This year, I became a father for the first time. On the way home from the hospital, we listened to Stars’ brilliant album, Heart, and barely held it together. The first few weeks were touch and go, sleepless and filled with more emotion than I’d ever known existed. Heart was the soundtrack. This new track off the forthcoming Set Yourself on Fire sounds more raw and still as beautiful. You can’t help but love a band who will tell you at the height of the holidays to go listen to Prefab Sprout’s first full-length, Swoon, because it’s a reminder of Paddy McAloon’s failed youth. Yes, I’m out and proud about my Prefab Sprout love. I’m also out and proud about Stars.
Sharing the sharing.
Fatherhood is amazing. And I imagine there's lots of other Prefabbies out there.
It has gotten a lot better. PIty about the teething, though.
(standing in front of a podium, a fairly empty cafeteria)
My name’s darren and I’m a prefab sprout fan, too…
being a father is amazing, isn’t it? That first week is something you can’t explain…and it only gets better.
I actually don't like Stars, and er, I'm not a father.
…
Just wanted to say, congrats, Jon!
Thanks Mickey!
I saw the stars a few weeks ago, at a little bar, here in ottawa, where all the soon-to-be-big-bands play.
Heart is an amazing album. Set Yourself on Fire is even better. I didn't think that seeing them in person would strike a chord. But it did.
I'm glad they made someone else's 2004 list too. I wish there were more.
I feel like Set Yourself on Fire took over where Heart left off. It filled in alot of the inadequacies that really nagged on me when listening to Heart over the last year. I guess the only way I can describe it is that it takes the best parts of Heart and stretches it into an entire album of great songs. There's no dull spots.
I'm just glad it's soon to be available in America so I can feel less guilty about pirating it and not forking over for the import.
Hi Aram! Glad you're checking out 3hive! If you have any suggestions (bummer Ray LaMontagne has streaming audio instead of mp3s) let us know.
Hi Jon! Aram is probably my most talented former student, artistically speaking. He's smart, too, but darn is he a good musician, photographer and writer. And he's checking out 3hive and your excellent Stars post–how cool is that?
By the way, I always assumed Leta listened to Interpol on the way home, hence her occasional edgy nature…
I was just changing my two week old boy's diapers and listening to "Protest Songs". "Pearly Gates" is a great tragic lullaby. My boy seems to like "Baby Einstein" compilations better, though. What a Philistine!
I like Stars. They're a good music group.
I will always remember Heart as the soundtrack to the days I waited for my little bean to arrive in December ’03. Lovely. One of the things I really love about Stars is their appreciation for Prefab Sprout. Somebody needs to love them.
I am officially “out and proud” about Prefab Sprout as of this Christmas holiday and a visit to an indie music shop in Chapel Hill.
Perusing the used CDs, I found a copy of the Prefab Sprout 2-cd Collection. I hadn’t listened to Paddy and co. for a while and it just tugged at my heartstrings.
So despite my husband’s looks askance, I plunked my Prefab up on the counter for indie hipster guy to ring up and I didn’t care if anyone mocked me.
I came home from Chapel Hill with a burning curiosity to learn more about what Paddy McAloon and co. have been up to. I did a Google search and happened upon your comments re: Stars and Prefab Sprout. I then realized you’re Leta’s dad, which is wonderful because I adore Dooce.com.
Funny how it all circles around and comes back together.
Thank you Stars. Thank you Prefab Sprout. Thank you Jon. I wish you and your family the best for 2006.