Long Simmering on the Backburner, Wunderhorse's 'Cub' Is a Debut Well Worth the Wait
His debut record 'Cub' may have won Jacob Slater an opening slot for Fontaines D.C., but Wunderhorse is a project long in the making.
Another phenomenal week for the playlist! We’ve got both the latest and greatest of the year with Lee Baggett, Wunderhorse, Young Fathers, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Dry Cleaning, Bibio, Hagop Tchaparian, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Barry Can’t Swim, Sea Power, Caroline Loveglow, and Tom Vernon. Get it here!
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The past few years have often presented a now well-worn narrative about an artist leaving the city for the countryside and watching the results blossom. Many are featured right here, but for some reason, the story of Wunderhorse’s debut record, Cub, is one that still piques my interest.
Wunderhorse is the outcome of Jacob Slater’s relocation to Newquay, a small beach town in southwest England, after hightailing it out of London. Slater’s former band Dead Pretties, rose quickly through the city’s southern post-punk scene. With a discography of only three singles, Dead Pretties seemed set to take off back in 2007. While other Brixton groups like Shame and Goat Girl are now well-known in the U.K. post-punk revival, Dead Pretties imploded. Known for their raucous live shows, Slater quickly learned that his hard-partying onstage persona was not sustainable, a notion that artists sometimes take decades to realize.
Trading drugs and breakneck paces for surfing and 90s midtempo Americana, Slater is well-suited for his new life as Wunderhorse. Though you’ve most certainly heard every song on Cub live a past life as another tune, what Slater crafts as a complete package is what sells me on the record. Each time I listen to the record, there are moments like on “Leader of the Pack,” where I’m waiting for it unexplainably kick into “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” or the vocals on “Teal” tickling Lou Reed territory. But make no mistake, Slater isn’t merely aping from his AOR heroes here. “Teal” actually sticks out as an album midpoint high, thanks to Slater’s sincere delivery and welcomed slide guitar textures, while “Poppy” goes full-blown Stone Roses psychedelic for the best song on the record.
Many of the songs on Cub are years in the making, with the aptly named “17” written by Slater at that age, who is now in his mid-20s. Letting the songs breathe and gestate pays off in a big way, with moments like “Purple” that are sure to meet their stadium moment with Wunderhorse opening for Fontaines D.C. on their massive U.K. and Ireland tour that starts next week. Just don’t call it an overnight success, as Cub is the sound of Slater realizing what to do with some long-simmering tunes.
While Cub isn’t the most genuine rock release of all time, we don’t always need hyperbole to surround any record that doesn’t conform to the idea of pop music in 2022. Instead, we should celebrate some rock records for what they are - enjoyable moments that are meant to be cranked up and revel in a punchy mix of guitars, bass, and drums. Slater is ahead of most on his debut, and with album number two ready to go, I can’t wait to hear how his songwriting grows.
Hi Kiley, Wunderhorse, what a great recommendation, thanks! Only listened to it a couple of times but it's got to be a late entry in my AoTY considerations.
I might have joined Substack principally as a vehicle to get my music themed novel serialised (go on, give it a try at: https://challenge69.substack.com ), but the wonderful offshoot has been all the fantastic new tune suggestions I've ended picking up from so many like-minded music obsessives.
Thx again, Tim
Killer playlist! I have a small review of Dry Cleaning on Thursday. That Sea Power track is is fantastic!