TRACKS
You want lyrics? Click on the links below to learn everything you need to know about the exciting pop nuggets on Wonder-Wear!
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Walking Disaster written by
Paula Kelley Have you found
what you were after |
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Softie written by
Paula Kelley Dread said my
head is softening You're in a harder
place with me Dread said my
head is softening And my mind is
stuck on empty You're in a harder
place with me |
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Mission to Destroy written by
Paula Kelley On my way on
the wrong street Mission to destroy |
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I Would
written by Jake Zavracky
©1997 Jake Zavracky
lyrics pending
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Look at the Sun written by
Paula Kelley It's a long way
back now from where we've come
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Make Me written by
Paula Kelley Whenever I'm
with you I forget And you make
me really wary sometimes So ever so slowly
it will change And you make
me really jealous sometimes Hey But you will never make me... You crashed out of my life but I just swerved And I think you're
really shallow sometimes Hey |
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While You Were Away written by
Paula Kelley While you were
away (and in your
head) Sucking on a
trip (and in your
head) While you were
away |
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Ladder written by
Paula Kelley Will you Will you Your words are
in my blood again So will you Will you No shit it's
in my mind again Out on the tiles Will you Will you Will you Out on the tiles
you gave your better life to me So will you drop
that ladder down to me |
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I've Got You Here Tonight written by
Paula Kelley Oh Here it comes
another dare of mine All right You talk about
yourself like it's the law All right Sometimes I feel
like I'm alone and nothing's real And your ideas
are growing dull with time Sometimes I feel
like I'm alone and nothing's real All right |
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Liar Baby
written by Jake Zavracky
©1997 Jake Zavracky
lyrics pending
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My Favorite Idol written by
Paula Kelley He's my doll You're my favorite
idol So what You're my favorite
idol |
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Sweet Delilah
written by Jake Zavracky
©1997 Jake Zavracky
lyrics pending
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Life Isn't Fair written by
Paula Kelley Back woods And he's finally
turned his telephone on (Life isn't fair) And their friends
are watching kids in the hall (Life isn't fair) And he's finally
turned his telephone on |
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Gone
written by Jake
Zavracky
©1997 Jake Zavracky
lyrics pending
REVIEWS
Boy Wonder
Wonder-Wear
(Cherry Disc/Roadrunner)Boston band Boy Wonder plays power pop with killer harmonies, sharp lyrics and tight musicianship, and their arrangements are so well thought-out you'd think they had Eric Carmen and Phil Spector tied up in the basement. Singer-guitarist Paula Kelley's (ex-Drop Nineteens, Hot Rod) lyrics seem to rail at the superficial idealism suggested by the cover's '50s advertising graphics, depicting perfection and happiness. Her issues are real and personal, her comments pointed.
After three tracks of Kelley's relationship diatribe ("Mission to destroy/you're a boy/and I'll do anything/it takes to make your black heart sting"), the band's other singer-guitarist, Jake Zavracky, gets a turn with "I Would," a nice ballad that could have been a hit for the Raspberries in 1974.
Zavracky came to the band along with bassist-singer Paul Natale from Dancer 13; together they add layered harmonies and skilled playing. Drummer Bruce Caporal is equally proficient, keeping both the mood and the beat with ease. Zavracky's "Liar Baby" employs the punchy, color-coded New Wave chords of The Cars, and the album-closing Wham!-meets-Wonder Stuff dance track, "Gone," could make them huge in France.
Sure, there are other references aplenty -- Zavracky throws in Rolling Stones guitar riffs as well as the aforementioned Cars chords, there's some of Nick Lowe's sardonic pure-pop glory, and Kelley's teen-queen vocals will remind you of Juliana Hatfield -- but mostly that's just their Boston (the city, stupid) and '70s rock influences showing. The band has so much going for it, they could channel the Partridge Family and still do no wrong. Recommended, if you like Eve's Plum, The Muffs, or any good girl-power pop for that matter.
- Daniel Aloi
Out from under
Overlooked local CDs deserve a listen (excerpt)
By Paul Robicheau, Globe Correspondent, 01/02/98Boy Wonder, "Wonder Wear" (Cherrydisc). Paula Kelley (ex-Drop Nineteens) fronts one of Boston's tartest female-led pop groups since Letters to Cleo. Boy Wonder can bang out a song in less than two minutes, or settle into "Make Me" (with sunny boy-girl choruses) and the more yearning "My Favorite Idol."
