Wire - Red Barked Tree

  by Anthony Strutt

published: 15 / 12 / 2010

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Review

Wire were one of the original new wave/punk rock acts, but 'Red Barked Tree', their twelfth album, far from retracing old glories, sounds fresh and unique. 'Please Take', which opens the album, is a song about back stabbing. Recorded by the now three piece of Colin Newman, Graham Lewis and Robert Gotobed, it is a very mature work, both musically and lyrically. Punk has grown up, got grey and maturer as well and, elegant and clever, this perfect opener twists and turns in a charming way. 'Now Was' is a lot more punk influenced, quite fast and very catchy. 'Adapt, has a mid album, mid live set feel to it which is reminiscent of the Cure, while Newman's vocal has a swagger to it. 'Two Minutes' is a fast punk number but modern in its delivery, something like a punk cockney version of Blur's 'Parklife'. 'Clay' is catchy with a crisp vocal and bass and guitar lines that suck you in totally. 'Bad Worn Thing' is an experimental number with fun lyrics and Television- like guitars. 'Moreover' is a loud, grungey number with a distorted vocal and a groove similiar to 'On a Rope' by Rocket From the Crypt. 'A Flat Tent' is very fast and thrashy, a head banger from the start. 'Smash' has an edgy hardness to it. 'Down to This' is slow, cinematic in it's scope and perfect horror film material. 'Red Barked Trees ends the album, which is acoustic and sounds like a piece of obscure psychedelia. A fabulous album.

Track Listing:-

1 Please Take
2 Now Was
3 Adapt
4 Two Minutes
5 Clay
6 Bad Worn Thing
7 Moreover
8 A Flat Tent
9 Smash
10 Down To This
11 Red Barked Trees

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/WIRE.pinkflag
https://twitter.com/WireHQ
http://www.pinkflag.com/
https://plus.google.com/11486421750593
https://soundcloud.com/wirehq
https://www.youtube.com/user/wirehq

Label Links:-

http://www.pinkflag.com/

Have a Listen:-