Prefab Sprout

For some Wednesday morning sweetness, try the whimisical, jazz-steeped pop of Prefab Sprout. This is some of the best songwriting in 80s/90s pop, with many embedded dynamic changes (although not in the posted song) and unconventional tempos and rhythms. The vocal of Paddy McAloon and high, airy harmonies of Wendy Smith are also fantastic. Looking for Atlantis from 1990 is on the pure pop end of their spectrum. Enjoy.

Dusted - Belly

Tanya Donelly’s post- Throwing Muses, post- Breeders band Belly had a hybrid sound mixing hard-edged punk stylings with her rangy, expressive vocal (which could alternately evoke Sundays singer Harriet Wheeler and Siouxsie Sioux). Their sound was pretty much par for the alternative music course of the early 90s, but their one song that I really like is Dusted (studio version here as backing for someone’s home movies involving Tigers, a child, and other random stuff; a live version here, after their song Slow Dog) from 1993. This is a fast, guitar driven track that is perfectly balanced by the sweet high vocals. There is a really good counterpoint between the lead guitar line and the vocal. Melodic punk at its best.