First, Kitchenware quotes the music press:
NME: "...the most consistent performers of their generation, and yes, better immaculate than never! Loads of class."
Daily Telegraph: "Elvis Costello's closest rival for sheer erudation and musical audacity...Andromeda Heights almost takes the breath away. 'Cynics will marvel,' he sings on the title track. He could be right."
Time Out: "A magical, superbly crafted album from a true master...this is the sound of the stars."
Time Out: Paddy McAloon must've just received a fan letter from God."
Q: "The glamour in Prefab Sprout's music lies in its grooves. The album twinkles with references to stars and electric guitars and positively swoons in a perfumed atmosphere of aldulterous love and high romance."
The Guardian: "The songs are so damned catchy...he's stripped the music down but somehow he wrings just as much from his songs."
MOJO: "'Cynics Will Marvel,' he sings. Here and there, Paddy, I was on my knees!"
Now, it's the fans' turn (ratings and reviews):
When the album came out, I asked fans to rate the tracks on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being best. Here are the results after the first 50 fans responded:
4.16 - Andromeda Heights
4.16 - A Prisoner of the Past
3.94 - Electric Guitars
3.68 - Steal Your Thunder
3.66 - The Mystery of Love
3.64 - Swans
3.62 - The Fifth Horseman
3.46 - Life's a Miracle
3.44 - Anne Marie
3.42 - Weightless
3.38 - Avenue of Stars
3.34 - Whoever You Are
Track mentioned most often as the favorite:
1. Electric Guitars
2. A Prisoner of the Past
3. The Fifth Horseman & Andromeda Heights (tie)
Now here are some detailed reviews by just a few of the many fans who visit my web pages:
All of the songs (with the exception of the opener, Electric Guitars) are all shrouded in mystery - in space, in heaven, as a ghost - but never deliberately on this earth.
The first track, Electric Guitars - an obvious single crying out for the charts - is superb and a great attention-grabber before Prisoner Of The Past (the first single from the album) with was performed with too much make-up and poor miming from Paddy on BBC's Lottery programme on 19 April - hasn't he put weight on his face?
And now the curtains open and with an intro akin to Michael, The Mystery Of Love graces the proscenium arch and declares that "ignorance is bliss", leading into Life's A Miracle - sewing through a religious thread with sweet saxophone links designed to open your mind.
An interlude with Anne Marie (an almost-old flame?) prepares us for the second act which sounds to me that the subject is maybe an angel, compared only on earth by something as angelic and as faithful as a swan. This suite of four songs is the heart of the album - just meant to be blended together. Whoever You Are sounds a bit like Nancy and links nicely into Steal Your Thunder, which is subtly and suitably sax-linked with Avenue Of Stars via a musical introduction/link which itself must have walked across the Milky Way to where departed souls find their way into Heaven. Swans complete this suite and effectively features the cello. This has got to be one of the best songs I have heard from Paddy to date.
The next, Fifth Horseman, is a natural B-side if there ever was one and no surprises for guessing its the Horsemen of the Apocalypse that Paddy's referring to. Almost a Golden Calf Part Two.
And now to the final act where we meet in space with Weightless, where Paddy describes love as feeling like Uri Gagarin, with more sax oozing from his lips and suitable musical introduction to our future together in Andromeda Heights - a celestial home unconfused and unsullied by anything earth like but built from learned ideals, love and respect.
Andromeda Heights is an album which starts and finishes in the stars. Rice and Lloyd-Webber look out!
This album was apparently written and produced in Paddy's home studio, 'Andromeda Heights' - Funny - I thought he's named it 'Rollmo!' Unless, according to Electric Guitars, I'm quoting him out of context - it was great!
I love this album. Period.
Need I say more? Well, yes. You see, it is not without problems. (Love never is.)
The overall impression is: very smooth. Maybe a little too smooth?? Compared to the other albums, it feels a little over-worked, a little like LANGLEY, although it lacks the grand orchestrations. Many songs sound similar to each other, and musically speaking they are very unprefabsproutish. But the VOICE... the TUNES... the LYRICS... ahem. Are the lyrics too corny? Maybe at an initial listening, but even an old cynic like me walks around singing "Tell someone you love them..." -- so it can't be all that bad. To quote an early single: "So lyrically simple..."
