Description
Wide-Eyed Wonder is the fifth studio album by the American alternative rock band The Choir, released on Myrrh Records in April 1989, a division of Word. Also distribution by A&M Records. The album was recorded during 1988 by Dave Hackbarth at Neverland Studios in Los Alamitos, California; with band members Derri Daugherty and Steve Hindalong producing (except for “Wide-Eyed Wonder” and “Behind That Locked Door” produced by Mark Heard). Background vocals on “Spin You Around” provided by Gene Eugene and Riki Michele of Adam Again, a track which also features a guitar solo by Adam Again guitarist Greg Lawless.
Wide-Eyed Wonder is the second album of what is considered The Choir’s “atmospheric trilogy” (Chase the Kangaroo and Circle Slide being the first and the third installments, respectively). After assisting with the previous recording, singer/songwriter Mark Heard came onboard to produce two tracks for the album, including the band’s first ever cover, “Behind that Locked Door”, a song written by ex-Beatle George Harrison. As well, on this album the band had added its first (and to date, only) female member in Robin Spurs, who joined The Choir as their new bassist after a stint with local Los Angeles phenomenon The Toasters. (Spurs stayed with the band for two and a half year, before joining the all-female AOR band Rachel Rachel.) She becoming the first member to have a song written specifically about them – “Robin Had A Dream” (with an accompanying music video produced and directed by Mark Heard). The Choir produced two music videos (“Someone to Hold On To” being the other) and a making-of documentary in conjunction with the album.
The real story of the album comes from the life of The Choir’s lyricist and drummer, Steve Hindalong. In the same year that ‘Wide-Eyed Wonder’ was recorded, he and his wife had their first child which made the tragic personal events detailed in «Sad Face» on their previous album Chase the Kangaroo seem like a distant memory. Most of the songs on the album deal with Hindalong’s joy over new fatherhood («To Cover You», «When She Sees Me» and the title track) or the importance of family life («Happy Fool», «To Bid Farewell»). As a result, the album is the most upbeat recording The Choir ever released, although hints of darkness sneak out in songs like «Robin Had A Dream» and especially «Car, Etc.» which shows that the band had not abandoned its penchant for moody experimentation. In keeping with the spirit of the album, the band even spoofs that tendency on the final track.
This much-hyped release featured the premiere of new bassist Robin Spurs. Many promotions, much press: magazine covers, major-label support, a video, radio spots. The Choir began to receive some of the attention they deserved. The sound is more dense than the previous year’s Chase the Kangaroo, and in many ways more accessible. There still are a few songs («Robin Had a Dream», «Car Etc.», «Happy Fool») that keep the whole project firmly in the “alternative” realm. Songs overall have a more sentimental angle than previous recordings, particularly «When She Sees Me» and «Wide-Eyed Wonder» – both songs about Hindalong’s newborn baby. Saxman “Buckeye Dan” Michaels really shines on this one, notably on «Robin Had a Dream»…A great record. [Mark W. B. Allender, AMG]
Never mind that the Choir is the best rock band in Christian music. Its commercial prospects as a group have nontheless appeared limited in an industry where aesthetic strengths are not only not usually a priority, but considered by many to be a liability that gets in the way of evangelistic appeal. The Choir has stubbornly insisted on being subtle in the face of demands for a ballpeen hammer; on playing music that’s intense and somber when cheerful hard rock is becoming the industry standard; on being thoughtful while so many successful gospel-rockers strain just to expand religious bumper-sticker slogans into complete songs. God bless’em.
Now, Lord willing, the Choir may get to have its cake and eat it too. Wide-Eyed Wonder has the feel of artists being true to their best private instincts, but as the same time, by golly, it’s commercial too. Virtually everything on Side one is instantly radio-ready pop-rock; all that “accessibility” gently leads you by the hand to Side two, which gets a bit softer and weirder around the edges; all of it, somehow, is of a piece.
It’s a much more cohensive album than its predecessor, last year’s Chase the Kangaroo, a disjointed if dazzling affair whose pieces were held together only by a common brooding intensity. The title holds the key to the surprise: This year’s Wide-Eyed Wonder, the fifth record in as many years (can it be?) from the Choir, is actually a fairly happy, hopeful album (Hey, if R.E.M. can finally make one of those, then so can the Choir). Of course, what’s happy to longtime bandleaders Derri Daugherty and Steve Hindalong may sound rather bittersweet by other people’s standards. But neither love of God nor love of wife-and-children – the basic staples here – come without a little hardship and heartbreak attached.
