From Langley Park to Memphis

From Langley Park to Memphis
Studio album by
Prefab Sprout
Released14 March 1988 (1988-03-14)
GenreSophisti-pop
Length45:32
LabelKitchenware
ProducerThomas Dolby, Jon Kelly, Paddy McAloon, Andy Richards
Prefab Sprout chronology
Steve McQueen
(1985) 		From Langley Park to Memphis
(1988) 		Protest Songs
(1989)
Singles from From Langley Park to Memphis
  1. "Cars and Girls"
    Released: February 1988
  2. "The King of Rock 'n' Roll"
    Released: March 1988
  3. "Hey Manhattan!"
    Released: July 1988
  4. "Nightingales"
    Released: November 1988
  5. "The Golden Calf"
    Released: February 1989

From Langley Park to Memphis is the third studio album by English pop band Prefab Sprout. It was released by Kitchenware Records on 14 March 1988.[1] It peaked at number five on the UK Albums Chart, the highest position for any studio album released by the band.[2] Recorded in Newcastle, London and Los Angeles, it has a more polished and commercial sound than their earlier releases, and features several guest stars including Stevie Wonder and Pete Townshend. The album's simpler songs, big productions and straight-forward cover photo reflect frontman Paddy McAloon's wish for it to be a more universal work than their more cerebral earlier work.

The album received mixed reviews upon release with several criticising the elaborate production style, while McAloon's songwriting received praise. The album's commercial performance was bolstered by the success of its single "The King of Rock 'n' Roll", which became the band's only top 10 hit on the UK Singles Chart when it peaked at No. 7. The four other singles released from the album, "Cars and Girls", "Hey Manhattan!", "Nightingales" and "The Golden Calf", failed to make the top 40.[3]

  1. ^ Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. p. 760. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
  2. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 433. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. ^ McIntosh, Bedford. "Prefab Sprout discography". browningmcintosh.com. Archived from the original on 4 April 2007. Retrieved 13 February 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)