Two Wheels Good
Two Wheels Good
Prefab Sprout
Released: July 1985
Kitchenware/Epic Records
Produced by Thomas Dolby
Often called “The Pet Sounds of the 80’s” is somewhat of a misnomer considering Brian Wilson was not an intellectual or remotely interested in sophisti-pop jazz, although he and Prefab Sprout’s Paddy McAloon can equally lay claim to being genius pop songwriters. What Pet Sounds and Two Wheels Good do have in common is the love sickness. In terms of a break-up album, Two Wheels Good is a masterpiece. Heartbreak is made palpable:
“When love breaks down / the things you do / to stop the truth from hurting you”
”I count the hours since you slipped away / I count the hours that I lie awake / I count the minutes and the seconds, too / All I stole and took from you”
At the production helm is studio tech-whiz Thomas Dolby (“She Blinded Me With Science”) who also produced Joni Mitchell’s Dog Eag Dog album from around the same time. Although Joni recently complained that Dolby “decorated [her] out of her own home”, which I utterly disagree with, the stealth sonic flourishes which he also brings to the Two Wheels Good project describe feeling and temperature.
It’s important to note that because of a copyright issue, the U.K. version is called Steve McQueen and the U.S. version called Two Wheels Good. An important distinction other than the title is that the original release of Two Wheels Good contained three bonus tracks that were maddeningly left off of subsequent reissues:
“The Yearning Loins” - This track lends a lightness and bouyancy to the album over.
“He’ll Have to Go” - In my opinion, the definitive cover of the Jim Reeves classic.
“Faron (Truckin’ Mix”) - The only track that may not be essential but an interesting coda.
In this century thus far, Prefab Sprout has sadly fallen somewhat into obscurity, but I was happy to hear Nick Rattigan (Surf Curse) rave about them in this episode (@ 7:40) of Amoeba Records’s What’s In My Bag series,
Other recommend recordings by the artist:
Swoon
Prefab Sprout
Release date: March 12, 1984
Kitchenware, CBS/Epic
Produced by David Brewis & Prefab Sprout
Jordan: The Comeback
Prefab Sprout
Kitchenware, CBS/Epic
Release date: August 28, 1990
Produced by Thomas Dolby
Let’s Change the World with Music
Prefab Sprout
Kitchenware, Sony/BMG
Release date: September 7, 2009
Produced by Paddy McAloon
