The Wonder Stuff - Don't Let Me Down, Gently

ORIGINATION Hup
LAST LISTENED TO more than ten years ago
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT none, usually
RATING

I seem to recall quite liking this one many moons ago. I can barely remember how it goes now, i've just got a vague thread of it on a loop inside my head this morning. And, since i've never owned a copy of it and i doubt i ever will, this is not going to be any kind of a review. Goodbye.
Further Wonder Stuff songs (and jeez there are lots for some reason):
Donation | Maybe | Welcome To The Cheap Seats
On The Ropes | Radio Asskiss | Inertia

The Wonder Stuff - Inertia

ORIGINATION Never Loved Elvis
LAST LISTENED TO March
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT lowish
RATING

It's The Wonder Stuff doing their Wonder Stuff thing: shiny indie pop with added violin and grooviness. Nice organ.

Argh. That's it for today. Too much after effects to do this.

The Wonder Stuff - Welcome To The Cheap Seats

ORIGINATION Never Loved Elvis
LAST LISTENED TO thursday
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT good
RATING

What in hell is going on around here? Three bloody Wonder Stuff songs in a row? I don't really like them that much. Really i like them only a bit and just the one album and even then apart from the last month i haven't listened to it in years. Jeez. Thanks brain.

Anyway, Welcome To The Cheap Seats is really quite fun, from its opening 'Arribarriba!" to its playful lyrics and, of course, the song title which i have always enjoyed. Less silly is Kirsty MacColl's supporting vocals on the chorus and the great violin work throughout the track. It was picked as one of the singles from the album and with good cause.

The Wonder Stuff - On The Ropes

ORIGINATION 7"
LAST LISTENED TO thursday
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT small
RATING

This track was the first single from the last Wonder Stuff album (before they got back together again in 2000). It's not all that bad, but it's nowhere near as good as even the poorest song from the previous album, Never Loved Elvis. There are some nice little stringy moments and the chorus is ok-ish, but that's it.

The Wonder Stuff - Radio Asskiss

ORIGINATION 7" (Size Of A Cow b side)
LAST LISTENED TO thursday
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT small
RATING

A quite poor effort from the Wonder Stuff here. I only listened to it because i was curious about the supporting material for Never Loved Elvis. If ever there was a song that wasn't good enough for the album, this is it. It's barely good enough for a b side.

The Wonder Stuff - Maybe

ORIGINATION Never Loved Elvis
LAST LISTENED TO yesterday
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT time to change the record, i think
RATING

The Wonder Stuff doing here what they do best: shiny indie-pop (with added violin). On this track it is indeed that violin that takes centre stage, along with Miles Hunts' vocals. This is a song of what ifs and maybes. A song about daydreaming and, possibly, dithering. Or at least it might be. I'm not feeling very trusting of my interpretation skills this morning. Mrs Burns would be so disappointed.

The Wonder Stuff - Donation

ORIGINATION Never Loved Elvis
LAST LISTENED TO last night
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT Millau Viaduct
RATING

Sometimes it can be hard to separate music from the time and place when it was first heard. I've always had that problem with certain bands from around the late '80s and early '90s. The Wonder Stuff is definitely one of those bands. Floppy fringes, baggy shirts, flowery dresses. Kids who are playing at being 'different'. It's like getting a hint of the smell of an ash tray from a glass of wine. You don't want it to be there, but it always will be.

Somehow of the other, i have managed to see through this in the case of the Wonder Stuff. It's probably because their songs are so catchy in a very poptastic way. Vague hints of the Beatles. Their album Never Loved Elvis is probably the best for this. All manner of lovelies are on here, chief amongst them being Size Of A Cow.

Donation is one of the less catchy numbers. Even still, there are still enough hooks for it to stick well in the memory. Also, and this is the main reason for my recent enjoyment of it, there are large washes of wah-wah throughout the song.

I reckon that the Stuffies were head and shoulders above their competition and should probably have a higher standing in musical history than they do. On the strength of tunes like this, i'm sure their time will come (again).