Album Review: The Wonder Stuff - "Better Being Lucky"

 


Well, after the Sounds From The Junkshop feature I did on them the other week, it would have seemed a bit remiss not to give the new Wonder Stuff album a listen so here you go. This is the Stuffies' fifth album since they reformed twenty (!) years ago and no less than Miles Hunt and co's ninth album overall. The intervening years since 2016's "30 Goes Around The Sun" have seen a few line-up changes with the return of long time guitarist Malc Treece and ex-Clash/Eat drummer Pete Howard (who previously played with Hunt in his mid-'90s post-grunge outfit Vent 414) along with ex-Mission (and several others) guitarist Mark Gemini Thwaite on bass.

Similar to its predecessor, Better Being Lucky is the sound of a more downbeat Wonder Stuff than those who know them solely for their '90s output will remember and I'll admit this one took me a few listens to get into but I'm happy to say that it's well worth persevering with. The brooding Feet To The Flames which opens this one actually reminds me of the Cure circa In Between Days or Just Like Heaven with its moody tunefulness while the ominous Lay Down Your Cards and Don't Anyone Dare Give A Damn are similarly dark but with a tunefulness that can't be ignored.

Better Being Lucky is definitely an impressively varied beast - while there's the odd nod back to the classic Stuffies sound especially on It's The Little Things which is a distant 21st century cousin of Cartoon Boyfriend, elsewhere the content varies from When All Of This Is Over which recalls the Mission with its strings and sitar-sounding guitars to the quite lovely acoustic led Guy With The Gift. The gentle yearning epic Map & Direction which signs it off is fine stuff too and shows that 30 plus years into their career, the Stuffies are still a group with the ability to pleasantly surprise you.

Like I say, the Wonder Stuff these days seem to be a more thoughtful and measured band than they were at their commercial peak but rather like a fine wine, maturing seems to be suiting them pretty damn well. Better Being Lucky is definitely an album well worth investigating.

NITE SONGS RATING: 🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌑🌑 (8/10)

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