So- how didn't I know the new Wire was out?

[Kory]

THE FUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK?!!!!!

[Dr. Medulla]

THE FUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK?!!!!!

Is this a good fuuuuuuuuuuuuuck or a bad fuuuuuuuuuuuuuck?

[Kory]

THE FUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK?!!!!!

Is this a good fuuuuuuuuuuuuuck or a bad fuuuuuuuuuuuuuck?

Good—I quite liked it. A very interesting/new drum tone for Rob, too.

[Dr. Medulla]

THE FUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK?!!!!!

Is this a good fuuuuuuuuuuuuuck or a bad fuuuuuuuuuuuuuck?

Good—I quite liked it. A very interesting/new drum tone for Rob, too.

Like hitting garbage can lids—very metallic sounding.

[Kory]

THE FUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK?!!!!!

Is this a good fuuuuuuuuuuuuuck or a bad fuuuuuuuuuuuuuck?

Good—I quite liked it. A very interesting/new drum tone for Rob, too.

Like hitting garbage can lids—very metallic sounding.

As usual, though, I'll be interested to see if they have some more wide-ranging diversity across the album.

[Dr. Medulla]

As usual, though, I'll be interested to see if they have some more wide-ranging diversity across the album.

Don't count on it. I think we're well past Wire producing something truly cutting edge and baffling or challenging (for all its weaknesses, Manscape is probably the last time that happened). Send was the last time they put out something aggressive and semi-against type. Instead, they've settled into being good at putting out Wire-inspired records, if that makes sense. Very listenable records—on the whole, more so than the entire Mute run—but they're less about exploring or exploding their identity than confirming and consolidating it. Which is fine to me. They've earned the right to be satisfied and I'm not going to be disappointed that they don't produce another 154.

[Kory]

As usual, though, I'll be interested to see if they have some more wide-ranging diversity across the album.

Don't count on it. I think we're well past Wire producing something truly cutting edge and baffling or challenging (for all its weaknesses, Manscape is probably the last time that happened). Send was the last time they put out something aggressive and semi-against type. Instead, they've settled into being good at putting out Wire-inspired records, if that makes sense. Very listenable records—on the whole, more so than the entire Mute run—but they're less about exploring or exploding their identity than confirming and consolidating it. Which is fine to me. They've earned the right to be satisfied and I'm not going to be disappointed that they don't produce another 154.

I'm not necessarily looking for innovation, I'd just like them to do more songs that aren't just strumming four chords for equal amounts of time.

[Dr. Medulla]

As usual, though, I'll be interested to see if they have some more wide-ranging diversity across the album.

Don't count on it. I think we're well past Wire producing something truly cutting edge and baffling or challenging (for all its weaknesses, Manscape is probably the last time that happened). Send was the last time they put out something aggressive and semi-against type. Instead, they've settled into being good at putting out Wire-inspired records, if that makes sense. Very listenable records—on the whole, more so than the entire Mute run—but they're less about exploring or exploding their identity than confirming and consolidating it. Which is fine to me. They've earned the right to be satisfied and I'm not going to be disappointed that they don't produce another 154.

I'm not necessarily looking for innovation, I'd just like them to do more songs that aren't just strumming four chords for equal amounts of time.

Probably not going to happen. It's fundamentally Colin's group now, so we don't have Bruce's more abstract sensibilities to muck with things.

[Kory]

As usual, though, I'll be interested to see if they have some more wide-ranging diversity across the album.

Don't count on it. I think we're well past Wire producing something truly cutting edge and baffling or challenging (for all its weaknesses, Manscape is probably the last time that happened). Send was the last time they put out something aggressive and semi-against type. Instead, they've settled into being good at putting out Wire-inspired records, if that makes sense. Very listenable records—on the whole, more so than the entire Mute run—but they're less about exploring or exploding their identity than confirming and consolidating it. Which is fine to me. They've earned the right to be satisfied and I'm not going to be disappointed that they don't produce another 154.

I'm not necessarily looking for innovation, I'd just like them to do more songs that aren't just strumming four chords for equal amounts of time.

Probably not going to happen. It's fundamentally Colin's group now, so we don't have Bruce's more abstract sensibilities to muck with things.

Well that's what baffles me so. You don't even have to think abstractly to write a song that's rhythmically different from another. There's a couple songs on the self-titled and a couple on NK to prove it, but the majority is frustratingly formulaic. And to my ears, it's a formula that they only used sparingly in the old days, so I'm not sure why they've decided that's the 'Wire Sound.'

