As far as I'm concerned, when it comes to 80s British sophisti-pop bands, Prefab Sprout places pretty high near the top of the list. Vocally smoother on the ears than, say, the Style Council, but with a Smiths-like edge (early on at least) and a certain off-kilter approach that made them more exciting than some of their more overproduced peers. Not to mention also their impeccable sense of craft and lyrical wordplay. And yes I know that Prefab Sprout is still an ongoing concern and have made many albums since the 80s, just bear with me here. Protest Songs was apparently supposed to be their third album (recorded in 1986) but wasn't released until several years later for reasons I do not know. Soundwise, it's fairly similar to their first two albums, which might be why they held this one back. It also doesn't have any immediate standouts like "When Love Breaks Down." Don't get me wrong though, Protest Songs is still an excellent record. And "more of the same" when it comes to early Prefab Sprout is quite a nice thing to have. Start with Swoon or Steve McQueen (titled Two Wheels Good for us Yanks) first, though. Music like this with its fancy jazz chords and tasteful production certainly screams "Adult" and you'll likely either love it or hate it. In fact, I'm sure I would have been amongst the latter group if I heard this as a teenager. Funny how tastes change...
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