My only "severe" criticism are threefold:
NOTE: The asterisks below were graded after an initial listening. The asterisks in brackets were added after subsequent listenings. This album GREW on me!
Everyone talks about the song being about the Beatles. OK. But I think it's about Paddy. The young Paddy, living in Newcastle and dreaming wild... Coming up with a name for a pop group several years before it happened. That's Paddy. Lyrically, the song is a sequel of sorts to "The King of Rock'n'Roll". (And I do love the allitteration "mascara meltdown". Makes me giggle everytime.) I hear that this will be the new single! Great. Just include them rare b-side songs, Paddy.
The lyrics are simple, an ironic touch to "lost love". Trivial, but "I've found my niche at last" makes up for it! (I also saw the video -- rather good, I thought. Shot in black and white, kind of spooky. Compared to other Sprouts videos, it was excellent.)
BUT THAT SAXOPHONE! Oh no!! Get rid of it! It reminds me of the disgusting Swedish dance music!! Where's the flute?!?!? Oh, at the end... After subsequent listenings, I tend to ignore the sax... hey, I even tend to like it. What is wrong with me?
But the lyrics are worse. Very boring and cliched. Paddy didn't use to write "on the nose" like this. "I only know it feels right".... oh well. Compare to the lyrics to "Wild Horses": "I was a fool for your rodeo". There used to be things to discover in Paddy's lyrics, but here he's wearing his heart on his sleeve -- too obvious, too blunt, NOT subtle at all.
Is this the proper road for a poet, Paddy?
Another lyrics with sentimental pointlessnes. Carpe diem. Traditional pop-psychology: "Don't waste another day", "Don't be scared to care".... If it weren't for Paddy's wonderful whispering voice, it wouldn't work at all. No living person on Earth could make a decent cover of this song without blushing!!
And lo and behold -- here Paddy shows us that you can write a love song without mentioning the word "love". Paddy used to know this to be true. Too bad he succumbed to sentimentality in "Mystery..." and "Life's.." above.
Nice rhythm section, and the harmonica was great. But that sax... here it comes again and destroys the mood! It doesn't fit in anywhere!! And where is Wendy???
Very beautiful lyrics, pure poetry. Romantic, symbolic -- no fiddling with "love" here. Instead, the swan as a metaphor for a withstanding relationship. Thank you, Paddy!
Wonderful tune, like a lullaby. And Paddy sings so beautifully here, just as good as on "Dublin"!
Great harmonica! And Paddy's guitar is superb. (And no useless sax!) And Wendy sounds like Enya in the background. What a great song, so simple and cocksure. If only... it had been a little FASTER!!
Thematicly, it fits with "Andromeda Heights... Paddy soars into outer space to the next galaxy to build a home...
If I may venture on an interpretation: since Andromeda Heights is the name of a home, a studio, a song and the entire album... let's look at the second verse of the song!
"Folks in the valley will look up and say" -- that's us, fellow Sprouts,
we who buy the records!
"You've finally built it -- read: RECORDED IT -- can we come and stay --
read: COME AND PLAY --"
"And cynics will marvel and say" -- all those cynics who wondered "where's
the next record, Paddy?", and all those who ask him: "What have you been
doing anyway?"
"There were times when we thought it was just an address!" -- read: JUST A
TITLE --
"But now that we've seen it... -- read: NOW THAT WE'VE HEARD IT --!
The album's best song turned out to be like a Russian doll or a Rubik's cube. Curving itself into several different interpretations. I read it as an answer why the long absence -- we're still alive! -- and simultaneously a nostalgia at the future! Yes, when I listen to this song, I get NOSTALGIC AT THE FUTURE!!
Prefab Sprout is alive and well. This was just the Prologue. Just wait until the next album!!
#1: There's no backing theme in this LP, except that he mentions 'stars' in most of the songs.
#2: Lose the bloody lame soprano and tenor saxophones. Exchange them with clarinet, oboe, trumpet & flugel horns. If I wanted to hear contemporary jazz, I would have bought The Rippingtons or Michael Bolton.
