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Prefab Sprout - Music Is A Princess

Nachholbedarf. (Eigentlicher Termin: 18.10.09)
Auf der Heimfahrt aus "Fast"-Frankreich zu mir nach Hause hörte ich die Prefab Sprout-Scheibe. Diesen Song musste ich mehrere Male hören, bzw. wollte es auch so. Beim allerersten Hördurchgang nicht aufgefallen, aber nun während der Autofahrt ziemlich schnell gewachsen.

Ich bin nur ein Junge in Lumpen.

Zeile des Songs:
"Music is a princess - I'm just a boy, in rags!"


In der engeren Auswahl waren auch:
Oasis - Morning Glory
Oasis - She's Electric

Schneller Autos Organisation - beim nächsten lied wird alles besser

Nachholbedarf. (Eigentlicher Termin: 04.10.09)
Die Platte habe ich wieder ausgekramt und das ganze Wochenende über unterwegs im Auto gehört. Mein Lieblingssong daraus ist der Song der Woche!

Zeile des Songs:
"Alles hat ein, zwei, drei Enden."


In der engeren Auswahl waren auch:
Jochen Distelmeyer - Jenfeld Mädchen
Prefab Sprout - Last Of The Great Romantics

Prefab Sprout - Last Of The Great Romantics

Nachholbedarf. (Eigentlicher Termin: 27.09.09)
Einige Soloalben kamen um diese Zeit heraus und ich habe viele bestellt/gekauft: Jamie T, Max Herre, Jochen Distelmeyer und zum einen Prefab Sprout. Sicher, letztere ist eine Band, aber das neue, alte Album ist quasi im Alleingang (Paddy McAloon) nun entstanden. Ein Werk, das '93 schon geschrieben wurde,...jetzt veröffentlicht. Es hagelte Kritik aufgrund der Instrumentalisierung, aber für mich ist es dennoch ein schönes und harmonisches Album. Und der Song der schönste daraus. Jaja, Kitsch pur, aber Prefab Sprout dürfen das.

Zeile des Songs:
"Not tortured, not wracked. Illusions intact."


In der engeren Auswahl waren auch:
Jochen Distelmeyer - Bleiben oder gehen
Max Herre - Scherben

Oktober: Mürrisch braust der Eichenwald

1. Noah and the Whale - Love Of An Orchestra
2. Katzenjammer - A Bar In Amsterdam
3. Patrick Wolf - Paris
4. The Big Pink - Velvet
5. Prefab Sprout - Meet The New Mozart
6. HEALTH - Severin
7. Mi & l'au - The Bird
8.Jamie T - Emily's Heart
9. The Dutchess And The Duke - Sunrise / Sunset
10. Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros - Carries On
11. Nick Drake - Things Behind The Sun
12. Jackson C. Frank - Blues Run The Game
13. The Albertans - Warring Man
14. Vic Chesnutt - Coward
15. fun. - All The Pretty Girls
16.Wing & Tusk - Shoveleraiser
17. Karpatenhund - Bitte Bitte Bitte
18. Islands - Vapours
19. Phillip Boa & The Voodooclub - Holly Said
20. The Fiery Furnaces - Charmaine Champagne

A Year and a half ago on april 1st I did a 'What Country Are Your Top 100 from?' decided to do one each half year, so now with october 1st it's time to do another :-)

1. England (60)
Duran Duran
Depeche Mode
The Cure
New Order
The Power Station
Roxy Music
Erasure
Arcadia
Tears for Fears
Muse
David Bowie
Ultravox
Japan
Queen
Pet Shop Boys
George Michael
The Human League
Oasis
Robbie Williams
Eurythmics
Andy Taylor
Iron Maiden
The Police
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Def Leppard
Mike & The Mechanics (new)
Kajagoogoo
Bryan Ferry
Thompson Twins
Genesis
Yazoo
Heaven 17
Morrissey
Spandau Ballet
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Talk Talk
Wham!
Placebo
Kim Wilde
The Smiths
Asia
Level 42
ABC
Blur
The Beatles
Phil Collins
Prefab Sprout
Joy Division
Martin L. Gore
Paul McCartney
Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Marc Almond (new)
Soft Cell
Dave Gahan
The Pretenders
Bauhaus
Siouxsie and the Banshees
Culture Club
Judas Priest
Take That (re)

NOTE: Still at #1, and from 59 to 60 artists, off the charts are Pink Floyd (#102) and Suede (#104)

