Prefab Sprouts - Cue Fanfare (1984)


Album: Prefab Sprouts - Swoon (1984)
Song: Cue Fanfare

This was a recent track I stumbled on to while looking for music in the genre of "sophisti-pop". I once saw Mr Mister and their singer Richard Page listed under this genre, and while it seemed made up and unnecessary, I figured it would probably still direct me to some good stuff. I mean, anyone who likes Mr Mister is already half way there.

Anyway, as soon as the bass starts to dive into the main riff of this song, you immediately think it's much much newer song than it is. There is an almost modern feel to this band. The riffs are so far ahead of their time in execution that it sounds like people in modern day who are deliberately trying to sound retro. Seeing as how this is actually a 30 year old track, you have to marvel and wonder at just how they arrived at this particular sound.

This track is ultra playful, some what enigmatic\progressive, but also absurdly groovy. The bass player is losing his mind with riff after riff, one embellishment after the other. The drums are very simple, but very confident sounding and not afraid to get a little spastic (matching the bass player's wandering intensity).

However, one of the most noteworthy features of this track is the very uncommon song structure. Verses seem to be split in half unexpectedly, and are always emphasized with lyrical hooks that don't make a lot of sense. But they sound cool, if that makes sense. It's almost like an art form of speech or something. It's hard to explain. Wrap it all up, and you've got a very memorable 30 year old track that sounds like it is a 3 year old track minus all the modern pretentiousness.

No comments:

Post a Comment