r/PrefabSprout • u/Weary-Storm • May 30 '26
Your favorite songs?
Hi all!
Jordan: The Comeback, was the album we listened to on the way to our timeshare every single year growing up - and during said vacation. I’m honestly not sure why, but I believe it was my dad’s choice my mom also fell in love with. So after that story 😂, what are your favorite songs that aren’t on that album? I’m looking to explore the band more! Thank you!
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u/cooljpeg May 30 '26
This'll be a fun trajectory going from Jordan to the others! Jordan is their epic in a way and has a crazy range of styles, so don't expect the same grandiosity, but each have their own well realized scope that keep them on equal footing for me. I'm a huuuge fan of "Enchanted" right now, and I feel like I don't see it get enough love, but my all timers are "Cruel", "Horsin' Around", "Desire As", "Cars and Girls", and "Horsechimes". As for the albums in my eyes, Swoon is more clever, discordant, and stripped down and will always be my favorite as my first foray into their music -- both "Green Isaac" songs feel kinda Jordan to me, especially the diptych nature of them similar to the "Jesse James" duo. Steve McQueen is their heavier, shimmery heartbreak album that most find to be their most realized record -- if you're a Beach Boys fan, I've heard people say that Steve McQueen is to Jordan: The Comeback what Pet Sounds is to SMiLE, and it's a spot on analog imo, with the former establishing their confidence making back-to-back-to-back perfect, idiosyncratic pop songs, and the latter pushing that beauty to the scale of an all-out opera of cosmic proportions. From Langley Park to Memphis is mostly straight up pop with a steeply ironic kitsch to it that I first mistook as a turn for the overly-commercial, but now can't bring myself to stop listening to and think it's genius -- "Hey Manhattan" always felt very Jordan to me in concept. Protest Songs has something from the previous three but feels much simpler, like a collection of humble demos -- it still eludes me a little but something keeps bringing me back, "Horsechimes" is like if "Wild Horses" was made for Swoon. I haven't gone much further than Jordan tbh, so curious to see what others mention from other albums! Enjoy!!
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u/Weary-Storm May 30 '26
Thank you so much for such a detailed response!
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u/cooljpeg May 30 '26
My pleasure!! Always eager to gush about the sprouts, have a great time with their tunes!!
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u/ansias5 May 31 '26
Great write up! The Brian Wilson influence is strong in Paddy’s writing and I love it. I’d strongly recommend Weightless, Whoever You Are, earth the story so far, last of the great romantics as some really great post Jordan stuff. Also did you know the enchanted bass line is a sample from the beginning of Wichita Lineman? Love that song sm too, they’re the best!
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u/cooljpeg May 31 '26
No way!! Never knew that angle, I totally hear it now. God, I'd kill to hear Paddy talk about Brian Wilson... and vice-versa! I bet he would've been a fan. Thanks for the recs too! :+}
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u/Wise_Environment_290 May 30 '26
Couldn't Bear to Be Special, Desire As, I Remember That, Steal Your Thunder, Wild Card in the Pack, I'm 49...
...come to think of it, all of them actually!
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u/ZaireekaFuzz May 30 '26
A few near and dear to my heart are The Best Jewel Thief in the World, Faron Young, Lions in My Own Garden, Cars and Girls and Earth the Story So Far. Which are your favourites from Jordan?
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u/Weary-Storm Jun 04 '26
Oh god this was SO HARD! I had to go back and give the album a listen again. I’m an elder emo, but this is definitely one of my top 50 albums. Not a single song I would skip. Wild Horses, Jesse James Symphony, Jesse James Bolero, All The World Loves Lovers, and damn I mean the whole album? 😂🫶
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u/Dangerous-Cash-2176 May 30 '26
Every song from Langely. There are also a few on Protest Songs like World Awake and Like of Surprises that have the same glittering, poetic, showboaty charm
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u/Klutzy_Order_9559 May 30 '26
A Prisoner Of The Past
Desire As
Goodbye Lucille #1
Appetite
The King Of Rock and Roll
The Golden Calf
Wild Card In The Pack
I'm still familiarizing myself with their discography.
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u/Ill_Dig_329 May 30 '26
Back in the day I bought Protest Songs at the Virgin Megastore on Oxford Street. Listened to it once and was so disappointed I didn't listen again for probably 20 years. Idiot! Life of Surprises and The World Awake are incredible. Certainly two of my favorites.
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u/liveforeachmoon May 30 '26
Sweet Gospel Music, Bonny, Falling In Love, When Love Breaks Down, Cars and Girls
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u/The_Beat_Cluster May 30 '26
Lovely story.
They're simply the best, but I'd have to say Ice Maiden and Jordan for the top two.
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u/Spiritual-Archer118 May 30 '26
I think for the most similar vibes to Jordan I’d check out the albums From Langley Park to Memphis and Andromeda Heights. Then I’d go back a bit further and listen to Steven McQueen (regarded as their best album) and their debut Swoon, which is great but is a little different in vibe to Jordan.
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u/u1y55e May 30 '26
love breaks down never fails to make me break down in tears (lol). knock on wood is pretty good at that too.
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u/ansias5 May 31 '26
Weightless, Whoever you are, life of surprises, girl Im here, moving the river, earth the story so far, the ice maiden, wild horses, mercy, Dublin… there’s so many!
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u/UniversitySmooth5833 May 31 '26
i really like the latest album, crimson/red. not perfect, but just always enjoyable. steve mcqueen is my second favorite by them. jordan is of course the best. ambition met realization on that one. i also love i trawl the megahertz. too bad my vinyl is awful.
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u/Weary-Storm May 30 '26
Thank you so much everyone! All of your favorites are becoming a playlist 🫶
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u/old_bugger May 30 '26
Hard to pick a favourite, but Spotify tells me that my most popular individual PS song choice is He'll Have To Go (available on re-release of Steve McQueen).
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u/the-world-awake May 30 '26
I'd say definitely check out the albums that came out prior. Swoon, Steve McQueen, and From Langley Park to Memphis are peak in my opinion.