Never Loved Elvis by The Wonderstuff

Never Loved Elvis, the Wonder Stuff's third album, arrived on Polydor in 1991 with Mick Glossop producing, and it's the Stourbridge band at their cockiest and most tuneful. Miles Hunt's songs and sharp tongue still run the show, but the sound has widened: Martin Bell's fiddle sends things skipping off toward folk and country, Malcolm Treece's guitar keeps the pop bite, and Martin Gilks and new bassist Paul Clifford keep it all bouncing. Kirsty MacColl and Linda McRae drop by as guests.

"The Size of a Cow" is the hit, a daft, bouncing singalong that got to number 5 in Britain, while the album climbed to number 3. "Sleep Alone" is prettier and more rueful, and "Mission Drive" has real sting to it, drawn from Hunt's falling-out with his best mate and old flatmate, Clint Mansell of Pop Will Eat Itself.

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