Let's Change The World With Music

Having already written a positive review of this glowing album on its mp3 page here on Amazon, of course I need to review the actual CD album! Mp3s are okay, but nothing beats the real McCoy of a proper CD with music in high resolution!

Prefab Sprout's legendary album "Let's Change the World With Music" was first written and recorded in demo form back in 1992-93, but only now released and tweaked with modern technology which enhances the original demos. But fear not: this album is a real winner. It delivers everything you come to expect from a Prefab Sprout album: beautiful melodies, intricate lyrics, honest and deviously simple pop songs, that only Paddy McAloon can offer. Songs like "Let There Be Music", "Ride", "Music Is A Princess", "Earth: The Story So Far" and "Sweet Gospel Music" will eat your heart out. Indeed, it's a shame that this gem has been kept hidden from the public for 17 years!

This is simply pure pop in its finest incarnation. Paddy McAloon is one of the best writers in his chosen field - if not the best. Michael Jackson may have called himself the "king of pop"; but Paddy McAloon is the uncrowned Master of Pop. Let's hope that this release will mark the beginning of many a fine new album from the prolific writer in Newcastle, who has hundreds of unreleased and unrecorded songs in his studio!

The CD album includes poignant liner notes by Paddy McAloon himself, detailing the history of the record.

Finally something new from the Sprouts, well actually not new indeed, as this album has be shelved for 17 years. And what a shame that the album was never properly produced and recorded, 'cause the material on this album is AWESOME. The songs, the arrangements and the vocals are DIVINE!

It's actually quite difficult to review this album, 'cause the production and the sounds used seem to show what a Prefab Sprout album sounds like, when it's ready for real production, which is quite interesting if that is the case. Therefore the music sounds like synthprogramming; the drums are thin and often too stiff and "programmed", the trumpets and saxes are awfully artificial and so on. Among these "acoustic" instruments the album also has the usual excellent synth sounds that was the trademark sound of the Sprouts in early 90's.

This could have been OUT OF THE WORLD had somebody taken these blueprints and hired a small symphonic orchestra along with the best session musicians around to re-record the music to match the fantastic vocaltracks. Don't get me wrong; I LOVE THIS ALBUM, enjoyed it every day since I got my hands on it (almost a week), but I can't help imagining just how much more it could have been with a little more postproduction; real guitars, bass, brass ect. But maybe technical problems prevented such improvements, I don't know.

I truely hope that this is only the top of the iceberg. If we're lucky the success of this album might push more old material to be released. And as long as the songs are this good, I'm more than ready for more, whatever the condition... Thank you so much, Paddy, you've surely changed my world with your music!

I can only echo the comments of the first reviewer. As a long time Sprout fan, news of this release excited me so much. On my first (and now second) listen today, it is everything I hoped it would be. A collection of wonderful melodies and you really do need to read Paddy's sleeve notes to really appreciate what he was trying to achieve with this record. It may be over sentimental of me to say it, but hearing Paddy sing for me is a spiritual experience. He sings of simple things but with such emotion and clarity. Seeing them live about 5 years ago was one of my gigging highlights. I urge you to buy this album and enjoy the rich experience it will bring to your life.