Those Pretty Wrongs

Originating from a line in one of Shakespeare’s sonnets, Those Pretty Wrongs unites Big Star founding member and drummer Jody Stephens with Luther Russell of roots rockers the Freewheelers. Their songs reflect the sonic imprint of Stephens’ earlier band yet favor its softer, more melancholic textures through airy melodies. The pair crystallized their seasoned pop approach on the self-titled debut issued in 2016, then expanded the palette with additional uptempo tracks on Zed for Zulu three years later.

The partnership began after Stephens invited Russell to perform Big Star material at showings of the 2012 documentary Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me. The two soon started composing original material, aligned with Burger Records, and issued a 7" single during spring 2015. On that release, the wistful jangle ballad “Lucky Guy” was tracked in Memphis with guitars once owned by late Big Star co-leader Chris Bell and used on the group’s 1972 debut album; its flip side was “Fool of Myself.” The full-length Those Pretty Wrongs followed on Ardent in 2016, with Burger handling the vinyl edition. After each artist turned back to separate projects, they reconvened to compose and track Zed for Zulu, again issued by Burger.