Swoon

"Swoon" is my favorite Prefab album. It's endured its share of ambivalent reviews over the years, but to me it shows the band and songwriter/singer Paddy McAloon in their purest state, before outside hands and Top 20 chart prospects streamlined their approach. "Swoon" is a highly original record, melding various styles into one unique vision, resulting in a sophisticated sound the band could claim as its own.It's an album that grew on me. At first, expecting some breezy jazz-pop a la early Aztec Camera, I was a bit put off by the convoluted song structures, the cheesy session-hack drum-fills, and the almost cocky swagger of McAloon's delivery. But I was soon hooked by the evocative, sophisticated, and pretty jazz-inspired chord progressions, and the slightly unusual but lovely melodies. Taken as a whole, I soon forgave what I initially perceived as shortcomings, and saw "Swoon" as an innovative and unconventional approach to pop."Swoon" bristles with angsty, early-20-something tension, but sometimes eases up with lush and airy atmosphere. "Technique" surges and pummels, reveling in a white-knuckled frenzy, while "Cruel" sways to a gentle bossa nova beat with a simple, catchy, jazzy chord progression."Swoon" takes risks that people with sights on the charts shouldn't consider in a million years. Take "I Never Play Basketball Now," which goes through about 10 completely different parts before ever repeating any of them.Lyrically, McAloon consistently intrigues. "Cruel" brilliantly explores the mind of a "liberal guy" who finds himself as hopelessly jealous and possessive of the object of his love as any backwards provincial who's never heard of Joan Didion. Other songs prove more difficult to decipher; willfully obscure, yet always intelligent and witty.Lush, gossamer, elegant, intimate, intense, seething, difficult, etc. - all words that aptly describe "Swoon." It has been sited as a strange fusion of Aztec Camera and Steely Dan, which makes sense, but ultimately "Swoon" proves too complicated for simple comparisons. Too rough and angsty to sit alongside Sade; too melodic, and richly complex to fit with most new wave or "new pop" of the era, "Swoon" is pure, untainted Prefab Sprout.

Pleasantly suprised that there are other people out there who not only hold this album in high esteem but still listen to it. I really think this album is unique. Paddy McAloon treads a very thin line between cheesy cloying sentiment and urbane moodiness througout, but never falls on his face. The same cannot be said, for example, of Langley Park to Memphis. Who else could deliver this line with a straight passionate face: 'No I never, ever play basketball now//It's among the things I miss, like fencing foils and lovely girls I've never kissed"I even find Swoon preferable to Two Wheels Good due to its rougher production, greater energy, and warm beauty.I listened to this album in the car last summer on a thick night with the sun going down and I think it has never sounded better. Swoon has dated incredibly well--in spite of itself.

This is an overlooked but brilliant album. Very off beat and original, its hard to trace any influences but my gut feeling would be Cole Porter or perhaps Steely Dan...however songwriter Paddy McAloon came up with this music it is top notch-filled with complex pop hooks and interesting lyrics- I prefer this LP to anything they did subsequently and I suggest listeners go back and check out this stellar debut...the only thing that could improve upon this album would be to re-release the CD with two other early Kitchenware tracks "Donna Summer" and "Diana"- this would be pure bliss!!

I recently dropped Swoon into the CD player in my car and was transported back in time. After ten or fifteen years it's great to find that Swoon still seems to capture colors and sounds which would go unnoticed if not for the work of Prefab Sprout. This album should be required listening for any dreamer. In a very real way, it clears the palate of much of today's weak pop music. Ah SWOON!!!!

I picked it up used when I was 14 at a used shop cos I liked the band name. Today-it gives me goose bumps. Their best. Period. If you can PLEASE hear this.