2. US (19)
Madonna
Garbage
Mötley Crüe
Alice Cooper
KISS
The B-52's
Michael Jackson
Van Halen
Prince & The Revolution
Bon Jovi
Janet Jackson
Prince
Nine Inch Nails
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Belinda Carlisle
Eagles
The Killers
Sparks
Blondie

NOTE: Still at #2, but down from 21 to 19 artists, off the charts are: Guns N' Roses (#101) and Metallica (#105)

3. Denmark (7)
Nephew
TV-2
Mew
Private
Shu-Bi-Dua
Moi Caprice
Johnny Deluxe

NOTE: no change in position or artists

4. Scotland (4)
Cocteau Twins
Simple Minds
Altered Images
Franz Ferdinand

NOTE: no change in position or artists

5. Sweden (3)
ABBA
Roxette (re)
Europe

NOTE: Up one on the charts due to the comeback of Roxette

6. Wales (2)
James Dean Bradfield
Manic Street Preachers

NOTE: down with no change in position or artists

7. Ireland (1)
U2

NOTE: no change in position or artists

7. Norway (1)
a-ha

NOTE: no change in position or artists

7. Australia (1)
INXS

NOTE: no change in position or artists

7. Georgia (1)
Katie Melua

NOTE: no change in position or artists

7. Canada (1)
Bryan Adams

NOTE: no change in position or artists

(this was cross-posted to my music blog A Future in Noise, and here for your perusal!)

Here, by 'underrated', I'm referring to artists that I enjoy that have a relative lack of mainstream acclaim and appeal in the present, though many (if not all) of the artists below have been critically acclaimed and some even did reasonably well sales-wise in their heyday. Check out the list below of my picks for best underrated bands, suggestions from Tumblr users, and be sure to name your personal favorites in the comments!

The Cars
Why They're Great: Ah, where to begin...The Cars are easily one of my most favorite bands ever, and while they've been reasonably respected by critics, particularly for their initial '78 album (one of the rare 5-star getters in my library at Rate Your Music), they continue to be underrated by a great many of those young enough to not have fond memories of hearing these tracks when they first came out. Luckily, I heard The Cars quite a lot growing up, thanks to my Mom playing tapes and later on, the particularly great compilation Anthology: Just What I Needed. Being a keyboardist myself, I always appreciated the innovative use of synths (Greg Hawkes) throughout their music, as well as the seamless melding of the worlds of new wave and straight-up pop-rock. Candy-O (1979) shows off their power-poppy tendencies as well as their darkly ironic side. More hits follow on Panorama (1980), Shake it Up (1981; it contains a hidden gem "A Dream Away"!), and their most commercial endeavor, Heartbeat City (1984). This cool, slick music is perfect where you think it ought to be...in cars.
What People Don't Get: It could be the ever-present aversion to rock-pop song structures, though it's a puzzler how anyone could have an aversion to Ric Ocasek's lyrical genius!
Recommended Albums: The Cars (1978), Candy-O (1979)
Recommended Compilation: Anthology: Just What I Needed (1995)

Felt
Why They're Great: Felt are that great, lost jangle-pop group that should have been huge, though appear to be forever doomed to relative obscurity and a cult following. A dreamlike, autumnal haze surrounds much of the work ("Primitive Painters"), occasionally giving way to isolated melancholy ("Crystal Ball"), which is where Felt truly shine.
What People Don't Get: Lawrence stole Tom Verlaine's voice? Well, Felt were "named after the way Tom Verlaine enunciated the word "felt" in the Television song "Venus", after all. I'd admit that Felt takes some getting used to, which is why I'd recommend going with Absolute Classic Masterpieces to begin.
Recommended Album: Forever Breathes the Lonely Word (1986)
Recommended Compilation: Absolute Classic Masterpieces (1993)

INXS
Why They're Great: 1987's Kick alone would justify the inclusion of INXS in such a list as this, and yet I rarely ever spot that album, or any other, from the band included in any kind of definitive albums list, be it for the 80s or overall. Anyone who is looking for something to dance to, or that has an interest in 80s music, at least ought to love this. 1984's The Swing (with "Johnson's Aeroplane", one of my favorite tracks!) and 1992's Welcome to Wherever You Are are even more underrated, alas.
What People Don't Get: The rest of their albums have scattered hits and aren't nearly as consistent as Kick. Listeners often bash the album (and band, for that matter) for sounding dated and/or mainstream...as if everything that was popular for a time must automatically be irrelevant in the present-day!
Recommended Album: The Swing (1984), Kick (1987)
Recommended Compilation: The Greatest Hits (1994)

