Suspended by Stars

Suspended by Stars is the sixth studio album by English rock band the Wonder Stuff. It was released on 20 February 2006, through IRL.

Suspended by Stars
Studio album by the Wonder Stuff
Released	20 February 2006
Recorded	2005
Studio	Vada, Doghaus
Genre	Rock
Length	48:56
Label	IRL
The Wonder Stuff chronology
Escape from Rubbish Island (2004) Suspended by Stars (2006) The BBC Sessions (2007)

Background and production

The Wonder Stuff released their fifth studio album Escape from Rubbish Island in September 2004, marking their first album since their break-up in 1994.[1] Long-time members violinist Martin Bell and drummer Martin Gilks left earlier in 2004; frontman Miles Hunt continued with a line-up of bassist Mark McCarthy, long-time guitarist Malcom Treece, and drummer Andres Karu.[1][2] Though it began as a solo effort, Escape from Rubbish Island was released under the Wonder Stuff name at the suggestion of a financial backer of IRL, the label that released the album.[2] After the initial UK tour in support of the album, Hunt moved to Shropshire, where he rebuilt his home studio in a spare bedroom, and came up with several new songs.[3][4]

Treece came up with some new guitar parts for songs, which spurred Hunt to write more material. In early 2005, the band toured he UK again; around this time, Hunt was missing the violin sound on stage, which left them unable to play several older tracks. Matt Terry, a friend of Hunt's, had seen a woman busking with a violin on a couple of occasions in Stratford-Upon-Avon, and told Hunt about her. Hunt realised he was describing Firewswitch member Erica Nockalls, who Hunt had met when the Wonder Stuff was playing a benefit gig. Hunt and Terry tracked her down, and arranged an audition. Before even finishing the first song at the audition, Hunt was impressed with Nockalls' playing.[4]

The band was due to start a tour of the United States in April and May 2005; shortly before it taking place, the band recorded backing tracks at Karu's studio Doghaus in New York City.[4][5][6] Hunt said he had "on ongoing love affair with the city of New York" since his first visit in 1989, and "it felt like the perfect place to be writing and recording." After the conclusion of the US tour, the band immediately went to Terry's studio Vada in Stratford-Upon-Avon; recording was handled by James Edwards, Karu, and Terry.[4][6] Paul Tipler mixed the recordings at Gravity Shack Studios in London, before the album was mastered by Kevin Grainger at Wired Masters.[6]

Composition

The album's title Suspended by Stars is taken from the memoirs of Pete Hamill, Downtown: My Manhattan (2004). Hunt said Hamill once "asked his mother how the skyscrapers of New York managed to stay standing and she answered him by saying that they were suspended by the stars."[4] In contrast to Escape from Rubbish Island, Suspended by Stars was written with the intention of it being a Wonder Stuff album from the beginning. Hunt was aided by Treece; the pair hadn't written material together since their fourth studio album Construction for the Modern Idiot (1993).[4]

Hunt wrote "Last Second of the Minute", "We Hold Each Other Up", "Angelica Maybe", and "The Sun Goes Down on Manor Road". He co-wrote "Tricks of the Trade" and "Someone Tell Me What To Think" with Treece. Hunt co-wrote "Say It Ain't So" and "The Popular Choice" with McCarthy.[6] "Blah Blah, Lah Di Dah", "Long Time No See", "Give Us What We Want", and "No One Tells 'Em Like You Do" were the result of jam sessions between Hunt, Treece, McCarthy, and Karu, marking the first time Hunt came up with material from jamming since his previous band Vent 414.[4][6]

For the opening track "Tricks of the Trade", the band asked Nockalls to "think like Brian Eno and layer some atmosphere" on it. With "Angelica Maybe", Hunt intentionally left out a long instrumental section, which Nockalls filled with "wild Gypsy-esque violin solos." Hunt wrote "The Sun Goes Down on Manor Road" about the flat he, McCarthy and their friend shared together in Stoke Newington. The penultimate song "Someone Tell Me What to Think" originally had a guitar line that was cut and replaced by Nockalls.[4]

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[7]
Gigwise	[8]
Melodic	[9]
musicOMH	[10]
PopMatters	Favourable[11]

Suspended by Stars was met with generally positive reviews from music critics.

Track listing

Writing credits per booklet.[6]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Tricks of the Trade"	Miles Hunt Malcom Treece	4:03
2.	"Last Second of the Minute"	Hunt	3:27
3.	"We Hold Each Other Up"	Hunt	4:51
4.	"Blah Blah, Lah Di Dah"	Hunt Treece Mark McCarthy Andres Karu	3:47
5.	"Say It Ain't So"	Hunt McCarthy	3:05
6.	"Angelica Maybe"	Hunt	7:01
7.	"The Sun Goes Down on Manor Road"	Hunt	3:53
8.	"Long Time No See"	Hunt Treece McCarthy Karu	4:09
9.	"The Popular Choice"	Hunt McCarthy	2:26
10.	"Give Us What We Want"	Hunt Treece McCarthy Karu	3:04
11.	"Someone Tell Me What to Think"	Hunt Treece	4:06
12.	"No One Tells 'Em Like You Do"	Hunt Treece McCarthy Karu	5:04

Personnel

Personnel per booklet.[6]

The Wonder Stuff Miles Hunt – lead vocals, guitars Malcom Treece – guitar, backing vocals Mark McCarthy – bass, glockenspiel Andres Karu – drums, percussion, keyboards Additional musicians Erica Nockalls – violins

Production and design James Edwards – recording Andres Karu – recording Matt Terry – recording Paul Tipler – mixing Kevin Grainger – mastering Jill Furmanovsky – photography Alan Robertson – sleeve design

References

1. Deming, Mark. "The Wonder Stuff | Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 10 March 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
2. Etheridge, Loz (28 November 2016). "A Bunch Of Fives: a retrospective with The Wonder Stuff's Miles Hunt - Part One, Escape from Rubbish Island". God Is in the TV. Archived from the original on 14 December 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
3. Gourlay, Don. "The Wonder Stuff - Back With A Vengeance..." Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 4 December 2004. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
4. Etheridge, Loz (29 November 2016). "A Bunch Of Fives: a retrospective with The Wonder Stuff's Miles Hunt - Part Two, Suspended By Stars". God Is in the TV. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
5. "Live Dates". The Wonder Stuff. Archived from the original on 20 December 2005. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
6. Suspended by Stars (booklet). The Wonder Stuff. IRL. 2006. IRL026.CS1 maint: others (link)
7. Sendra, Tim. "Suspended by Stars - The Wonder Stuff | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
8. Pierce, Katrina (12 February 2006). "The Wonder Stuff - 'Suspended By Stars' (Independent Records Ltd) Released 20/02/06". Gigwise. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
9. Roth, Kaj (2 April 2006). "The Wonder Stuff - Suspended by Stars". Melodic. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2017.
10. Murphy, John (20 February 2006). "The Wonder Stuff – Suspended By Stars". musicOMH. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
11. Schabe, Patrick (9 August 2006). "The Wonder Stuff: Suspended by Stars". PopMatters. Retrieved 24 January 2021.