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Title: A Life Of Surprises: Best Of
By: Prefab Sprout
Released by: Sony/Columbia
Released on: October 6, 1992
Rating (out of 10): 10
Date: 06/23/2001

Hot Dog! Jumping Frog! Albuquerque!

It’s ear candy of the highest order. It’s what pop music used to sound like before "pop" became a dirty word. It’s thoughtful, precious music that I think the world of every time I listen to it.

Prefab Sprout formed in the early eighties in England. They have since become one of English music’s best-kept secrets over the course of several albums. A Life Of Surprises is a greatest hits compilation culled from their first five records for CBS (now Sony). Usually the songs on greatest hits compilations are arranged in chronological order. Not here. There is no apparent order to the track sequence. For me, it creates a more interesting listening experience; instead of being aware of the bands musical progression through the years, things vary greatly.

While Prefab Sprout’s music will stand the test of time solely based on the quality of their songwriting, they had some help in the production department; Thomas Dolby, studio wizard extraordinaire, produced much of their best work. It is Dolby’s magic touch that guides the Sprouts and has heavily influenced the later, non-Dolby produced work.

The album opens with "The King Of Rock ‘n’ Roll," a song from their Langley Park To Memphis album. As both the song name and original album title would suggest, the track is a nod to Elvis. There’s more to it than that, however—the song is filled with Wendy Smith’s delicious backing vocals. Her breathy "la la's" are what really make the track worthwhile—that and the nonsense chorus of “Hot Dog/Jumping Frog/Albuquerque!”

"When Love Breaks Down", from their highly acclaimed Two Wheels Good album (titled Steve McQueen in England) is one of the songs that Prefab Sprout is most known for. In the book High Fidelity, Rob mentions this track as being one of his favorite songs. “When Love Breaks Down” is a great example of why I love this band. The lyrics are literate and poetic:
My love and I, we are boxing clever
She'll never crowd me out
Fall be free as old confetti
And paint the town, paint the town
When love breaks down
The things you do
To stop the truth from hurting you
When love breaks down
The lies we tell,
They only serve to fool ourselves.
This is one of the songs that clearly benefits from Thomas Dolby’s hand. The sound is crystal clear and spacious, and the vocals have just the right amount of processing. It would be easy to overdo the production on Paddy McAloon’s lead and Wendy Smith’s backing vocals, but Dolby holds the reigns tight.

"The Sound Of Crying" is one of two new tracks available only on this collection. It doesn’t really match the quality level of the other tracks on the disc. It’s flat and uninspired, something that might have to do with Stephen Lipson’s production. His production might work with bands like Simple Minds but it just doesn’t really fit with Prefab Sprout.

Following "The Sound Of Crying" is the country-twang of "Faron Young". McAloon’s poetic lyrics are what keeps bringing me back,
Antiques!
Every other sentiment an antique
As obsolete as warships in the Baltic
I'm driving on a straight road it never alters
And the radio serenades but doesn't falter
You offer infrared instead of sun
You offer paper spoons and bubble gum
Late sky
Like an all night radio station
Without morning
Like stumbling on Pearl Harbour
Without warning
You offer infrared instead of sun
You offer bubble gum
You give me Faron Young
Four in the morning.
"Carnival 2000" is off of the Sprout’s Jordan: The Comeback album, perhaps their most fully realized work. Released nearly a decade before the millennium, "Carnival 2000” would have made a decent theme song for the millennial celebration.
Tonight let's raise a glass my friend
To those who couldn't make it
A century has shut its eyes
And who are we to wake it
Cool music we play, dance and say
Carnival 2000:
Lives come and go but life no denial
Is always in style. Welcome to:
Carnival 2000:
Loves come and go but love above all
Is belle of the ball
We ask for any wrong we've done
The years ahead forgive us
We ask for any good we've done
That all of it outlive us.
The song begins quietly, with just an acoustic guitar, but it builds quickly into a rousing celebration of life, adding horns-a-plenty and a samba drumbeat. Following "Carnival 2000" is another classic Sprout track, "Goodbye Lucille #1 (Johnny Johnny)." One of the things that Prefab Sprout does best is write about wounded hearts and lost loves. "Goodbye Lucille" is just such a song. It’s a slow boiler, with drumbeats resting on what is either a background of strings or synthesizers made to sound like strings.
Ooh Johnny Johnny Johnny there is time for tears
Ooh Johnny Johnny Johnny you won't make it any better
Ooh Johnny Johnny Johnny you might well make it worse
Ooh Johnny Johnny Johnny I advise you to forget her
Ooh Johnny Johnny Ooh
You're not the first though it hurts, Johnny Johnny Ooh...
"I Remember That" is another wounded heart song. Musically it is quite simple, with just a little acoustic guitar, some synthesizers, and a quiet drumbeat. The real wonder here is the vocal production; Dolby has done some interesting stuff with Paddy’s voice, and Wendy’s harmonies work perfectly.

