Wire - Silver/Lead
Despite having been active between 1976-1980, 1985-1992 and from 1999, Wire kinda passed me by. A good few years ago, I got Pink Flag and Document and Eye Witness from Beatniks and neither did anything for me. With both the reactivated PiL and Pop Group having released some of the best material of their careers in the last couple of years, how do their fellow post-punkers sound on their 16th studio album? This is inventive but, unlike some of their contemporaries, this isn't so challenging as to be barely listenable. In short, the Wire of 2017 write bloody good songs. The singles Short Elevated Period and Diamonds In Cups would, if released by a younger, trendier band be troubling radio playlists nationwide. The former is a short, sharp burst of punky, fuzzy power pop whilst the latter is an exercise in sublime melodic rock. Sinister opener Playing Harp For The Fishes and the standout Sonic Lens both combine elements of dub, psyche and space-rock to great effect.
Maybe I got it wrong when I listened to their earlier stuff, maybe my tastes have changed. Whatever, Wire have developed into something very special and this is so good I am going to have to investigate that back catalogue.
9/10
