Stray by Aztec Camera

Stray, Aztec Camera's fourth album, turned up in June 1990 on WEA in Britain and Sire in America, and it's Roddy Frame shaking off the gloss. Frame had always been the band's singer, songwriter and only permanent fixture, and after Love sold well at home but put off some older fans with its slick, American-sounding sheen and soft soul moves, he pulled everything back to a plainer, more understated sound.

What he found there was range. Stray wanders from style to style without losing its footing, and critics singled out his lyrics, long thought his weak spot, as newly sure of themselves. The loudest moment is "Good Morning Britain", a bristling collaboration with Mick Jones, once of the Clash, which made number 19 on the UK singles chart; the album itself reached number 22.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.