[Dr. Medulla]

As usual, though, I'll be interested to see if they have some more wide-ranging diversity across the album.

Don't count on it. I think we're well past Wire producing something truly cutting edge and baffling or challenging (for all its weaknesses, Manscape is probably the last time that happened). Send was the last time they put out something aggressive and semi-against type. Instead, they've settled into being good at putting out Wire-inspired records, if that makes sense. Very listenable records—on the whole, more so than the entire Mute run—but they're less about exploring or exploding their identity than confirming and consolidating it. Which is fine to me. They've earned the right to be satisfied and I'm not going to be disappointed that they don't produce another 154.

I'm not necessarily looking for innovation, I'd just like them to do more songs that aren't just strumming four chords for equal amounts of time.

Probably not going to happen. It's fundamentally Colin's group now, so we don't have Bruce's more abstract sensibilities to muck with things.

Well that's what baffles me so. You don't even have to think abstractly to write a song that's rhythmically different from another. There's a couple songs on the self-titled and a couple on NK to prove it, but the majority is frustratingly formulaic. And to my ears, it's a formula that they only used sparingly in the old days, so I'm not sure why they've decided that's the 'Wire Sound.'

I couldn't say, but I'm fairly confident that it's about the resolution of a constant tension when Bruce was in the group. Colin writes the music and produces, so it's pretty much his vision of the band. Perhaps the lack of variety can also be connected to him being in other groups (Githead, Immersion, and his wife Malka Spigel's own stuff)—he's got outlets for different styles, so Wire gets a bit more singular. That's a total guess on my part, tho.

[Kory]

Don't count on it. I think we're well past Wire producing something truly cutting edge and baffling or challenging (for all its weaknesses, Manscape is probably the last time that happened). Send was the last time they put out something aggressive and semi-against type. Instead, they've settled into being good at putting out Wire-inspired records, if that makes sense. Very listenable records—on the whole, more so than the entire Mute run—but they're less about exploring or exploding their identity than confirming and consolidating it. Which is fine to me. They've earned the right to be satisfied and I'm not going to be disappointed that they don't produce another 154.

I'm not necessarily looking for innovation, I'd just like them to do more songs that aren't just strumming four chords for equal amounts of time.

Probably not going to happen. It's fundamentally Colin's group now, so we don't have Bruce's more abstract sensibilities to muck with things.

Well that's what baffles me so. You don't even have to think abstractly to write a song that's rhythmically different from another. There's a couple songs on the self-titled and a couple on NK to prove it, but the majority is frustratingly formulaic. And to my ears, it's a formula that they only used sparingly in the old days, so I'm not sure why they've decided that's the 'Wire Sound.'

I couldn't say, but I'm fairly confident that it's about the resolution of a constant tension when Bruce was in the group. Colin writes the music and produces, so it's pretty much his vision of the band. Perhaps the lack of variety can also be connected to him being in other groups (Githead, Immersion, and his wife Malka Spigel's own stuff)—he's got outlets for different styles, so Wire gets a bit more singular. That's a total guess on my part, tho.

Are you a Minimal Compact fan?

[Dr. Medulla]

Are you a Minimal Compact fan?

Short answer: no. Longer, contextualized answer: I've only heard them a few times (weird, given the Wire connection) and I honestly don't recall any of my thoughts, tho seemingly they didn't make enough of an impression to encourage more exposure.

Recommendations?

[Kory]

Are you a Minimal Compact fan?

Short answer: no. Longer, contextualized answer: I've only heard them a few times (weird, given the Wire connection) and I honestly don't recall any of my thoughts, tho seemingly they didn't make enough of an impression to encourage more exposure.

Recommendations?

I'm afraid I have none, my story is much the same as yours. Though I recall, now that we're talking about it, that I might own their stuff digitally. Let me check when I get home and I'll upload for you if you'd like.

[Dr. Medulla]

Are you a Minimal Compact fan?

Short answer: no. Longer, contextualized answer: I've only heard them a few times (weird, given the Wire connection) and I honestly don't recall any of my thoughts, tho seemingly they didn't make enough of an impression to encourage more exposure.

Recommendations?

I'm afraid I have none, my story is much the same as yours. Though I recall, now that we're talking about it, that I might own their stuff digitally. Let me check when I get home and I'll upload for you if you'd like.

I have a bunch of albums on some discs somewhere, so no u/l necessary (probably). But merci bien for the offer.

[Wolter]

http://pitchfork.com/features/5-10-15-2 ... -made-him/

Interview with Colin Newman on the album's that influenced him throughout his life.