13 Unlucky Numbers
Studio album by
Wax
ReleasedFebruary 28, 1995
RecordedSummer 1993,
Fort Apache,
Boston, MA, United States
GenrePop punk, punk rock,
alternative rock
Length23:45
LabelCargo
Interscope[1]
ProducerPaul Q. Kolderie, Sean Slade
Wax chronology
What Else Can We Do?
(1992)		 13 Unlucky Numbers
(1995)		 Hangin' On
(2009)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Daily Breeze[3]
The Tampa Tribune[4]

13 Unlucky Numbers is the second album by Wax, and their major label debut.[5][6] The album spawned the singles "California" and "Who is Next", both with music videos directed by Spike Jonze, who is also credited for the album's photography. "California" peaked at No. 28 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart; the video depicted a running man engulfed in flames.[7][8]

The LP version released on independent label Shattered Records includes "Hangin' On" as a bonus track, as well as being pressed on colored vinyl.

Production

The recording sessions took place during the summer of 1993 at Fort Apache Studios. The album was produced by Paul Q. Kolderie and Sean Slade.[4] Although it lists 13 tracks, it only includes 10 songs, as the last three tracks are silent.

Critical reception

The Washington Post wrote: "Tuneful and direct, such songs as 'Stop Sign' and 'Just a Visitor' expand the Ramones' legacy without simply aping the much-aped blitzkrieg bop."[9] The New York Times deemed "California" "one of the weakest" tracks on the album, writing that "the band is not as good as its video."[10]

The San Diego Union-Tribune called the album "hook-laden, poppy-punk."[11] The Daily Breeze thought that "Wax rips through ravers such as 'Who Is Next' with a combination of breakneck speed and discipline that reminds one of British punk-rockers the Buzzcocks in its prime."[3] The Columbus Dispatch included the album on its list of the best rock 'n' roll albums of 1995.[12]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Wax, except where noted

No.TitleLength
1."Who is Next"2:12
2."In Spite of Me"2:08
3."Torn in Two"3:30
4."Stop Sign"2:05
5."California"2:15
6."Just a Visitor"2:17
7."Jiffy Boy"1:48
8."Settle Down"3:05
9."Too Well"2:04
10."Knot" (Loomis Fall)1:54
11."Thirteen"0:06
12."Unlucky"0:06
13."Numbers"0:06

References

  1. ↑ "SMALL FACES". Los Angeles Times. Calendar. 5 Feb 1995. p. 57.
  2. ↑ "13 Unlucky Numbers - Wax | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  3. 1 2 "WAX '13 Unlucky Numbers'". Daily Breeze. February 17, 1995. p. K31.
  4. 1 2 Jeter, Jeff (May 12, 1995). "WAX, 13 Unlucky Numbers". The Tampa Tribune. FRIDAY EXTRA!. p. 25.
  5. ↑ Siegmund, Heidi (Aug 1995). "This Month's Model". CMJ New Music Monthly (24): 12–13.
  6. ↑ Small, Michael (Jun 1995). "Help for Green Day addicts". Mademoiselle. 101 (6): 108.
  7. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (April 26, 2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Rock Tracks 1981-2008. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9780898201741 – via Google Books.
  8. ↑ Graham, Renee (31 Mar 1995). "Don't try this at home". The Boston Globe. Living. p. 63.
  9. ↑ "WHEEL, WAX, MARS: MULTI-SIDED ROCK". The Washington Post. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  10. ↑ Strauss, Neil (1 Apr 1995). "Hit Bands You See But Don't Listen To". The New York Times. p. A9.
  11. ↑ Hantman, C.G. (February 2, 1995). "Wax, '13 Unlucky Numbers'". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Entertainment. p. 11.
  12. ↑ "BEST ALBUMS". The Columbus Dispatch. December 31, 1995. p. 7F.
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