sure if you get the 100 top music journalists around today and asked them to make a list of their top 50 songs im wlbd wouldnt be in any of them,its fine loving a song but top 50 greatest is a very bold statement.
I’m a very bold man. And I was stating my opinion, not the opinion of these journalists you vaguely refer to. Mainstream music journalists are among the most tired and lazy sods out there, so I’m not too concerned about their opinions.
I’m a very bold man. And I was stating my opinion, not the opinion of these journalists you vaguely refer to. Mainstream music journalists are among the most tired and lazy sods out there, so I’m not too concerned about their opinions.
i would be proud to write as an amputee because it would show that you have overcame a struggle in your life which resulted in the loss of your arm,lets hear it for all amputees around the world on a sunday morning.hail hail.
as for brussel sprouts,they were never really that good and had very few hits.
Re: Zoom From Gloom's vid clip - or whatever it's called - of Moz and the dog. I've often wondered what he's saying; don't know why but I have! I've got two thoughts.
Firstly, "Let's go get us a couple of big, juicy steaks"
Secondly, "I'm thinking of cancelling the Nottingham gig, what do you think?"
Absolutely preposterous and outrageous comparisons. I hope you’re being sarcastic and that you have somewhat better understanding of pop music than this.
Absolutely preposterous and outrageous comparisons. I hope you’re being sarcastic and that you have somewhat better understanding of pop music than this.
The contempt for WLBD is really quite surprising. Those who are the most vocal aren’t “known” for being exactly warm-hearted, of course, but still. It’s a melodic, atmospheric and very English pop song about love gone wrong. It shouldn’t really aggravate Smiths fans.
I truly enjoy his old interviews. He was quick on the reply in an interesting way., no, "ahs" and "ums" and "ya knows".
" '...I seem to have touched a nerve.' 'It's the way you're sitting.' " LOL.
Yeah.
it's just a shame that that erm, wit wasn't balanced by some form of rectitude*.
(I'm saying that because our Paddy, on the other hand, trained for priesthood.)
(*No, Morrissey, not "rectum". That's your obsession, buddy.)
There are some disappointingly generic criticisms on this thread: “fluff”, “elevator music”, etc., nothing about the melodies, lyricism/themes, musicianship/songcraft. It reminds me of when people call The Smiths “depressing”; typically the people saying it know a couple of the band’s hits and never really explored their music beyond that. These read like ‘first impressions’ criticisms to me (even if the ‘first impressions’ were formed decades ago and ended there), and it’s hard to even know what to say about them because I don’t consider descriptions like ‘jazzy’ and ‘breezy’ and ‘cleanly-produced’ to be inherently negative. If I was talking to someone about music and they said to me “I find Prefab Sprout’s songs to be jazzy and breezy”, I’d reply with “I know, they’re great aren’t they?”.
Even “fluff” can be spun in a positive way, there’s room for fluff in music and I like a decent amount of it, I just don’t think it applies to Prefab Sprout because there’s too much depth and self-awareness in their music. Even on the singles that might sound schmaltzy or like ‘fluff’, e.g. ‘Hey Manhattan’ or ‘The King of Rock and Roll’, that’s what they were aiming for; there’s an underlying irony to it but they play it straight. I’d compare it to Morrissey’s self-awareness on songs like ‘Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now’ or ‘Girlfriend In a Coma’. If someone was complaining about those songs sounding drab or depressing, I doubt many Smiths fans would let it pass without telling the person they’re missing the songs’ extra layers.
Paddy McAloon is well aware that he’s from County Durham, I believe his Americana songs were done with a subtle wink which was something missing from Bono’s US inspired songs from the same era. I don’t mind seeing a band eviscerated but at least provide us with something of substance so an honest conversation about their merits or lack thereof can be had. In Aubrey’s case, using some of the same criticisms about Prefab Sprout that he used about Alicia Keys isn’t the best start, since they’re nothing alike. For anyone who knows Prefab Sprout’s music fairly well, there’s a lot more to say about them than one word takedowns.
Paddy McAloon on All Boys Believe Anything/The Ice Maiden:
The Ice Maiden
Standing on the boulevard
You wish to know my name
I'm the Ice Maiden
I think perhaps you like being unhappy
I'm the Ice Maiden
The limit of your dreams
Arctic winds blow and still you believe
Love makes you one of the chosen
Die in the snow
I'll never grieve
So what if tomorrow you're frozen
Death is a small price for heaven
Welcome to the glow of high octane affairs
Esperanto style and blond disheveled hair
Subterranean streams, duckling you're a swan
Infinities of dreams imploding into one
All those nights I dreamt of you
I wonder where they've gone
You're the Ice Maiden
Standing on the boulevard
I've always known your name
You're the Ice Maiden
Let you and I grow frosty together
You're the Ice Maiden
Today you meet your match
Girl when I burn
Hell, nothing's the same
I'll singe your pretty blond lashes
We're talking fire
We're talking flame
We're talking ice into ashes
But death is a small price for heaven
All those nights I dreamt of you
I wonder where they've gone
Girl when I burn
Hell, nothing's the same
I'll singe your pretty blond lashes
We're talking fire
We're talking flame
We're talking ice into ashes
But death is a small price for heaven
Speaking of fluff, nobody can tell me that this song isn’t pretty good!
It’s well crafted, I enjoy it. Sneer all you like!
It’s a shame they didn’t make more ‘serious’ songs, they could have been remembered alongside let’s say The Cardigans from that period as a respectable pop band, instead of remembered alongside The Vengaboys as makers of annoying novelty hits.
In Aubrey’s case, using some of the same criticisms about Prefab Sprout that he used about Alicia Keys isn’t the best start, since they’re nothing alike.
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