"Cruel” may be my favorite Prefab Sprout song. From their first full-length release, Swoon, it has a jazzy feel to it, like much of the early Everything But The Girl catalog. It’s the lyrics and Paddy’s playful wordplay that do it for me though:
Should a love be tender, and bleed out loud?
Or be tougher than tough, and prouder than proud.
If I'm troubled by every folding of your skirt, am I guilty of every male inflicted hurt?
But I don't know how to describe the Modern Rose, when I can't refer to her shape against her clothes.
With the fever of purple prose.
Lordy, what would I do ? Don't call me possessive, but God if he's smoochin' with you.
As a jealous boy root, - the world should be free, but don't you go following suit.
My heart is aligned - it couldn't be neutral, I couldn't be that way inclined.
It's hard to defend, ba ba ba, ba ba ba,these feelings my tuppentup friend.
It's cruel, ba ba ba, ba ba ba, ba ba ba, ba ba ba, ba ba it's cruel,
ba ba ba, ba ba ba, ba ba ba, ba ba ba, ba ba it's cruel,
it's crueller than cruel.
But cruel is the gospel that sets us all free, then takes you away from me.
"Cars and Girls" is a brilliant send up of Bruce Springsteen. Half tribute and half parody, Paddy takes Springsteen’s youthful obsessions with cars and girls and looks at it from an older perspective,
But look at us now, quit driving, some things hurt more much more than cars and girls.
Just look at us now, start counting, what adds up the way it did when we were young ?
Look at us now, quit driving, some things hurt much more than cars and girls.
Little boy got a hot rod, thinks it makes him some kind of new God
Well this is one race he won't win,
Cos life's no cruise with a cool chick
Too many folks feelin' car sick, but it never pulls in.
Brucie's thoughts-Pretty streamers
Guess this world needs its dreamers may they never wake up.
"We Let The Stars Go Free" is another brilliant love song. Like most Sprout songs, it's musically simple—mostly acoustic guitar and drums, a little backing synthesizer, and a whole lot of harmony. The lyrics are impressive as well, about an older Paddy reflecting upon a younger Paddy, and “how cheaply he’d be sold.”

"Life of Surprises" is from Prefab’s Protest Songs album, recorded after Two Wheels Good and before From Langley Park To Memphis. Protest Songs didn’t see release until after From Langley Park To Memphis, almost four years after its original recording. It’s a pity, because Protest Songs is a fantastic album. Unfortunately this is the only song from that disc to make it to this compilation. It rocks out a little harder than most Sprout songs and, produced by the Sprouts themselves, clearly shows the influence of Thomas Dolby.

"Appetite" completes the trilogy of wonderful wounded heart songs from Two Wheels Good, beginning with "When Love Breaks Down" and "Goodbye Lucille #1". Again, Thomas Dolby’s production shines with sinewy piano and sparkling harmonies. However on this track, it’s the lyrics that carry the day:
Here she is with two small problems
And the best part of the blame
Wishes she could call him heartache
But it's not a boy's name
If you grow up to be, just like him, just like me
You're fighting for exclusive rights,
For honeymoons each sleepless night
In which case I'll call you appetite
Yes I think I'll call you appetite
So if you take - Then put back good
If you steal - be Robin Hood
If your eyes are wanting all you see
Then I think I'll name you after me
I think I'll call you appetite.
"If You Don’t Love Me" is the second of the two new tracks recorded for this compilation. This track is another Stephen Lipson production, and they’ve made another mistake. Lipson is known for his big ‘cathedral of sound’ productions for such bands as Simple Minds and Frankie Goes To Hollywood. Unfortunately he tries to make Prefab Sprout sound like one of those bands. There is so much synthesizer and drum machine noise, I could swear this was a Frankie outtake.

Did I say earlier that "Cruel" was my favorite Prefab Sprout song? Well, I hope I’m allowed two, because I forgot about "Wild Horses." Back to their musical simplicity, we just have a winding bass line, a light synth bed, and a very simple drum beat. When I first heard this song several years ago I had mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, I loved it for its great lyrics. On the other hand, the unusual musical break beat in the middle of the chorus bothered me. I’ve long since gotten over it and can now fully appreciate its brilliance.
Look at you - Unflawed.
Now look at me - Plain overawed
Grace and looks take no credit for
Girl you're young
And they're part of the score
Like the chemicals at war in me
'Til I'm a wolf with an eye for the ponies
Wild horses - I want to have
Wild horses - I want to
I want extra time to play,
Afternoons in the hay
It's a sorry way for a man to feel
But sentimental is part of the deal
I hate myself because it shows how
I'm a fool for your rodeo.
"Hey Manhattan!" is another song detailing the Sprouts' obsession with American culture (along the lines of "Cars and Girls" and "The King Of Rock And Roll"). Musically, it’s a little bit overblown, with full string accompaniment. Still, I can’t resist Wendy Smith’s backing vocals as she sings “Hey, Manhattan! Do-Be-Do!”

The compilation ends with "All The World Loves Lovers." This up-tempo number is below average for Prefab Sprout standards. I could think of a dozen tracks that are more worthy of inclusion to this compilation, but I suppose any other fan could as well. Although there are a few clunkers here, the gems far outweigh them. If you are looking to experience some Prefab Sprout this is a good starting place.



© Copyright CultureDose.com 06/23/2001

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