Wire: Red Barked Tree

Wire
Red Barked Tree
Rating: Grrrr

Post-punk legends Wire are still making music almost 40 years into their career, and even better, are still making relevant music. Neither a mere pastiche of their older material, nor too experimental, Red Barked Tree is a welcome addition to their vast catalog. Now down to the trio of Colin Newman, Graham Lewis and Robert Grey (Bruce Gilbert declined to appear on this album, as well as on 2008's Object 47), Wire takes a more streamlined approach this go around, making full use of crystalline production tools to buff and shine the material.

The first four tracks on Red Barked Tree are all classic Wire, and at first, I thought I was listening to another masterpiece from them. "Please Take," uses Wire's almost overtuned guitar sound paired with extremely acerbic lyrics:

"Fuck off out of my face
You take up too much space
Move! You're blocking my view
I've seen far too much of you

Please take your knife
Out of my back!
And, when you do
Please don't twist it!"



"Now Was," is a jaunty, guitar heavy track with a crisp, driving beat:



And where Wire steps into new areas outside their normal strengths, they succeed wildly, as in the delicate and gorgeous ballad "Adapt," with its lovely acoustic guitars and haunting electronics:



And tipping their hats back to their original, minimal aesthetic, "Two Minutes," blazes by with more of the updated guitar roar from their Read and Burn ep series:



After this brilliant series of tracks, the album loses its way a little bit, featuring too many tracks that have the same plodding beat ("Clay" and "Bad Worn Thing")and uninventive guitar work ("Smash").

But when they return to their strengths, they hit on all cylinders. "Moreover" and "A Flat Tent," bring back more of the buzzy Wire of old, featuring driving beats, and brutal guitars that can wound and cut.





And saving the best for last, Wire get well outside their comfort zone, with "Down to This," my favorite track on the album. Recalling a mixture of the icy textures of An Ideal Copy and the quirky synth and electronic excursions of A Bell Is A Cup, Until It Is Struck, the track moves on a pulsating bed of atmospheric synths and drill bit guitar.

The final title track shows the softer side of Wire, a side I didn't real think existed. Basically a call to ecological arms, the song is built on lovely acoustic guitars and a subtle, monochromatic vocal, moving from stasis to purpose. The drums skitter and become more insistent, with stronger guitars and touches of electronics.



Red Barked Tree is a fascinating album from the always fascinating Wire. It is amazing that this late in their career, they still have the desire and drive to make challenging, modern music. While it is not in line with their classic string of albums in the 70s and 80s (Pink Flag, Chairs Missing, 154), it is still worthy of being mentioned alongside those masterpieces. For those that have followed Wire throughout their career, you will not be disappointed by this release, and if you are new to Wire, it is a good introduction to one of the great innovators of the modern era.

Rating Guide

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top albums of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been trimmed or polished.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.