Despite the flux they were going through, the
Teardrops somehow got it together to record the heavily-hyped
Wilder, which unlike its predecessor did nothing in terms of sales or smash singles, outside of the semi-successful shimmering keyboard/crunch of "Passionate Friend." This isn't for lack of talent on the band's part, and the trademark kicky arrangements and horns appear throughout. However, unlike the joyous outpourings of
Kilimanjaro,
Wilder sounds distanced.
Cope doesn't come across as the lead singer so much as he does someone singing with the music, ironic given that he wrote everything on this album. As a subtler pleasure, though,
Wilder offers up some good stuff, with more cryptic compositions and performances throughout, while
Clive Langer takes over full production after only doing a few on the first album. Strangely, some performances sound like where
Sting eventually took the
Police on
Synchronicity, musically if not vocally, like the layered attempts at tribal drumming on "Seven Views of Jerusalem." More measured, sometimes stiff songs like "Falling Down Around Me" make the overall mood more fragmented, while some of Balfe's keyboards sound like they're only there just because. When it connects, though,
Wilder rocks just fine. The concluding track, "The Great Dominions," is one of
Cope's all-time best, with a sweeping, epic sense of scope and sound. The angular funk of "The Culture Bunker" has both some fine guitar and a sharp lyric or two on
Cope's part -- the Crucial Three he refers to was his bedroom-only act with
Ian McCulloch and Pete Wylie. Other high points include the moody synth shadings on "Tiny Children," where Balfe's work comes through best of all, and
Dwyer's generally sharp drumming throughout, keeping the beat well. ~ Ned Raggett