Customer Reviews

Gunman & Other Stories

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I am a longtime Prefab fan and to be honest I was pretty dissapointed when I first listened to their latest offering. But after a couple of spins It was obvious that Paddy has not lost his touch. Cowboy Dreams, Wild Card, Cornfield, When you get to know me and Blue Roses are first rate, and as good as anything from Jordan The Comeback. I have found with most great Prefab songs they take a while to grab you but once they do you'll never forget their beautiful melodies or perfect production.

Unfortunately the good songs on this cd are surrounded by filler and considering this is the first new output since 1997's Andromeda Heights (which I thought was fantastic) that seems pretty lame. Also it appears that Paddy is getting more sentimental as he gets older, some of the stuff here is too syrupy and lacks the sarcasm and wit from his previous work.

I have a feeling that Prefab have passed their prime but even their weakest work is a lot better than the majority of pop music currently on offer.If you are a Prefab fan, buy this it's worth it, if you are a prefab beginner buy Jordan the comeback or Two wheels good first.

If you think Swoon, Steve McQueen and Jordan define the way Prefab Sprout albums should sound, and you threw in the towel after their last album, Andromeda Heights, and you probably won't like The Gunman and Other Stories any better. Fortunately, many fans have "survived the blast" and are thoroughly enjoying Paddy McAloon's lastest creations. The production by Tony Visconti is crisp and clean, big when it needs to be, yet quite subtle, with wisps of the old mixed in with the new. Paddy has stripped his songs down to pure emotion. Passion so hot, it sets the dry summer cornfield ablaze. Quite cinematic. McAloon re-interprets the only non-original on the album, The Streets of Laredo into a made-for-21st-century-Prefab spectacular. Later, in Blue Roses, his elegant and simple words, set to one of the prettiest melodies I've ever heard, could wring love out of the coldest heart. Finally, a string sextet gets down with a country hoedown backing for Farmyard Cat. There's no going back. Paddy's music is already classical.

Paddy McAloon's Scottish pop combo, Prefab Sprout, have made enchanting records since the 80's. His latest, The Gunman and Other Stories, is a charmer from beginning to end, with "Wild Card in the Pack", a great single, and "I'm a Troubled Man", a wrenching ballad, the highlights. McAloon is a smart writer and singer -- comfortable with both irony, direct emotion, and absolute cheese (the closing cut, "Farmyard Cat", harkens back to The Kinks Village Green days). They've never been "hip", which is a good thing -- Prefab Sprout, instead, are timeless. They could make wonderful records, if we're lucky, forever.

a) after going 6 or 7 years thinking that there would never be another Prefab album, I am grateful for ANYTHING that Mr. McAloon releases.
b) given the preceding - color me biased.
c) the Gunman (the song) is phenomonal.
d) songcraft of this calibre is not mindful of critical acclaim or disdain.
e) Paddy - I thought it was over 12 years ago - thanks for proving me wrong.
f) 'Cornfield', 'Blue Roses', 'The Streets of Laredo' - Musical escapes don't get any better than this...
g) If you've EVER been a fan of this group/genius - Buy the damn album already.

This was a difficult review. I listened to Gunman for a good two months before coming to a place where I could write a "helpful" review. No, this is not JORDAN. If this is the first Prefab you've ever listened to, I guess you will never come back. But if you have been a Prefab fan then there is a place inside you where this CD will find you. You may need to be at a loss. You may need to have recently watched her/him walk out the door. Then these love songs will find you again as JORDAN found you when you were full of hope and arrogance. Paddy never really misses, never. This is melodic, love lost or LOVE bigger than we can ever admit to. Love is havoc and all we ever really wish for, once again as only Paddy can express it. The "cowboy" theme is just his current mask or flavor, like the different names of those you swooned over and somehow lost or left behind. Buy it.

I bought this as an import with some trpidation. I always look forward to a new Prefab Sprout album but I had also heard that this was to be a country album. Okay, I thought, as long as it's in the same vein as what Ryan Adams has been doing or the countrified sounds of the Willard Grant Conspiracy or the Palace Brothers.

'Gunman' isn't horribly countrified [although I think that the band will spend some time living down the photos in the liner notes] and is actually quite good---just avoid the last track at all costs. Listening this one reminds me of my first few spins with 'Protest Songs,' which I was not fond of. Both of these discs are real growers. The standout track on this album is 'Cornfield Ablaze' which revisits earlier Sprouts tracks 'The End Of The Affair' musically and 'Talking Scarlet' lyricly. It is quieter in demeanor & tempo [much like 'Andromeda Heights'] and really doesn't forge any new territory...after all, the Sprouts were flirting with country sounds back in the day of 'Faron Young' on 'Steve McQueen.'

Buy this if you're already a Prefab Sprout fan, if you are new to them I would suggest seeking out 'Steve McQueen' or 'Jordan: The Comeback' first.

If you're a Prefab Sprout fan, you will probably buy this CD regardless of what the reviews say. Luckily, Paddy has really put forth a fine effort. Although his last album, 'Andromeda Heights' has better songs, 'Gunman' is a stronger album. I probably cut Paddy more slack than other songwriters but I appreciate the fact that he takes chances and he really writes beautiful music. I miss Wendy, though.

This album seems to have polarized a lot of longtime fans, and now Prefab Sprout have been pared down to a brotherly duo. I actually enjoy this one more than ANDROMEDA HEIGHTS, which was a bit too syrupy and downtempo for my tastes (despite a handful of great songs). Albeit ridden with western themes and allegories, THE GUNMAN is only scarcely western sounding. Sure, a couple tracks are a bit weak -- for instance, Paddy's arrangement of "The Streets of Laredo" didn't do much for me, but outstanding songs like "Cowboy Dreams", "Wild Card", "Cornfield Ablaze" (classic, wistful Prefab) and "Blue Roses" (sort of like a reprise of the song "Andromeda Heights") make this a worthwhile album. The epic title track is quite good too. Even the much maligned, hopelessly corny Copland-esque "Farmyard Cat" is enjoyable to those of us who can lighten up a bit and allow Paddy to have a little fun!

Paddy McAloon is one of popular music's most underrated songwriters. Thank God that has never prevented him from producing one gem after another; this album is no exception.
"When You Get to Know Me Better" is a sly but beautiful delight.

The Gunman and Other Stories being Prefab Sprout's 7th release and their latest release has been least successful album to date and I agree with Allmusic in their assessment when they give the album 3 stars. It is a straight forward pop album with generic sound and lyrics. The booklet includes all the lyrics and we do get a list of whom plays what for each track. 3/5.