hit album's Steve McQueen and From Langley Park To Memphis , but I still believe it's their finest work.  Swoon is a charming collection of clever semi-acoustic pop songs underpinned by two McAloon classics Cruel and Couldn't Bear To Be Special , the opening single Don't Sing is pretty fine as well and sets the scene well for the Sprouts' early incarnation of twee indie-pop.  This is a very well recorded & produced album by Paddy McAloon & David Brewis, this is an original UK pressing o...

Prefab Sprout - The Devil Has All The Best Tunes [SK 7 UK 1983 24-Bit FLAC] Another quick peek into the seven inch singles box uncovers the second single by Prefab Sprout - which is another of those which I have never ripped properly - until now. The creative genius of Paddy McAloon should always be celebrated, back in 1983 he had gotten over his girlfriend disappearing off to Limoges and turned to the devil for one his finest tunes. The flipside Walk On , remains a personal favourite to this day. A1 The Devil Has All The Best Tunes B1 Walk On

Prefab Sprout - Lions In My Own Garden (Exit Someone) [SK 4 UK 1983 24-Bit FLAC] Another old single which needs a new rip ....it was 2011 when I last ripped  Lions In My Own Garden (Exit Someone) for ESWA. There are various versions of this release - my copy is the Rough Trade distributed Kitchenware version, pressed from the same plates as the first release as on Candle Records in 1982. The crossed out matrix is the clue here - my copy also comes in the thicker glossy card sleeve. The dictionary definition of twee is excessively sentimental, sweet or pretty. In music, the term was given to the sickly sweet indie-pop bands which grew out of the C86 scene, especially those associated with the Sarah Records label. Like most genres in music, it was given after the fact,especially as the twee scene was done and dusted long before our obsession with tagging. I'm sure the term twee came from our friends across the pond, because we Brits would have tagged them differently. So...

Prefab Sprout - Swoon [KWLP 1 UK 1984 24-Bit FLAC] Another new 24-bit rip of an old favourite for 2020 from an original CBS 1984 flimsy pressing which I believe sounds really rather good. It is certainly a major upgrade on my rip of the very same album on ESWA from January 2014. I bought Swoon on the back of a couple early indie singles and have loved it ever since. Prefab Sprout's debut LP has been much overlooked since the fame which followed the hit album's Steve McQueen and From Langley Park To Memphis , but I still believe it's their finest work.  Swoon is a charming collection of clever semi-acoustic pop songs underpinned by two McAloon classics Cruel and Couldn't Bear To Be Special , the opening single Don't Sing is pretty fine but doesn't come close to the Sprouts' early incarnation of twee pop.  Great record ....enjoy! A1 Don't Sing A2 Cue Fanfare A3 Green Isaac I A4 Here On The Eerie A5 Cruel B1 Couldn'...