Absence makes the heart lose weight, yeah

Paddy “Tevye” McAloon :: outstanding in his field

As a huge fan of ZZ Top Prefab Sprout and someone who likes to think they’ve got their pinky planted firmly on the pulse of today’s pop music, I was both ecstatic to learn that a new album is due out very shortly and annoyed that, according to prefabsprout.net, I have “been living under a rock all year” since I’m only hearing about it now. In my defense, no one really talks about Prefab Sprout anymore. Of course, there was a time when they ruled, or at least visited, the indie airwaves (a little known pop trivia fact: in 1993, I named my outdoor volleyball team the Prefab Sprouts. Opponents thought we were a bunch of new-age granolas. No one else cared.).

2001 was the last time PS put out a new collection of songs. Paddy did offer up a solo, largely instrumental “I Trawl The Megahertz” in 2003 (at the height of his vision troubles... and prior to his ear troubles) but this is largely unlistenable and bears little relation to the output of Prefab Sprout. This time around, the band once again comprises Paddy and brother Martin - two fourths of the original, hit-making lineup. Sadly, the harmonizing Wendy Smith appears to be shut out yet again.

“Let's Change the World With Music” is due for release on the 7th September 2009. Lead single can be heard, via youtube, here:
Listen :: Let there be music by Prefab Sprout

Sounds pretty decent!!! But when will musicians realize that it isn't 1984 anymore and that a "music video" does not need be a huge monetary investment. Sit in front of a camera and film yourself mouthing the words if need be, but give us something (and help yourself out at the same time)!

Here’s Prefab Sprout in their heyday, back when Paddy’s whiskers were in their controlled infancy and you could see his ears...

Video :: When love breaks down by Prefab Sprout

Wendy and the art of minimal yet effective contribution

It is usually a sure bet that any indie track featuring well-arranged backing vocals and nifty harmonies (usually female) is going to grab my attention. Belle and Sebastian use this. As do The Beautiful South and even The Shins on parts of their new album. Duets are cool too - especially guy v. girl romps like the Ballad of Tom Jones or Ciao! Also nice are lofty numbers with the “I’d-like-to-buy-the-world-a-coke” type choral harmonies as performed by hugely populated bands like the Polyphonic Spree and I’m from Barcelona or even just your regular-sized band, but with a gospel choir in the background, such as Blur circa Tender

For me, one of the best examples of a band utilizing backing vocal tracks to perfection is Prefab Sprout. Specifically, former member Wendy Smith whose minimal on-paper contributions should not be scoffed at (and she did a lot of hair tossing and some dancing during live performances as well). As a backing vocalist whose style blends intricately with Paddy’s McAloon’s lead (and Paddy's own backing falsettos), Wendy sings harmonies during choruses but often also sings parts without accompaniment and can play off the lead vox with some expertly timed “ah, ah, aahs”, “sha-doobie-doobies”, and “la,la,las” (that’s official music-speak; the FiL would be proud!).

I appreciate Wendy Smith, the female Art Garfunkel (minus the critically dismissed solo career… or the curly, receding hairdo) and I imagine her restfully puttering about with her babies in rural England, living off the royalties of a brilliant career (ha! I don't think PS made any money) and occasionally pining for the day when she was in one of the most essential bands of its time.

Here is Wendy Smith in all her subtle, wispy, ethereal “ah-ah-aah”edness:

VIDEO: Prefab Sprout - We let the stars go