The Wonder is the sixth studio album by rock artist Tom Verlaine. It was released in 1990 on Fontana Records. The album was engineered by Mario Salvati and mixed by Tom Verlaine and Fred Smith except side 1 tracks 1, 2, 4, 5 and side 2 track 1 mixed by Julian Mendelsohn.

Recording

Recorded after a three year break, The Wonder featured Verlaine using a more affected singing style, described by Allmusic’s David Cleary as "an oily manner...suggesting a smarmy Bryan Ferry" (Ferry was the lead singer of Roxy Music). Verlaine also used the guitarist of The Church Marty Willson-Piper uncredited to fill out the guitar sound on the album. Willson-Piper recalls playing on "Stalingrad" with Jay Dee Daugherty, who also wasn't credited.

The Wonder (album)

Track listing

All songs written by Tom Verlaine

Side one

"Kaleidescopin'" - 3:27

"August" - 5:22

"Ancient Egypt" - 4:32

"Shimmer" - 3:36

"Stalingrad" - 3:25

Side two

"Pillow" - 4:27

"Storm" - 2:37

"5 Hours from Calais" - 4:35

"Cooleridge" - 4:17

"Prayer" - 3:55

Personnel

Tom Verlaine - guitars, solos and vocals

Jimmy Ripp - guitars

Fred Smith - bass

Andy Newmark - drums

Bruce Brody - keyboards

Technical

Mario Salvati - engineer

References

External links

1990 albums

Tom Verlaine albums

Fontana Records albums

The Wonder (album)