"Steve McQueen: Legacy Edition 2CD Reisue" by PREFAB SPROUT - June 1985 UK Second Studio Album on Kitchenware Records featuring Paddy and Martin McAloon, Neil Conti and Wendy Smith with Guests Thomas Dolby (Production and Keyboards), Phil Thornally (Production), Mark Lockheart (Saxophone) and Kevin Armstrong (Guitar) (June 2007 UK Sony/BMG/Legacy 2CD Deluxe Edition Reissue with a Thomas Dolby Remaster of the Album on CD1 with Nine New 'Acoustic Version' Interpretations of the Album Tracks by Paddy McAloon on CD2) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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 "...The Things You Do To Stop The Truth From Hurting You..."

 

I was living in Dublin when this giant-leap-ahead album hit the shops in June 1985 on the eclectically named Kitchenware Records - quietly blowing Prefab Sprout's debut album "Swoon" from March 1984 out of the proverbial musical water. While the account starter was interesting (as they say in reviewer parlance) - its follow-up "Steve McQueen" from only a year later was an altogether better beast in every possible way.

 

"Steve McQueen" wowed (Side 1 especially). Most of my mates were in awe of emo-inducing songs like "Bonny" and "When Love Breaks Down" never mind the brilliant lyrics and crafty riffage and synth fills in tunes like "Faron Young" (on the TV at four in the morning), "Goodbye Lucille No. 1" (give it a rest Johnny, Johnny) and "Moving The River" (a truly gifted kid, only as good as the last great thing you did) - the kind of Eighties Rock sophistication so many bands and serious artists of the time allured to but seldom achieved. And I've been in love with Steve McQueen's gorgeous panorama ever since. 

 

Called "Two Wheels Good" in the USA when it was issued on Epic Records (the estate of the famous actor took umbrage to the name 'Steve McQueen' being used as the album title) - it had slick Production values supplied by THOMAS DOLBY - but probably because of its 45-minutes plus total playing time, always sounded like a slightly muted audio letdown because of the limitations of vinyl. So we waited for CD to catch up and in early April 2007 - Sony-BMG did so with this fantastic 'Legacy Edition' 2CD reissue. To the six things on Paddy's mind (my review's not one of them)...

UK released 2 April 2007 - "Steve McQueen: Legacy Edition" by PREFAB SPROUT on Sony/BMG/Legacy KWCD3-25 - 82876731592 (Barcode 828767315928) is a 25th Anniversary 2CD Reissue with a Thomas Dolby Remaster of the 1985 album on CD1 and Eight 'New Acoustic Versions by Paddy McAloon' of key album tracks on CD2. It breaks down as follows:

CD1 "Steve McQueen" Original Album Remastered by Thomas Dolby (45:11 minutes):

1. Faron Young [Side 1]

2. Bonny 

3. Appetite

4. When Love Breaks Down 

5. Goodbye Lucille No. 1

6. Hallelujah

7. Moving The River [Side 2]

8. Horsin' Around 

9. Desire As 

10. Blueberry Pies

11. When The Angels

Tracks 1 to 10 are their second studio album "Steve McQueen" - released June 1985 in the UK on Kitchenware Records KWLP 3 and as "Two Wheels Good" in the USa on Epic Records BFE 40100. Produced by THOMAS DOLBY (except "When Love Breaks Down" by PHIL THORNALLY) - it peaked at No. 21 in the UK (didn't chart USA).

PREFAB SPROUT was Paddy McAloon (Lead Singer, Songwriter on all Songs, Guitars etc), Martin McAloon, Wendy Smith and Neil Conti. Guests included Kevin Armstrong who contributed Guitar to "Halleujah" and "Desire As" - while Mark Lockhart also proffered Saxophone on "Desire As". But the big name on "Steve McQueen" was THOMAS DOLBY who Produced the whole album (except "When Love Breaks Down" which was initially done by Phil Thornally and then Remixed by Dolby) and did the keyboards for nine of its eleven tracks - "Hallelujah" and "Desire As" being the two exclusions.

CD2 "New Acoustic Versions by Paddy McAloon" - Recorded Summer 2006 (34:58 minutes):

1. Appetite 

2. Bonny

3. Desire As 

4. When Love Breaks Down

5. Goodbye Lucille No. 1

6. Moving The River 

7. Faron Young 

8. When The Angels 

The foldout card digipak is pretty if not a little underwhelming and insubstantial. There is a 12-page oversized booklet with new liner notes from PAUL LESTER done in December 2006. They give a potted history of the album's impact on both us and the band and does go into the new songs and their wildly different interpretations - the guitar riffage of "Faron Young" replaced with melodies you don't expect but so work. And the Thomas Dolby Remaster of the principal album is just 'so' beautifully subtle - muscular, clean but never antiseptic or polished to within an inch of its Supertramp life. He's kept the audio histrionics down - you just get gorgeous clarity and when that solo kicks in in "Bonny" - I'm in floods (check out the cover version Tom Smith of The Editors did of "Bonny" - stunning - McAloon would be proud to call it pal).

 

What's missing? For years fans of "Steve McQueen" have had to do with the US CD version called "Two Wheels Good" which while not remastered contained 3 bonus tracks not on the UK CD - "Faron Young (Truckin' Mix)", "The Yearning Loins" and "He'll Have To Go". 