The Kinks
Why They're Great: The Kinks deserve just as much props as the Rolling Stones, The Beatles, and The Who, and yet they're not always included up on that pedestal of greatness in the same way those bands are. The Kinks could warrant a whole separate future artist feature here on AFIN, surely, so for now I'll simply say that this is music I enjoy immensely, because of Rate Davies' brilliant songwriting, and the lovely, quintessential Britishness that permeates their work.
What People Don't Get: They have quite a large studio discography, with sharp variations of styles from album to album; compare and contrast Village Green... with Lola..., for instance! Non-UK listeners may also be non-receptive to the Britishisms of The Kinks, and may be disappointed to not hear much else like the proto-punky "You Really Got Me". Many of their best songs are scattered across albums, some of which have more filler than gems.
Recommended Albums: Something Else by The Kinks (1967), The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society (1968), Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround (1970)
Recommended Compilation: The Ultimate Collection (2002)

Orange Juice
Why They're Great: Now, I'll admit I'm not the biggest fan of Orange Juice myself, but enough people suggested this to me to include that I figured I ought to go back and revisit their material. This band were jangle-poppers ahead of The Smiths (a band people tend to compare them with), frequently playing with a kaleidoscope of sound and a general cheeriness that makes this some of the most uplifting stuff you can expect to hear without the cheeriness getting in the way of musical quality.
What People Don't Get: Erm...the voice?
Recommended Albums: You Can't Hide Your Love Forever (1982), Rip it Up (1982)
Recommended Compilation: In a Nutshell (1985)

Silver Apples
Why They're Great: The artists they've influenced are far better known (including Sonic Boom from Spacemen 3/Spectrum, Kraftwerk, and Suicide, a band I'll be featuring momentarily) than this genuinely strange group that came out with a psychedelic-synth sound (the melding of which had, I think it's safe to say, had not been heard before) in their first album, Silver Apples, released in 1968. Sounding like music from outer-space, with unsettling drumbeats and a warbling hum of vocals and electronics, it's little wonder this went over the heads of many and still remains a cult favorite.
What People Don't Get: It's dang weird.
Recommended Album: Silver Apples (1968), Contact (1969)
Recommended Compilation: Just get the albums!

Sparks
Why They're Great: Oh my, where to begin...a somewhat-warped, theatrical take on glam/art-rock, with a very European feel about it all (despite the band hailing from Los Angeles) and heavy theatrics - this applies particularly to the Sparks masterpiece Kimono My House. Much zany, over-the-top silliness is to be found in the world of Sparks, in equal measure to some of the most memorable, catchy tunes you can hope to hear ("This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us", "Something For the Girl With Everything").
What People Don't Get: They can be a bit much to take in, sometimes...?
Recommended Album: Kimono My House (1974), Propaganda (1974), Hello Young Lovers (2006)
Recommended Compilation: Profile: The Ultimate Sparks Collection (1991)

Suicide
Why They're Great:As the AMG indicates, "Although they barely receive credit, Suicide (singer Alan Vega and keyboardist Martin Rev) is the source point for virtually every synth pop duo that glutted the pop marketplace (especially in England) in the early '80s", and not only that, but they've been cited as being influential by artists as diverse as Bruce Springsteen, U2, and R.E.M. Hearing this band for the first time is probably in the topmost important moments in my musical life (and all from a Last.fm Music Advice Center recommendation!). Oddly enough, it wasn't their seminal debut album that I first heard, but their second released in 1980, and produced by The Cars' Ric Ocasek (a big-time fan of the band!).
What People Don't Get: I. Don't. KNOW! I think, luckily, Suicide are getting their long overdue props, what with Blast First Petite's series of singles from artists, including The Horrors, Primal Scream, and Sun O))), covering Suicide in honor of Alan Vega's 70th (?!) birthday and the fact that the band are going to be playing, their 1977 album in it's entirety, live at ATP New York 2009.
Recommended Albums: Suicide (1977), The Second Album (1980), A Way of Life (1988)
Recommended Compilation: Get those albums! Live 1977-1978, released last year, is no place for beginners, but makes for some seriously intense listening.

