Wide-Eyed Wonder

Infobox Album |
Name = Wide-Eyed Wonder
Type = Album
Artist = The Choir



Released = March 24 1989
Recorded = Neverland Studios Los Alamitos, California, 1988
Genre = Alternative rock
Length = 41:04
Label = Myrrh_LA / A&M
Producer = Derri Daugherty Steve Hindalong Mark Heard
Reviews =
* All Music Rating|4|5 [http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:bxcm964o3ep5~T1 link]
Last album = "Chase the Kangaroo" (1988)
This album = "Wide-Eyed Wonder" (1989)
Next album = "Circle Slide" (1990)

"Wide-Eyed Wonder" is the fifth release, and fourth full-length album, from Christian alternative rock band The Choir, released in 1989.

Recording history

Making up for their almost non-existent promotion of "Chase the Kangaroo", Myrrh Records pulled out all the stops with this album, which was--perhaps not coincidentally--the band's most commercial release to date. "Wide-Eyed Wonder" was everywhere, from a Christian radio special to non-stop advertisements in a wide variety of Christian magazines to heavy promotion in Christian bookstores to the band's first "CCM Magazine" cover story (see below). Even two music videos and a making-of documentary were released in conjunction with the album. If that wasn't enough, the band's profile was raised even further when they were the sole opening act for Russ Taff on a national tour.

A lot of important events had taken place in the prior two years which gave the record company much to promote, but more importantly, gave The Choir a lot to address musically. The band had added its first (and to date, only) female member in Robin Spurs, who joined The Choir as their new bassist after a stint with local Los Angeles phenomenon The Toasters. A female bassist was quite a novelty in itself, but Spurs was unique in Christian music at the time, and the fact that she was also very attractive certainly helped the promotion of the album. It was obvious from band newsletters and the "Wide-Eyed Wonder" documentary that Spurs brought a new energy to the band, becoming the first and only member to have a song written specifically about them ("Robin Had A Dream").

However, the real story of the album comes from the life of songwriter and drummer Steve Hindalong. In the same year that "Wide-Eyed Wonder" was recorded, he and his wife Nancy had their first child, Emily, which made the tragic personal events detailed in "Sad Face" on their prior record seem like a distant memory. Most of the songs on the album deal with Hindalong's joy over new fatherhood ("To Cover You," "When She Sees Me" and the title track) or the importance of family life ("Happy Fool," "To Bid Farewell"). As a result, the album is the most upbeat recording The Choir ever released, although hints of darkness sneak out in songs like "Robin Had A Dream" and especially "Car, Etc." which shows that the band had not abandoned its penchant for moody experimentation. In keeping with the spirit of the album, the band even spoofs that tendency on the final track.

After assisting with the recording of "Chase the Kangaroo", late singer/songwriter Mark Heard came onboard to produce two tracks for the album, including the band's first cover song, "Behind that Locked Door," written by ex-Beatle George Harrison. This unusual choice didn't sit well with many critics at the time, who pointed out that the song didn't fit with the rest of the record. Whether stung by that criticism or not, The Choir would never again record another cover song for one of their own albums, although after the death of Heard, they recorded one of his songs ("Tip of My Tongue") featured on two tribute albums dedicated to him.

Track listing

All lyrics by Steve Hindalong. All music by Derri Daugherty and Hindalong, unless otherwise noted.
# "Someone To Hold On To" (Music by Daugherty, Hindalong, Tim Chandler) – 3:50
# "To Cover You" – 2:31
# "Robin Had A Dream" (Music by Robin Spurs, Hindalong) – 4:17
# "Spin You Around" (Music by Daugherty, Hindalong, Chandler) – 4:11
# "When She Sees Me" – 4:11
# "Wide Eyed Wonder" – 3:35
# "Happy Fool" – 3:29
# "Car, Etc." (Music by Daugherty, Hindalong, Chandler) – 6:17
# "Behind That Locked Door" (Lyrics and music by George Harrison) – 3:02
# "To Bid Farewell" – 4:38
# "Car, Cont." – 1:03

Personnel

The Choir

* Derri Daugherty - Lead vocals, guitars
* Steve Hindalong - Drums, percussion
* Robin Spurs - Bass guitar, vocals, fabulous hats
* Dan Michaels - Saxophone, lyricon, fabulous sunglasses

Additional musicians

* Greg Lawless - Guitar solo ("Spin You Around")
* Mark Heard - Bass guitar and autoharp ("Behind That Locked Door"), background vocals ("Someone To Hold On To," "When She Sees Me," "Behind That Locked Door")
* Gene Eugene and Riki Michele - Background vocals ("Spin You Around")
* Marc Sercomb - Background vocals ("Car, Etc.," "Car, Cont.")
* Nancy and Emily Hindalong, "Squeaky Bear," Dave Hackbarth, Orlando Conchola - Background vocals ("Car, Etc.")

Production

* Executive producer: Tom Willett
* Producers - Steve Hindalong and Derri Daugherty, except for "Wide-Eyed Wonder" and "Behind That Locked Door" by Mark Heard
* Additional production - Dave Hackbarth, Mark Heard
* Recording - Dave Hackbarth
* Mixing - Mark Heard at Neverland Studios, Los Alamitos, California
* Mastering - Steve Hall at Future Disc

Miscellanea

* The video for "Someone to Hold On To" and the black-and-white documentary of the band's recording of "Wide-Eyed Wonder", was directed by famed photographer Linda Myers-Krikorian, wife of eccentric rock performer Tonio K.
* The video for "Robin Had A Dream" was directed by Mark Heard. According to the band, the video cost a mere $3000 United States.
* Daugherty's grandmother, in a still taken from the "Wide-Eyed Wonder" documentary, was featured on one of the shirts offered on the band's tour with Russ Taff (see left).
* The song "To Cover You" was later re-recorded by Derri Daugherty with The Lost Dogs on the band's 2004 album, "MUTT".