DIGITAL DAILY OPINION
PICK OF THE DAYBOY WONDER
"Wonder-Wear"
Cherrydisc/Roadrunner Records
Pop/Rock
Rating: 8 (out of 10)A pure delight of powerful pop music. This quartet is mainly focused on the vocals of Paula Kelly who delivers with writing and singing perfectly suited for this genre. Nearly every song is singable and the bouncy feel the rest of the band gives it makes it more enjoyable. Kudos to the Fort Apache team for creating another CD that sounds great by exploiting the great songwriting while maintaining a rough edgy hue. Somewhere inbetween fellow Beantowners Letters To Cleo and Moonpools and Caterpillars, Boy Wonder's pop sensibilities should win over many a music lover.
SOUTHWEST TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY
BOY WONDER
Wonder-Wear
Rating: 3 STARS (OUT OF 4)Coming to record stores this Fall will be Wonder-Wear, the debut album from Boston's Boy Wonder. Boy Wonder emanates the happy pop-rock sound that Boston bands have been known for. The band is fronted by singer-song writer/guitarist Paula Kelley. Guitarist Jake Zavracky lends his voice and song writing talents to a handful of tracks and bassist Paul Natale and drummer Bruce Caporal form the structure for the rest of the band. Boy Wonder favors most comparably to fellow Boston bands Letters To Cleo and The Blake Babies as they combine Kelley's sweet voice with pop-guitar.
This is most evident on the tracks "Walking Disaster" and " Softie." Jake Zavracky adds a very advantageous change of mood with his pop-ballad "I Would" and the much fluffier "Liar Baby." Wonder-Wear keeps the fun and happiness that is pop music in the forefront. In short, the debut From Boy Wonder offers a "Wonderful" array of tracks that will keep those who love happy pop-music grinning.
Todd Goodwin
Assistant Music Director - KTSWBoy Wonder - Wonder Wear
RoadrunnerIn den VS von A begeisterte die erste Single "Mission To Destroy" (klingt gefährlicher, als es ist) vor allem die Collegeradios. Bei R.E.M. fing es in den 80ern auch so an. Auf jeden Fall ist die Musik des Bostoner Quartetts nicht ganz so beschaulich, wie es das Cover und der Name vorgaukeln. Auch wenn das Fundament eher dem Pop zugeneigt scheint, kommen sie insgesamt rockig mit einigen Punkanleihen daher. Hier paßt sogar die Stimme von Paula Kelly, glücklicherweise nicht von der Familie, sondern vormals bei den Drop Nineteens am Singen. Bezeichnend für das Endergebnis ist auch, daß es von Tim O"Heir produziert wurde. Der hatte nämlich schon Bands wie Sebadoh oder Folk Implosion in seinem Studio.
ROUGH TRANSLATION: In the USA, the first single "Mission to Destroy" (it sounds more dangerous than it is) wowed college radio before anyone else. Things started for R.E.M. in the same way during the '80s! In any case, the music from this Boston quartet is not quite so tranquil as the cover and title would lead you to believe. While the musical foundation seems to lean towards pop in the beginning, on the whole they come across rocking with some borrowing from punk. This fits well with the voice of Paula Kelly, happily not of the Kelly Family, but rather the former singer of the Drop Nineteens. It's also significant to the end result that the album was produced by Tim O'Heir. You see, bands like Sebadoh and Folk Implosion have already been in his studio.
Artist: "BOY WONDER"
Title: "WONDER-WEAR"
Label: Roadrunner Records
Available: Any Major Music Store
Reviewed By: Jill Williams
Rating: 4 STARS (OUT OF 5)Boy Wonder began their career in Boston less than a year ago and are already tearing up the local scene and soon to be the national one. Paula Kelly, the singer/songwriter/guitarist for the group has been in a few unknown bands previously, but I believe she's found her niche here. The entire group works very well together and share in lead roles throughout the album, having all been in bands before this one. The drummer is Bruce Caporal, the co-songwriter and vocalist is Jake Zavracky, and on bass we hear Paul Natale. Once this album starts getting some airplay, I'm sure you'll hear even more about them.
It's "Green Day" meets the "GoGo's" in this fast and fun bit of music. Right from the very first (very short) song, "Walking Disaster," we know what this band is about. It starts out with a highly danceable tune, and the album continues to satisfy. Next in line is "Softie," which is a strolling kinda song. It puts a bounce in your step, but isn't exactly a rocking tune, just nice and leisurely. It does pick up at the end, which is good too, but it doesn't really effect the overall feel of the song. Many of the songs on the cd have the same feel and I love it. You can just bop along and enjoy it without getting either over involved or bored.
"I Would" has a male lead vocal for a change, and doesn't sound anything like the previous songs. It's fairly mellow while keeping with the bouncy tempo of the previous tunes, but his voice changes the whole feel. It's also wonderful in it's diversity. It's not particularly interesting lyrically, but it is a nice soft love song. A little while later we hear "Ladder" a very pretty and slow song that shows us a slightly different side of Boy Wonder. It's a little flirty, but not rambunctious. A little peppy, but not too much. Very nicely done.
