Wire – Silver/Lead

Wire emerged alongside the nascent punk movement in the late 70s, but they just as quickly gave up those cheap thrills in search of something more visceral and less ephemeral. Now, 40 years on from the groundbreaking Pink Flag, Wire are still wandering in the musical wilderness. They exude a perfectionism and commitment to craft that has resulted in consistently strong material for years (between hiatuses), but they always seem to be searching for a certain stylistic innovation that's going to unlock the door to a new musical revolution, the way their 1977 debut did.

This album, their 16th, is not that long-sought aligning of the stars, but that doesn't mean it's without merit. Playing Harp for the Fishes provides an introduction to a typical Wire song; distorted industrial noise colliding with jagged guitars and punchy drums. Short Elevated Period (one of only two fast cuts) provides welcome respite from post-punk's usual claustrophobia with its breezy surf rock, while Diamonds in Cups brings a surprisingly wide-eyed and reflective take on T. Rex via Echo and the Bunnymen, shimmers and all.

The biggest problem with this album is its bloated mid-section, which drags down the commendable peaks of its opening and closing segments. Slow, drab arrangements are plentiful and the lyrics become pointedly lazy ('Ooh darling / I want you to stay / Ooh darling / Forever and a day'). Fortunately, the final two tracks provide a one-two punch to redeem the album as a whole. Sleep on the Wing's sophisti-pop, with skittering drums and velvety synth, paints Wire as the cool, moody older brother of The Style Council, while the title track posesses the darkly oblique lyricism that the band used to have in spades: 'The punch is spiked and words are cheap / gathering clouds anoint the dead.'

Listen to: Short Elevate Period, Diamonds in Cups, Sleep on the Wing