Prefab Sprout
Steve McQueen

THE REVIEW

There are albums that change a person's life, that leave you with something intense, magical, to the point that you can't do without them anymore. These are the albums that represent yourself, your persona, your way of being.

'Steve McQueen' by Prefab Sprout is one of these albums. Prefab Sprout was an English pop rock band that achieved great success in the 1980s. The group consisted of the charismatic Paddy McAloon, who was simultaneously the singer, guitarist, and keyboardist of the band, Wendy Smith on vocals and guitar, Martin McAloon on bass, and Neil Conti on drums. The driving force of Prefab was Paddy McAloon, the group leader. At first listen, it seems like a very light album, but if you pay more attention, you realize it is an extremely crafted work, both in the arrangements, in the lyrics, and in the musicians' technique. A curiosity: in the United States, Steve McQueen was released under the title 'Two Wheels Good'.

Steve McQueen is a very sunny and inspired pop-rock album. During the listening, there are no weak spots in this great record. The beautiful cover portrays the band members riding a motorcycle. Just hop on the bike and ride along with them.

The album opens with 'Faron Young' a song with a country flavor, characterized by a very fast pace. 'Bonny' is a typical Prefab song where Paddy McAloon's voice converses with the guitar and Wendy Smith's splendid voice. 'Appetite', for me the track to archive, is a very sentimental song that touches on the theme of love. 'When Love Breaks Down' is a profound and superb piece with beautiful harmonies. With a jazz flavor is 'Goodbye Lucille #1'. 'Hallelujah' where Paddy and Wendy sing this excellent piece perfectly. 'Moving The River' that summarizes the essence of the band, pop-rock of excellent craftsmanship. Another very inspired track is 'Horsin Around'. 'Desire As' is a very beautiful track and perfectly executed by Prefab, as is 'Blueberry Pies'''. The album closes with 'When The Angels', which, just from the title, makes you dream; it's a very inspired song where Paddy McAloon expresses himself at his best. Each track of the album is the perfect example of that pop-rock composed by great artists.

With this album, Prefab Sprout represented the 1980s, with profound and heartfelt songs. A record with an enviable freshness, that seems to have been released yesterday, profoundly original! Current, melancholic, but above all unique.