Greatest Albums - Prefab Sprout - Jordan the Comeback

So here's my next review.  Its Jordan the Comeback by Prefab Sprout.  I bought this album in 1990 due to me liking their previous hits Cars and Girls, Hey Manhattan and a few others.  This album was initially a turn off as it was quite eclectic and didn't grab me as being immediately accessible enough to listen to.  I guess my immaturity at that time, 21 or 22, meant that I couldn't initially appreciate it.  However, it slowly crept into a comfortable place in my soul and has made itself comfortable and it now shares a symbiotic relationship with me that I'll carry with me, always accessible in my head, without need for cd or mp3 player.

A couple of songs off the bat initially received a lot more attention, Looking for Atlantis, Carnival 2000, were more accessible and possibly radio friendly.  I can't remember what the singles were or how popular, but I suspect that they didn't make the big impression of previous hits.  Some songs initially just turned me off (Wild Horses, The Wedding March, Machine Gun Ibiza), and others were tolerable.  There were some that I just didn't get at all.  Why did they bother with Michael, Mercy, Doo Wop in Harlem?  Was that gospel?  Was I supposed to listen to the words?  Good grief!  Can't I just listen mindlessly?

Anyway, over time, the album got more airtime as I was too lazy to skip tracks and so I got to listening to the rest of it.  I found myself humming the two Jesse James songs and eventually, I caught myself liking the Wedding March for its quirky style.  It was only in the mid-90's with the advent of cd-ripping that I really got into this album.  It became so easy to pull up the album and play it.

One night, I was so engrossed in my work that I accidently put Doo Wap in Harlem on repeat.  I ended up singing along.  Softly at first, but eventually getting into it.  I eventually found myself stopping what I was doing to concentrate on some of the phrases and then I *REALLY* heard the song for the first time.  It shook me to the core and I remember bursting at the tears as the song was so moving.  To this day, this song still has the power to send shivers down my back and bring me to tears if I get too immersed in it.  Yup.  Just had to wipe away the tears at the memory right now.  Wow.  I realised then that the song had been on loop almost an hour and I hadn't noticed that it was repeating.  I just kept singing along until the outburtst.  At that point I wanted to hear more.  So recalling that Michael & Mercy were also gospel-like, I added them to the playlist.  Something in me clicked and I really paid attention to the lyrics and the craft behind those songs.  My understanding and appreciation went up another notch.  Suddenly One of the Broken, All Boys believe Anything, Jordan the Comeback no longer were the songs to skip, they were *THE* tracks on the album.  Suddenly, there were no weak parts of the album.  It all flowed.  There was meaning in the songs and listening became more involving.  I started hearing all the little touches of vocal harmony, delicate instrumentation and just awesome lyrical artistry.

Wow.  This guy is a poet for sure.  Funny thing is that the Gospel angle on some of the songs is just so powerful without being preachy.  Its the kind of thing that pours out in a few lines all you need to know. From One of the Broken.


If you're looking for ways to please...

Sing me no psalm you're not King David
Sing me no high hushed Glory Be
Sing it to one, one of the broken
And brother you're singing, singing to me

Sing me no deep hymn of devotion
Sing me no slow sweet melody
Sing it to one, one of the broken
And brother you're singing, singing to me



Paddy Mcaloon's excellent voice does the lyrics justice and the delicate Wendy Smith vocals over the sweeping music by a very tight band is just perfect.


Ultimately, this album is 19 tracks of pure genius.  The weakest songs are probably 7/10 while overall it probably is a 9/10 album overall.  I've recently re-purchased the album after many years as I lost my original cd in a fire.  Worth every penny!

Highly recommended.  In my top 3 with Tears for Fears - Seeds of Love and .....(to be blogged)

Bonus!
I found this very rare clip of them performing Doo Wap in Harlem (my favourite track) on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKvdzrSUR5U

Purchase on Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Jordan-The-Comeback-Prefab-Sprout/dp/B00000273P/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344499531&sr=8-1&keywords=jordan+the+comeback

Amazon MP3
http://www.amazon.com/Jordan-The-Comeback/dp/B0013AWV44/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1344499660&sr=8-4&keywords=jordan+the+comeback

or iTunes
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/jordan-the-comeback/id192696351





Comments

Unknown said…
Totally agreed, one of my favorite albums from the early 90's. I was working at a record warehouse, Charlatans and Stone Roses were fun too, but Prefab had more depth.

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