So will Wide-Eyed Wonder be the album that “breaks” the Choir? With a longform video package on the way as well, maybe Radio and retail would be well-advised to catch onto the group now while it’s in such a contagiously life-affirming mood (Quick! Before they get depressive again!) In the immortal words of Jimmy Carter: Why not the best? [Chris Willman, CCM, April 1989]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/wide-eyed-wonder/1165977107)
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “Someone To Hold On To” – 3:48
A2. “To Cover You” – 2:31
A3. “Robin Had A Dream” – 4:17
A4. “Spin You Around” – 4:10
A5. “When She Sees Me” – 4:11
A6. “Wide-Eyed Wonder” – 3:35
Side Two
B1. “Happy Fool” – 3:30
B2. “Car, Etc.” – 6:21
B3. “Behind That Locked Door” – 3:01
B4. “To Bid Farewell” – 4:39
B5. “Car, Cont.” – 1:02
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette, 12-inch vinyl LP, and CD by Myrrh Records. Myrrh also released a four-track 12-inch vinyl EP simple entitled The Choir Extended Play from Wide Eyed Wonder featuring the following tracklist: A1. “Someone To Hold On To” (3:48), A2. “To Cover You” (2:31), B1. “Robin Had A Dream” (4:17), B2. “Car, Etc (Dub Mix)” (6:17).
Remastered and re-issued by the band in 2017 (through a pledgemusic campaign) as a double disc featuring new cover artwork (the original album on one disc and a band commentary on the other disc). As well remastered for vinyl and re-issued on 180 gram colored vinyl (featuring new artwork in a gatefold package with lyric sheet insert).
Wide-Eyed Wonder, 2017 Vinyl Re-issue Edition
The May 1989 issue of CCM Magazine featured a cover story on The Choir.
An advertisement for The Choir’s Wide-Eyed Wonder was featured in the May 1989 issue of CCM Magazine.
The Choir: (L-R) Dan Michaels, Steve Hindalong, Robin Spurs, Derri Daugherty.
“Someone to Hold On To” (VIDEO)
“Robin Had a Dream” (VIDEO)
The Wide Eyed Wonder Long Form Video (a making-of documentary made in conjunction with the album)
Wide Eyed Wonder Anniversary Tour 2017. The Choir, Live in St. Louis, featuring the original Wide-Eyed Wonder line-up: Derri Daugherty, Dan Michaels, Robin Spurs, and Steve Hindalong.
UTRMedia, October 24, 2018. UTR Spotlight Interview: The Choir talks about the making of their ground-breaking 1989 album Wide Eyed Wonder.
CREDITS. Produced by Derri Daugherty and Steven Hindalong. Additional production by David Hackbarth and Mark Heard. Recorded and mixed at Neverland Studios, Los Alamitos, CA. Recorded by David Hackbarth except track B3 recorded by Mark Heard. Mixed by Heard except track B5 mixed by Hackbarth. Mastered by Steve Hall at Future Disc. Cover Concept and Design by John Flynn and Philip Foster for F2 Design. Production Coordinator: Laurie Fink. Photography by Stewart Ivester. Additional Photography by Stu Levy. Photo Manipulation by F2 Design. Executive Producer: Tom Willett. Lyrics by Steve Hindalong. Music by Derri Daugherty and Steve Hindalong except track A3 by Hindalong and Robin Spurs; track A1, A4, and B2 by Hindalong, Daugherty and Tim Chandler; and track B3 with music and lyrics by George Harrison.
Musicians: Derri Daugherty (Lead Vocals, Guitars, Treatments), Daniel Michaels (Saxophone, Lyricon), Robin Spurs (Bass, Vocals), Steven Hindalong (Drums, Percussion, Vocals). Background Vocals/Additional Musicians: Mark Heard and Robin Spurs (Background Vocals on track A1), Robin Spurs (Background Vocals on track A2), Derri Daugherty, Steven Hindalong, and Robin Spurs (Vocals on track A3), Robin Spurs (Jibber-Jabber on track A3), Gene Eugene and Riki Michele (Background Vocals on track A4), Greg Lawless (Guitar Solo on track A4), Mark Heard and Robin Spurs (Background Vocals on track A5), Steve Hindalong (Background Vocals and Harmonica on track A6), Robin Spurs (Background Vocals on track B1), Nancy and Emily Hindalong, Squeaky Bear, Tim Chandler, Marc Sercomb, David Hackbarth, Orlando Conchola, and everybody in the band (Choir Choir on track B2), Steve Hindalong and Mark Heard (Background Vocals on track B3), Steve Hindalong (Harmonica on track B3), Mark Heard (Bass and Autoharp on track B3), Steve Hindalong and Robin Spurs (Background Vocals on track B4), Marc Sercomb (Spoken verses on track B5), “Buckeye Dan” Michaels (Commentary on track B5).
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