#3: Stop preaching. "Life's A Miracle" and the line that says "The Bible mentions four / I tell you there's one more..."
#4: (and the biggest FLAW!) The very end of the LP. I need not say any more, except it needs some serious work. As Bob McKenzie said, "Oh...leave me hanging!"
#5: You practically cannot hear Wendy most of the time.
#6: The X-filesy synthesizer is fine for a song or two, but it becomes cliche by the fifth time you hear it. (China Crisis used the same sound in Flaunt the Imperfection...once...and it worked great)
#7: Calum & Paddy do not a producing team make.
There are good points, however.
As a whole, I do like "The Mystery of Love". The piano hook, especially evident at the end, reminds me of another song, but I've been struggling to remember which. The arrangement in "Andromeda Heights", even if the end of the song is a big mistake, is brilliant. And even though the lyrics in "The Fifth Horseman" leave a lot to be desired (I swear Paddy's either putting out his worst songwriting material on purpose, or he's hitting some unbeknownst midlife crisis...his panache & zing & wit are entirely missing) the musical arrangement & production resemble the Moondog-All The World Loves Lovers feel to it, which I do like.
"Weightless" sounds like it was written & arranged for Jane Child.
"Anne Marie" wears on me...probably because you hear her name a thousand times. (completely opposite effect to "Johnny Johnny Johnny")
"Whoever You Are" makes Paddy sound desperate...for love & for new songs.
And even if "Prisoner" is heavily produced (which can wear on ya in some cases), I still like how it was done. It's no wonder they chose this song as their opening single. It would elude the prospective buyer (read: all of us and others) into thinking the LP would resemble something expected of Paddy.
They need a real drummer again.
"Electric Guitars" will grow on me. It's not bad.
I just felt like seven years of anticipation went down the toilet.
Dealing with the negatives first:
The cd is screaming out for Neil Conti to be drumming. There are a couple of tracks where his snap! is sorely needed. It's almost as if Paddy mixed the album to hide the fact that Neil isn't playing at some points.
"Anne Marie" is the only track I would consider to be a throw-away. I don't know what it is exactly, perhaps the repetitive Anne Maries that get tossed at the listener.
That's about it for my complaints. :-)
Now, the positives:
I find the album fits who I am at this time in my life very well, much the way SMQ/TWG did back in '85. Minor quibbles aside, I could sit and listen to it on a daily basis and never grow tired of hearing it. Again like SMQ/TWG, this album is one that is an inspiration to me when I write my poetry - remembering a mood that a song sets me in and staying in it to help bring the words and spirit of a poem out. That's why I would love to see Prefab Sprout come across the pond and visit Toronto. :-)
Some tracks (Life's A Miracle, Steal Your Thunder) almost seem like a parent singing to a child - that's the emotion that comes across.
The Tracks:
"Electric Guitars" is an excellent opening number. I was hooked immediately by the opening guitar notes. (No subtle Beatle references here, are there?) A great sing-along tune.
"A Prisoner Of The Past" remains my favourite track. From the first time I downloaded that 90 second snippet [Not from my web site! -- Bedford] to now, there is something about it that strikes a chord in me.
"The Mystery Of Love" and "Life's A Miracle" make nice bookends. They compliment each other well. Fireplace light, a bottle of wine and flurries falling outside your window romantic interlude impressions are what I get from them.
"Anne Marie" - see above. :)
"Whoever You Are" - I'm actually indifferent to this track. I think because it follows my least favourite it inadvertently gets dragged down a bit. When we have our 5 cd player on multi-shuffle this song comes across a lot better after song X.
"Steal Your Thunder" I love the base line in this song.
"Avenue Of Stars" What's so bad about a little sax? It's nice to hear it played with a sense of purpose. It's not like the whole album is Kenny G revisited. This song makes me feel like kissing. You know the feeling - the giddy gosh I'm in brand-new love one. (Actually it makes me feel like kissing Wendy Smith, but I'm otherwise engaged. Is it my imagination or has she become more beautiful? Or am I the victim of good black&white photography?)
"Swans" This is another better-in-a-5cd-shuffle track than in the context of the album. I'm not saying it's a bad tune; it just makes a better counterpoint to misc. other artists' songs.
