Wire

Red Barked Tree (Pink Flag)

By Katherine Hoffert
Published: January 11th, 2011 | 12:00am

Though regarded pioneers of punk—then post-punk, influencing everyone from R.E.M. to the Cure and everything from Brit pop to hardcore, the men of Wire aren’t looking back with their twelfth studio album, Red Barked Tree. Over 30 years into their career and three albums into their second comeback, these British rockers could care less about the past, and usher in 2011 as nervy and forward-thinking as ever.

Still, the iconoclastic “Two Minutes” reveals this is the same Wire that set out to destroy rock ‘n’ roll's formalism in the late ‘70s. Its economical chord count, Robert Grey’s relentless drumming, and the addition of bassist Graham Lewis’ deep, menacing vocals make it stand out, while singer-guitarist Colin Newman's pissy declaration: “Coffee is not a replacement for food or happiness!” is a nice contrast to the relaxed atmosphere of previous track “Adapt.”

Like 2008's Object 47 (Pink Flag), Red Barked Tree is without guitarist Bruce Gilbert. New is the stronger emphasis on lyrics, but unfortunately a few tracks suffer because of this. The lines “Fuck off out of my face / You take up too much space” on opener “Please Take” make it clear that Wire is in control, but it's more effective when the music communicates this as on the propulsive “Moreover.” The dancey “Bad Worn Thing” is the most difficult to reconcile. Opening with “Jam sandwich filled with oozy peelers,” it might have worked had Newman kept up the creepy-crawly vocals, but it looses its edge by the bouncing chorus.

Alternating from pop punk (“A Flat Tent”) to art rock (“Smash”) to portending post-punk (“Down To This”) and jangly psychedelia (“Red Barked Trees”), Red Barked Tree packs enough punch and variety to make you want to hear it live—and not just Wire’s back catalog.

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