Wonderworld (album)

Wonderworld is the seventh album by British rock band Uriah Heep, released in June 1974 by Bronze Records in the UK and Warner Bros. Records in the US. Wonderworld was the last Uriah Heep album to feature bass player Gary Thain.

Wonderworld
Studio album by
Uriah Heep
ReleasedMay 1974
RecordedJanuary–March 1974
StudioMusicland Studios, Munich, Germany
Genre
Length37:40
Label
ProducerGerry Bron
Uriah Heep chronology
Sweet Freedom
(1973)		 Wonderworld
(1974)		 Return to Fantasy
(1975)
Singles from Wonderworld
  1. "Something or Nothing" / "What Can I Do"
    Released: 1974

The original vinyl release was a single sleeve, with the lyrics reproduced on the inner liner.

The album was remastered and reissued by Castle Communications in 1996 with four bonus tracks, and again in 2004 in an expanded deluxe edition.

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal6/10[2]
Džuboksmixed[3]

AllMusic's retrospective review noted that "Wonderworld continues in the vein of Sweet Freedom, trying to bring Uriah Heep's appeal to a wider level while still retaining the grandiose trademark elements (the organ-guitar attack, David Byron's operatic shriek) that got them noticed". Comparing it to the band's prior work, reviewer Donald A. Guarisco added that "The result is an album that is solid but not as inspired as Look at Yourself or Demons and Wizards. The hard rock quotient is a little stronger on this album".[1] Martin Popoff found Wonderworld "conceptually vacant" and "lacking the fluid instrumental chemistry that loosely held together its predecessor", while still containing two gems in the songs "Suicidal Man" and "So Tired".[2]

Track listing
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Wonderworld"Ken Hensley4:29
2."Suicidal Man"Mick Box, David Byron, Ken Hensley, Lee Kerslake, Gary Thain3:38
3."The Shadows and the Wind"Hensley4:27
4."So Tired"Box, Byron, Hensley, Kerslake, Thain3:39
5."The Easy Road"Hensley2:43
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Something or Nothing"Box, Hensley, Thain2:56
7."I Won't Mind"Box, Byron, Hensley, Kerslake, Thain5:59
8."We Got We"Box, Byron, Hensley, Kerslake, Thain3:39
9."Dreams"Box, Byron, Hensley6:10
1996 Remastered Edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
10."What Can I Do" (single B-side)Hensley3:10
11."Dreams" (previously unreleased version) 7:08
12."Something or Nothing" (previously unreleased live version) 3:09
13."The Easy Road" (previously unreleased live version) 2:53
Total length:51:00
2004 Expanded Deluxe Edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
10."What Can I Do" (single B-side) 3:09
11."Love, Hate and Fear" (previously unreleased)Hensley4:29
12."Stone's Throw" (previously unreleased)Hensley5:36
13."Dreams" (extended version) 7:13
14."I Won't Mind" (live) 5:35
15."So Tired" (live) 3:29
Total length:64:11

Personnel
Uriah Heep
Additional musicians
Production
  • Gerry Bron – producer
  • Peter Gallen – recording engineer
  • Hans Menzel, Macki – Musicland engineers
  • Graham Hughes – photography and concept
  • Harry Moss – cutting engineer

Charts

Album

Certifications
Country Organization Year Sales
UK BPI 1976 Silver (+ 60,000)[15]

References
  1. Guarisco, Donald A. "Uriah Heep - Wonderworld review". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
  2. Popoff, Martin (October 2003). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 1: The Seventies. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 303. ISBN 978-1894959025.
  3. "Uriah Heep - Wonderworld". Džuboks (in Serbian). Vol. 2 no. 3. Gornji Milanovac: Dečje novine. December 1974. p. 23.
  4. "Uriah Heep – Wonderworld". Austriancharts.at (in German). Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
  5. "Wonderworld - Uriah Heep". Danske Hitlister.dk. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  6. "Uriah Heep – Wonderworld (Album)". Norwegiancharts.com. Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
  7. "Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1961: U > Uriah Heep". Sisältää hitin / Timo Pennanen. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  8. "Album – Uriah Heep, Wonderworld". Charts.de (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
  9. "Uriah Heep Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  10. "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 22, No. 2, August 31, 1974". Library and Archives Canada. 31 August 1974. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
  11. "Uriah Heep Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  12. AA.VV. (25 April 2006). Album Chart-Book Complete Edition 1970~2005. Tokyo, Japan: Oricon. ISBN 978-487-1-31077-2.
  13. "Uriah Heep – Something or Nothing (Song)". Norwegiancharts.com. Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
  14. "Single - Uriah Heep, Something or Nothing". Charts.de (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
  15. "BPI Awards Database: Search for Uriah Heep". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
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