"The Fifth Horseman" is certainly not about God, despite what that negative reviewer was harping about. It's about love! I could see this being released as a single.
"Weightless" is a great headphone track - good for relaxing you before you go to bed at night.
"Andromeda Heights" - I was disappointed at first by the ending of the song, but after a few more listenings I have come to appreciate it much more - gives it that sense of "we're building something that isn't complete yet but even though we're not in sight you know the work is still going on behind the scenes."
Have I rambled on enough yet?
Paddy's voice, alone was worth the wait and, in itself, outweighs all the complaints. Even the soppiest new ballad has a production that shines with crystal clarity. I made the same mistake myself -- I expected some exponentially more brilliant album than anyone could do, even Paddy, and though disappointed that my profoundly affectionate love of Wendy's voice went mostly unrequited, I soon remembered who the band has always been, who else?
There are some real highlights in these grooves. "Prisoner's" story line itself is pretty scary...is he really a ghost?...or is he going to murder her? "Thunder" is a cool groove. There's been harmonica on every record, I think. The one on "Horsemen" cooks. The suite of tunes from "Thunder" to the title track stand on their own. The intros to "Avenue" and "Heights" are nothing less than amazing orchestral arrangements. If the melodies (not to mention the sentiments) of "Avenue" and "Swans" don't get to you -- then forget it.
As far as the surprise ending -- better never listen to Abbey Road.
After spending the first couple of hearings lamenting what wasn't there, I started to try to accept the album for what it was. I still have several criticisms - Neil Conti is badly missed, in particular The Fifth Horseman shows up his absence (the drumming should be taut not soggy) - Wendy's voice is under-utilised - that saxaphone is too intrusive - Dolby's lack of involvement is glaringly obvious - BUT even taking these into consideration you have to understand that Andromeda Heights isn't meant to be like any other Sprout album - Paddy was trying something different. He uses a completely different sonic palate. Most of the songs on the album aren't pop songs. He was making a concious effort to alter his lyrical style, writing simple love songs instead of his usually witty, intelligent words. Many of the phrases used are of a variety that Paddy would have previously scorned as being "too cliched". His embracing such sentiments now should tell us about what he is trying to achieve on this album.
To an extent Andromeda Heights was ALWAYS going to be a disappointment to some fans, because it was intended to be so markedly different. Even if Dolby and Conti had been involved, I don't think that Andromeda Heights would be radically changed from the actual record, because what was released was the record Paddy wanted to make. These songs DEMANDED the treatment that they were given - any alterations could only be of a minor nature.
Andromeda Heights isn't meant to be a simple (albeit excellent) pop record, like previous Prefab Sprout releases. It's meant to be a record of great beauty, a homage to falling in love, that should be enjoyed in it's entirety. Leave your preconceptions about Prefab Sprout behind, slump down in a relaxing armchair and enjoy Andromeda Heights for the success that it is, instead of concentrating on the success that it could have been.
[The Northerner in the Midlands wrote another note to add to his comments]:
This week's issue of UK Music Industry magazine "Music Week" (dated 14th June)contains an interesting little snippet about Andromeda Heights in its' "Pro-Audio News" section. It may be of interest, and it backs up my arguments about Andromeda Heights (to an extent).
Prefab Sprout's Top 40 album Andromeda Heights is the first non-classical album to be recorded using Sensaura 3D Sound Technology. The technology was developed for classical music applications, with emphasis on high-quality spacial accuracy and compatibility with present broadcast and software formats.
Engineer Callum Malcolm says the band decided to use Sensaura because lead singer/songwriter Paddy McAloon wanted to create a panoramic, semi-orchestral atmosphere. "He was keen to expand the sound beyond the speakers" says Malcolm. "We came across Sensaura and found that it actually worked. we've used it on the majority of tracks, mainly mixed subtly into percussion and backing vocals." Sensaura works by making use of natural hearing cues such as direction, height and distance of sound sources, to give the impression that the listener is actually present in the studio with the musicians.
"panoramic, semi-orchestral atmsphere" - that's what Paddy wanted, that's what Paddy achieved, that's what we should judge Andromeda Heights as.
