Jacob Slater’s past life as frontman of gobby punk teenagers The Dead Pretties led him down a path that nearly destroyed him. Pulled back from the brink, Slater cleaned up and recalibrated as a solo artist and his 2022 debut as Wunderhorse was a revelation. Out went the sub-UK Subs clatter and in came remarkably mature songs that drew upon Neil Young, Screaming Trees, Lemonheads and more. “Purple” is a soaring, anthemic rush of grunge-scuffed melodic bliss, while the dense psychedelic fug of “Poppy” and “Morphine”’s strung-out haze spoke of Slater’s past demons. A remarkable transformation, both artistically and personally.