"Liar Baby" is another song with lead vocals done by one of the men in the group. This is a little harder and a little faster than many of the other songs. I like the way the songs are arranged here. Just when one style might be starting to wear a little thin, they change things up.
"Sweet Delilah" is the most interesting, and pleasant, song on the album. It's a little bluesy in the beginning and picks up through the chorus. It's another meandering song that you can't help but bounce to. The vocals are really super on everyone's part. Similarly, "Gone" seems to use all of the vocal talent more equally, and is a close second for best song.
What is boils down to, is that if you don't like one half of the album, you will probably like the other half. It does tend to get a little bogged down in the middle, with songs that sounds a little too much alike, but there are no bad songs on the album. The band does make a good attempt to separate their songs, so you don't grow bored with either singer. That might not sound like the best recommendation, but it truly is a fine album. Buy this CD and you will be pleasantly surprised. I hope to see them go far.
BOY WONDER - Wonder-Wear
Label: Cherrydisc Records
Review by - Jade Papillion"Wonder Wear" succeeds where most recordings by local bands fail: it accurately captures Boy Wonder's live sound, avoiding both the pretension of over-production and the naivete of the opposite. Tim O'Heir at Fort Apache, producer and engineer, is partially responsible, but the real star here is Boy Wonder's sound, straightforward rock and roll pop, simply styled and powerfully delivered, with lyrics that everyone can relate to. Sure, the CD has a keyboard here or a chime there which is absent on stage, but no gratuitous overdubs or other studio effects mar the stripped-down songs served up by this foursome. Boy Wonder is Paula Kelley (formerly of the Drop 19s) on guitar and vocals, Jake Zavracky on guitar and vocals, Paul Natale (also of the Den Mothers) on bass and vocals, and Bruce Caporal on drums.
"Walking Disaster" the explosive first track, expresses eloquently the come-here-go-away nature that attraction occasionally engenders, especially in a break-up's wake. Its insistent chorus of "I'll get you back one day" is denied by song's end with "I used to care but now there's just no way." An appropriate start-up for a record that often dwells on love lost, longed for, or left.
"Softie", the next song, also lets you know what's in store for you: good guitar hooks, melodic bass lines, solid drumming, and, at the center, strong vocals. The melody sticks in your ears, the lyrics on your tongue. Gentleman may "air" along with one of the instruments. Ladies may hear in Miss Kelley's words thier own experiences and feelings with relationships.
"Mission to Destroy" is always a crowd-pleaser and has been rerecorded for this disc. The newer version is heavier on bass, but is still driven by a wailing guitar riff and Miss Kelley's trademark baby-doll-with-a-vamp-tude lyrics:
Mission to destroy
You're a boy
I'll do anything it takes to make your black heart sting.
I'll take you on the side anytime
It's a lot to ask of you
But I'll do it.If you can find the original 45 anywhere, pick it up for the B-side, "Backyard", a country-flavored ditty not often performed live that's definitely worth a listen.
"Make Me" alternates between Sixties-tinged beat-pop verses and a more sentimental, lilting chorus, and throws in a short, Queen-y guitar solo. The head-bopper on the CD. The light nature of the music is a pleasant counterpoint to the lyrics, which again embody the contradictions of the heart:
You crashed out of my life
But I just swerved
And I think you're really shallow sometimes
But I think you really try
You love all the people you once despised
And I think you've got a fetish sometimes
It's to make me really sick to my mindThis song should be a contender for next single, as should "I Would," one of four Zavracky-penned tunes on the CD. This extremely catchy song features some awesome harmonizing by Zavracky and Miss Kelly, and these pleading words:
But you don't want to come down from on top of your shelf
You'd rather live inside yourself
Floating around above me on your waves
I would dive into your ocean if you stayedSurely the sound of a water-sign wooing an air-sign. Good luck with that challenge!
"Look at the Sun" is this CD's most uplifting moment.
It's a long way back now from where we've come
Look at the sun
Tell me what you want me to do
You'll try for me
If I try for youThis song could be an optimistic argument to the Velvet Underground's morose "Who Loves the Sun." The band's soaring harmonies on the word "sun" are enough to lift anyone out of doubt. My supsicion that this short (1:50) track is only the intro and outro from a much longer song was confirmed by Miss Kelley, who explained that she edited out the verses after finding them not up to par with the chorus. Though only a fragment, "Look at the Sun" is transcendent in theme, mood, and delivery, and its inclusion here is appropriate.
Live favorites also faithfully rendered on this record are the Knack-ish "Liar Baby," the rocker "While You Were Away," the Hendrix-meets-the-Pills "Sweet Delilah" and the Kelley-classic "My Favorite Idol."
-- Jade Papillion
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