Unfortunately, I think "Andromeda Heights" is an extremely sad showing from Paddy and company. I am the Sprouts most sincere fan. "Steve McQueen" changed my life. "Jordan: The Comeback" saved me. But, with "Andromeda Heights," there is a loss of immediacy that undermines the record's integrity. The songs themselves on this record are also much weaker than anything previously recorded by Prefab Sprout.
The main problem with "Andromeda Heights" is threefold. First, the album took too long to write. Paddy has been much too methodical in his writing approach and not spent enough time focusing on the central components of songwriting. He has become distracted by technology. Paddy is not really a technologue and this gives rise to the record's secondary problem of Thomas Dolby's no-show. Dolby had provided a crucial mirror for Paddy (not to mention being a kick-ass keyboardist and arranger) which is notably missing in the material on "Andromeda Heights." Without Dolby around to keep the edge on and push the overall effort into musically challenging territory, the Sprouts wimp-out. The Dolbesque samples and treatments on "Weightless" also suggest a need for the man himself to be involved. The third and last problem with this record is the lack of Neil Conti on drums. Not only is the lack of a real drummer painfully obvious to experienced ears, but also Conti who added an informed counterweight to the guitar/bass fraternity of the McAloon brothers is missed. Without Conti's bedrock artistry and his unique pull against the center, the overall rhythmic construct of this record falls flat. Limp. No ebb and flow. No jazz.
On "Andromeda Heights" Paddy McAloon remains true to his musical instincts. However, the boyman needs to extend himself towards adulthood. Without the impetus and inspiration of other key people, McAloon cannot singlehandedly maintain the Prefab Sprout swash of agitated melancholy that originally drew all of us to their records. Perhaps now it is clear that Prefab Sprout is more a collaborative effort than anyone previously recognized.
Looking forward to the next record from Paddy McAloon which will hopefully be more off-the-cuff, less antiquated, more experimental, less pristine, more poetic, less autocratic...and without the cheesy keyboard lines.
Initially Andromeda Heights struck me much in the same way every Sprout album has. I find tracks here and there that I like, and I play them while skipping the rest after the first few bars (I had the album for two weeks before I heard Swans all the way through; I found it boring and just skipped past it. To the person who took me to task for not listening to it all the way through: I've heard Swans all the way through now and I'm still not excited about it.)
"Prisoner of the Past,""Steal Your Thunder,""The Fifth Horseman," and "Andromeda Heights" (usually minus the one minute unrelated intro) are my favorite tracks. "Prisoner" and "Andromeda Heights" are as good as anything ever put out by the Sprouts and are worthy of being included on the next Greatest-so-they-should-have-been-Hits album. "Whoever You Are" is just under the top group. "Electric Guitars" is a bit of fluff to me but it is an obvious single. Who knows, maybe it will be the hit that will propel AH to the top of the charts.
The problem is that the album is not growing on me like the others have. I'm not finding additional tracks on it that I don't skip. I miss Wendy's ethereal voice. I miss Neil's solid drumming (though perhaps Mark Drapeau, the drummer playing with them on their recent TV appearances can fill that drum seat). I miss Martin being the key to a song like he was on "Looking For Atlantis" (he comes closest on "Steal Your Thunder" if that is indeed Martin playing bass on the track as opposed to a synth).
If my feelings about the album change I'll certainly let you know.
Should you buy Andromeda Heights? Absolutely. Prefab Sprout -- on their worst day -- are more than a cut above most bands on their best day. But in my opinion the Sprout's latest release is at the low end of the standard they've set with their previous releases. Having waited seven years, I'm sorry to say that. (I hasten to point out that some reviewers, professional and fan alike, have suggested that what Paddy is attempting is so different that Andromeda Heights shouldn't be compared to previous Sprout releases. This may be a good suggestion, but personally I'm incapable of doing that!)
