Their previous album, Giant Steps (1993), had won Wallasey’s Boo Radleys copious critical acclaim to add to their cult fanbase. With the album that followed, the gold-selling Wake Up! (1995) they reached their commercial peak, topping the UK album chart. Its lead single ‘Wake Up Boo!’ was their biggest by far and appeared to capture the mood of the times, although looking back 30 years on its writer Martin Carr declared: “I tried to have nothing to do with what was being called Britpop. Our whole career was spent trying not to 'fit in’”.

Still, their mastery of pure pop (with obvious ‘60s influences), taking in psychedelia, close harmonies, big choruses, acoustic material and more was fully displayed. As Allmusic.com put it: “The Boo Radleys were always a band with ambitions. The only difference with Wake Up! is that
they finally fulfilled them”.