XTC
Why They're Great: Their slow transformation from first-rate post-punk (Drums and Wires) to psychedelic-chamber pop (Skylarking), to soundtrack-esque bliss (Apple Venus Vols. 1 and 2) make XTC a truly singular entity in music.
What People Don't Get: Inconsistent albums - you're better off beginning with a compilation for starters.
Recommended Albums: Drums and Wires (1979), Skylarking (1986), Apple Venus Vol. 1 (1999)
Recommended Compilation: Fossil Fuel: The XTC Singles 1977-1992 (1996)

Yello
Why They're Great: As is the case with The Cars, I know about and like this band primarily due to hearing them quite a lot growing up. I am a sucker for dark, eerie electronic music, and this is what this band excelled at. Yello's music is characterized by otherworldly instrumentation, unique samples, and haunting vocals.
What People Don't Get: It's a safe bet that the majority of people that have heard Yello and aren't into them have really only heard "Oh Yeah". If that was the only song I heard, I'm not sure that I would've gone any further. Those who have become acquainted with more material and still aren't impressed might be off-put by their hodgepodge sound-collages and arty strangeness in general, particularly on their first release Solid Pleasure. A suspicion of electronics in music may also be responsible, which I believe is a silent, widespread plague among us!
Recommended Album: Gotta Say Yes to Another Excess (1983)
Recommended Compilation: Yello 1980-1985: The New Mix in One Go (1986) This is truly the best place to begin with Yello; even though these are remixes, nearly all are superior to the originals, particularly "Daily Disco" and "Pinball Cha Cha".

...and More (thanks to the Tumblr users I polled! I still have more investigating in regards to some of these artists, particular faves of mine are bolded):
14 Iced Bears, a-ha, Black Tambourine, Cheap Trick, The Chills, The Clean, Flamin' Groovies, The Flesh Eaters, Gallows, The Gun Club, Jazz Butcher, Joy Zipper, Magazine, Metal Urbain, Prefab Sprout, The Pretty Things, The Saints, Small Faces, Violent Femmes, Wipers, The Yardbirds

63 Crayons: Good People
XTC: Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2)
Super Furry Animals: Guerrilla
Element of Crime: Romantik
Nellie McKay: Get Away From Me (disc 1)
Sean Lennon: Into the Sun
Prefab Sprout: Jordan: The Comeback
Julie Andrews: Broadway: The Music of Richard Rodgers

A Year ago on april 1st I did a 'What Country Are Your Top 100 from?' followed it up 6 months later on october 1st, so now it's time for another update.

1. England (59)
Duran Duran
Depeche Mode
The Cure
New Order
Erasure
Arcadia
The Power Station
Tears for Fears
Ultravox
Japan
Pet Shop Boys
David Bowie
George Michael
Oasis
The Human League
Robbie Williams
Roxy Music
Muse
Iron Maiden
The Police
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Def Leppard
Kajagoogoo
Thompson Twins
Yazoo
Eurythmics
Andy Taylor
Morrissey
Heaven 17
Bryan Ferry
Genesis
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Spandau Ballet
Wham!
Talk Talk
Kim Wilde
Placebo
Queen
ABC
The Smiths
Blur
Prefab Sprout
Paul McCartney
Bauhaus
Asia
Siouxsie and the Banshees
Soft Cell
Pink Floyd
Dave Gahan
Frankie Goes to Hollywood (new)
The Beatles
Martin L. Gore
Suede
Joy Division
Culture Club
The Pretenders
Phil Collins
Judas Priest
Level 42

NOTE: Still at #1, and still with 59 artists, off the charts is Saint Etienne (#103)

2. US (21)
Madonna
Garbage
Mötley Crüe
KISS
The B-52's
Van Halen
Prince & The Revolution
Bon Jovi
Alice Cooper
Janet Jackson
Nine Inch Nails
Prince
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Belinda Carlisle
The Killers
Eagles
Michael Jackson (new)
Blondie
Guns N' Roses (re)
Sparks
Metallica

NOTE: Still at #2, but up from 20 to 21 artists, and Guns N' Roses makes a comeback in the top 100, probably due to them releasing a new album in november :-), off the charts is: The Dandy Warhols (#104)

3. Denmark (7)
Nephew
TV-2
Mew
Private
Shu-Bi-Dua
Moi Caprice
Johnny Deluxe

NOTE: Still at #3, but down from 8 to 7 artists, off the charts is Spleen United (#102)

4. Scotland (4)
Cocteau Twins
Simple Minds
Franz Ferdinand
Altered Images

NOTE: no change in position or artists

5. Wales (2)
James Dean Bradfield
Manic Street Preachers

NOTE: no change in position or artists

5. Sweden (2)
ABBA
Europe

NOTE: no change in position or artists

7. Ireland (1)
U2

NOTE: no change in position or artists

7. Norway (1)
a-ha

NOTE: no change in position or artists

7. Australia (1)
INXS

NOTE: no change in position or artists

7. Georgia (1)
Katie Melua

NOTE: no change in position or artists

7. Canada (1)
Bryan Adams

NOTE: no change in position or artists