Contrary to what many folks think--that there will be a flood of new Sprout album releases ahead--I wonder if this is the end of Prefab Sprout as a "band." I think Paddy feels Prefab Sprout is now really a one man band; to me, the lesson of Andromeda Heights is that it isn't. The choice that remains is to either 1) do the things a band normally does: use top-notch producers, give the other members, Wendy and Martin, greater roles than they apparently had on AH, find a solid drummer, tour, and release an album every two or three years, or 2) say 'to hell with it' (ESPECIALLY IF THE ALBUM ISN'T A SUCCESS) and return to reclusive songwriting for others, perhaps releasing another album of Paddy's own making, similar to Andromeda Heights, but only when Paddy feels like it. I'm concerned he'll choose the latter course; that the seven year layoff was just a hint of more to come. I hope I'm wrong.
Finally, I'd like to respond to one issue the "anonymous reviewer" above complained about. The suggestion to "stop preaching." I was surprised because I think that a spiritual component is clearly evident in Prefab Sprout's work (look no further than "Michael" "Mercy" "Doo Wop in Harlem" and "One of the Broken"). It comes through in many of Paddy's interviews as well. I'm not particularly religious myself, but I would never deny the beauty of the sentiment expressed in the songs. And I feel the anonymous reviewer's qualms about "The Fifth Horseman" are simply unfounded: the Bible was merely the source for a literary allusion; hardly preaching.
In terms of Andromeda Heights, it has taken time. No, for me it did not arrive with the rush of Paddy's finest work (which, to me, is just about all of it! And why do people never mention the terribly underrated Protest Songs?), and the sentiments expressed are UNBELIEVABLY against the grain... a heart-on-your-sleeve, unabashedly romantic, orchestrated to the hilt album, sung in a whisper and an open-throated croon; as far as I'm concerned, this sort of choice is more challenging than crunching, snarling guitars and thrashing drums. To me, it's as if he's saying, "Yeah, take your shots, I don't care."
The album itself: after initial doubts, yes, it has grown on me. Neil's absence is glaring; Paddy's inexperience with brass arranging is sometimes wincing (but not always! And those comments about the sax are plain stupid: it is not "sax" per se, but uninspired playing, arranging, and fitting the pieces together that make it awkward in a pop song; and yes, Paddy could have done better in some places, but tunes like Avenue of Stars give hope in this direction); his lyrics could use more of the quirky detail and rhythm that add such distinct color to his writing - it is in diversity that the album comes up a bit short; and there are other small problems to this listeners' ears.
I'm kind of surprised at the negative responses to "Anne Marie," which I find quite interesting musically. "Whoever You Are" seems to be at the forefront of this seemingly anachronistic, unabashedly romantic vein, and I'm not surprised that it's not well liked; however, I feel that it is a successful track and quite moving in spots.
Oh yeah, our "anonymous" friend: what the hell do you mean by "there is no overlying theme"? Am I the only person scratching my head to that one? This, along with Jordan, is the Sprout album with the most crystal clear thematic choice.
So we all wait excitedly for the next release: for myself, I hope that he builds upon this experience, learning from mistakes and furthering his tapestry of the human tale. And he should get Dolby back. (Besides, Thomas seems to need the inspiration too!)
Unlike most of you, I don't know that I'm prepared to say that Andromeda Heights is any less a record than Jordan or TWG/SMQ. It is a different style record, but I'm different too from the 19 year old who could not stop listening to TWG/SMQ 12 years ago when a buddy in my dorm turned me onto it. The same thing happend with this album that happened with TWG/SMQ and Jordan - I haven't taken it out of the CD player since I bought it. I have lived Andromeda Heights in the same way I lived TWG and Jordan for the first year I had each of them.
Paddy MacAloon has grown, experienced, and learned about himself, his world, and the people/ideas he cares for and about. These songs represent an emotional response to that. I think the themes of the passage of time, life, love and learning, and the whole debate of God's place in the universe is what comes through on Andromeda Heights.
My favorite song on the album is Swans. I know it's been called filler and somewhat of a throw away by others, but to me it shows how Paddy has grown. Think of the lyric offering a warning to the swan to "...sail back to his [her lover's] side while I forget I ever saw you gliding." Contrast that with the character in Horsin' Around or Wild Horses. Same person showing more than a decade of emotional growth.