 

Between October 1984 and as late as February 1986, no less than 6 singles came off the album in the UK - "When Love Breaks Down" was put out 3 times  - "Faron Young", "Appetite" and "Goodbye Lucille No. 1" were also issued and between them and their multiple formats, they produced as many as 12 unreleased B-sides and mixes. Shame none are here. But all of that disappears once you hear the audiophile-sounding 'acoustic' reinterpretations on CD2 which are unbelievably good. Wow. Here's hoping band main-man Paddy McAloon will consider doing the same for 1988's "From Langley Park To Memphis" or 1990's "Jordan: The Comeback" - too mouth watering a thought to even comprehend!

 

"...Wishing she could call him heartache, but it's not a boy's name..." 

 

Smart lyrics, smart man - get this fantastic CD twofer in your life like you're Robin Hood and you've spotted a good tree up ahead with the best arrows in the forest...

"Steve McQueen" by PREFAB SPROUT. Their Stunning 1985 Album Is Given A Beautiful New Remaster & Brilliantly Reinterpreted Acoustic Versions On A 'Legacy Edition' 2CD Reissue in 2007 - A Review by Mark Barry....

"...You Surely Are...A Truly Gifted Kid..." 

Following on from their hugely promising February 1984 debut “Swoon" - England's PREFAB SPROUT took many English and Irish hearts by storm in the summer and autumn of 1985 with their stunning 2nd album "Steve McQueen".

Rated by many as being in the Top 50 albums of all time - this 2 April 2007 'Legacy Edition' Reissue of "Steve McQueen" by PREFAB SPROUT on Sony BMG/Legacy/Kitchenware 88697072442 is a long overdue 2CD celebration of that bedsit staple - the album Remastered on Disc 1 with brand new Paddy McAloon interpretations on Disc 2 of 8 songs (beautifully recorded and done). Here’s the layout…

Disc 1 "Steve McQueen – Original Album Remastered" (45:13 minutes):

1. Faron Young [Side 1]

2. Bonny

3. Appetite

4. When Love Breaks Down

5. Goodbye Lucille No. 1

6. Hallelujah

7. Moving The River [Side 2]

8. Horsin’ Around

9. Desire As

10. Blueberry Pies

11. When The Angels

Tracks 1 to 11 are the album "Steve McQueen " - issued June 1985 in the UK on Kitchenware Records KW 3 (Vinyl, Cassette and CD). The US version was called "Two Wheels Good" for contractual reasons and was issued on Epic 40100.  The US CD version contained 3 bonus tracks - "Faron Young (Truckin' Mix)", "The Yearning Loins" and "He'll Have To Go" - they were not included on the UK version - nor unfortunately included here on this reissue either. This Legacy reissue is remastered by original producer THOMAS DOLBY at The Mastering Lab in Los Angeles  - he also contributes recollections to the liner notes.

Disc 2 – "New Acoustic Versions by Paddy McAloon" (35:00 minutes):

1. Appetite

2. Bonny

3. Desire As

4. When Love Breaks Down

5. Goodbye Lucille No. 1

6. Moving The River

7. Faron Young

8. When The Angels

Tracks 1 to 8 are brand new acoustic re-interpretations by Paddy McAloon (band's principal songwriter) of 8 tracks from the original 11 - they were recorded across the summer of 2006.

The 2CDs are housed in a card gatefold digipak (where's the Legacy Edition Protective Plastic outer wrap?), have motorbike logos on the CDs and a scant 12-page booklet with liner notes by PAUL LESTER. There are some new photos - outtakes from the album cover shoot, but bizarrely the original inner sleeve of the LP depicting the members of the band and giving recording details - is missing. But worse is the lack of musical extras. Between October 1984 and as late as February 1986, no less than 6 singles came off the album in the UK - When Love Breaks Down was put out 3 times  - Faron Young, Appetite and Johnny Johnny were issued also - between them and their multiple formats, they produced as many as 12 unreleased B-sides and mixes. As you can see from the playing time on both discs, there was plenty of room for remasters of these rarities. They will probably never see the light of day now - which is maddening - especially on a supposed collector's edition. However, the other way of looking at it is this - presented as is - this reissue forces you to focus 'only' on the album proper - and the new acoustic tracks - and as they stand - they make for a truly sensational listen. So I can see why McAloon would want the album presented in this way, it's just disappointing not to see those non-album tracks that are not on CD anywhere...

Which brings us to the 1st part of the good news - THE SOUND. Like many who've loved this wonderful record, I've had the cramped vinyl LP and dull sounding original CD for over 20 years now - hoping for a good reissue of it at some point. Well this Thomas Dolby remaster is just BEAUTIFUL - clean, muscular and full of presence. Hearing the sublime "Bonny" in this sound quality is a treat no music lover should be without - and that synth solo - wow! And when you think of how awful a lot of Eighties music sounds now - so dated and over-produced - musically the whole album still holds it own. So many great tracks "Moving The River", "Desire As" and the Johnny Johnny song "Goodbye Lucille No.1" A really sweet remaster by Dolby. But the real fireworks and good news number two start on Disc 2...

Few would have expected that Acoustic Reinterpretations would be this good - or even rival and better the originals - but here they do. It's hard to understate just how stunning these beautifully recorded remakes are - I've been playing them to buggery for over 18 months now and still don't tire of them. I made up a shop-play disc of 7 tracks from Ryan Adams' "Easy Tiger" album from 2007 with 7 from this - and every time I play it, it never fails to bring customers to the counter with looks of `discovery' on theirs faces wanting to know "Who is this!!!"

To sum up - despite the ok-only packaging and lack of those b-sides - this is a 5-star reissue of a 6-star album - a must buy. I will go weak at the knees if the same treatment is planned for the equally magnificent "Jordon: The Comeback"...