2 September 2019

This day 40 years ago, on 2 September 1979, innovative and influential post-punk legends WIRE released their third, highly acclaimed LP ‘154‘. A great piece of work which had not really much in common with the post-punk/new wave era it was made in, per se. It rather revealed a band that was moving on, on their own exploring and sonically haunting terms which resulted in probably their finest achievement ever although the group made some intriguing longplayers in their third musical life that started back in 1999 and still flourishes today.

Here’s what ALL MUSIC wrote: “Named for the number of live gigs Wire had played to that point, 154 refines and expands the innovations of ‘Chairs Missing’, with producer Mike Thorne’s synthesizer effects playing an even more integral role… The best tracks retain their humanity thanks to the arrangements’ smooth, seamless blend of electronic and guitar textures and the beauty of the group’s melodies… It’s difficult to believe that a band that evolved as quickly and altered its sound as restlessly as Wire did could be out of ideas after only three years and three albums, but such was the case according to its members, and with their (temporary, as it turned out) disbandment following this album, Wire’s most fertile and influential period came to a close.” – Full review here. Score: 4.5/5

Album in full…

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WIRE: Facebook – All Albums