AMG Review of Love Bites & Bruises: Wonder Stuff Anthology

Chris True
All Music Guide

This solid two-disc live/rarities collection gleaned from the not-so-long history of the band not only shows how underrated they were, but that they were genuinely concerned with musical and artistic growth. The first disc starts with short blasts of snide pop, before moving into the brilliant "Our New Song." Disc two is where the magic really happens, and right from the get go. "Professional Disturber of the Peace" may be one of the best songs in their catalog. Also included are highlights from the last tour and their big U.K. hit, "Dizzy," which is performed with Vic Reeves at the Phoenix festival. It's nice to finally get the rest of the picture with this band, but unfortunate that they're not making new music together.