As far as the sound of the CD, well I think it's magnificent. I truly enjoy the the blend of "traditional/classical" instruments (is that flute on the beginning of Life's a Miracle real or digital - does it matter?) set against obvious synthesised voices (the X-Files synth sound during the intro of Avenue of Stars). "Faux" mandolin ensembles, flute, saxaphone, piano, harpsichord, strings, tympani, lots of subtle percussion, and the traditional rock/pop guitar keyboards and bass are mixed masterfully. IMHO Neil Conti's absence is NOT that noticeable. He could have juiced up Prisoner or Horseman. The biggest change is really tempo and mood. These songs are more mid tempo, not rockers.
As for the Sensaura sound - A+. Listen to, or better yet feel, the ping of the bass strings on the instrumental break for Steal Your Thunder (best on headphones). A sonic delight!
We all agree that Prefab is head and shoulders above the rest of the pop crowd time and time again. Let's just hope we aren't waiting 7 more years for the next opportunity to talk about the next Prefab album.
But there's nothing shameful about an exploration of the finer frequencies. For those expecting another driving rocker like "Faron", Paddy McAloon is likely to disappoint permanently: he would be doing himself a disservice by bowing to the public expectation for a strong beat - which is rather a rock cliche anyway, isn't it? He would be betraying his evolving creative intuition. I too like a good bottom (um...) as well as anyone; but that doesn't mean I will reject out of hand music that opts to float through more rarefied strata. In fact, I predict that Paddy's work is likely to get more and more celestial as time goes by, and he deepens his spiritual/romantic insights. From Steve McQueen to Jordan: the Comeback to Andromeda Heights, the thinning atmosphere is unmistakable. On "Weightless" and "Andromeda Heights", Paddy seems in fact to be issuing a mission statement: to leave emotional baggage behind and develop ever-greater purity. His scope is vast indeed on this album: he tends to plan into the *far* future, perhaps even lifetimes hence: a time frame which is virtually unthinkable in the "prefab" whirlwind of pop music.
So those unprepared to deal with Prefab Sprout's rising balloon are going to be left behind, pining for the days when the good airship was grounded. It seems to me that the key to appeciating this album is dropping preconceptions and allowing the music to wash over oneself and expand the senses, heart, and mind. Resist, and you'll miss it.
Anyway, I found the album to be repetitive, lifeless and worst of all, as boring as an insurance seminar. Lest anyone think this is a rush to judgment, I did subject myself to 3 or 4 spins and it still failed to grab me; what did was a real sense of irritation for having shelled out almost $50 for this stuff. Luckily, I was able to return all 3 CD's for nearly a full refund.
I have been, and always will be, a Sprouts fan but "Andromeda Heights" was a real letdown. I hope Neil Conti returns and Wendy Smith is better utilized next time around.
"Predictably, Paddy was centre stage, resplendent in smart black suit and carrying an acoustic white guitar. Behind him, on his right was Wendy (with a horn section behind her) and to the rear on his left was Martin (with about three guitarists behind him). They did of course, mime, and to my mind they looked like they were a little out of practice (which is understandable) but it was so good to see them again that I wasn't really bothered. The cameras concentrated on Paddy and the drummer, with Wendy and Martin hardly getting a look in, but at the end of the show they crowded around host Bob Monkhouse and waved goodbye over the end credits. There was a weird shriek of feedback at the end of the song (weird because they were miming) but Paddy seemed to have enjoyed himself, yelling "Thank you" at the crowd, with a big smile on his face. Overall a pretty good performance - the National Lottery show has a ridiculously large number of people watching it, and it could provide a boost to send the single into the charts - I haven't seen much publicity or heard it that much on the radio, but I'm told it is getting played on Radio 1. It's pretty frustrating though that the single has put back a week - at least that's what I was told when it failed to materialise in the shops this morning. This may mean that the album release will go back (again), but more frustratingly could damage the chances of the single - if it'd been in the shops this week, when the Lottery performance was fresh in people's minds it probably would have sold more copies...
"Where the Heart Is" is the theme tune to a TV drama show in the UK, about two district nurses - it's being broadcast on ITV on Sunday nights, and Paddy's voice can be heard crooning allover the end credits (If this IS a B-side to Prisoner, and they make this fact apparent in the marketing of the single, this too could help boost sales...)"