[rating=7.00]
Wire’s decades-long career has very little stumbling, always opting for a more experimental approach in musicianship to rein in their lyrical moods. What is striking is they’ve been at this for 40 years, yet their takes in simplicity, classical guitar dissonance, or general post-punk aesthetic have yet to fail. 2013’s Change Becomes Us decidedly tells this tale, reworking past works in modern recordings with spectacular results, even after many years of an off and on activity. Their 2015 release, a self-titled record, still carried as adversarial and tentative mood in their verses, but more melodic in style than we’ve ever seen Wire in quite some time. One could argue that their 2016 mini-LP Nocturnal Koreans, is the antithesis of the same record blistering through with no interruption or frenzy, it is, after all, a sort of B-sides of their self-titled. This simplistic fair goes hand in hand with their 16th studio release Silver/Lead.
Silver/Lead continues this trend of straightforwardness, but is memorable for its surprising ease to find its footing when Wire tone down for more pleasant guitar and bass work, instead of their backbone of unpredictable fashion. Instead, we’re gifted romanticism with “Forever A Day” or ever-so-slightly discordant perspectives in “Sonic Lens.” It’s just as quiet in many long sections, much like Nocturnal Koreans, but Wire happens to be experienced in implementing small and powerful buildups that feel bigger than they ought to be – no doubt Silver/Lead feels this way because at this point you’re anticipating some auspicious clairvoyance to hit you when listening.
The record cruises by with effortlessness as Graham Lewis’ bass really is the guiding point on many of these tracks. Newman’s voice, both calm and mysterious as always, evidence on “Brio,” shows every member of Wire really sound like they are leading into something larger, but just as before that track on this record it dissipates before such culmination forms. Perhaps a missed opportunity, but it is doubtful the group didn’t want this minimal sentiment to cover every track. With Silver/Lead, it’s possibly becoming more clear – with much hesitance to say – that Wire are looking for melodic entries in their post-punk work as they’ve been at this for quite some time. Their discography isn’t just post-punk and they’ve effectively transcended that tag over the years in other territories, it’s only natural to see this shift more and more as their work is gigantic and expansive, yet haven’t been truly given their due. Silver/Lead is just another addition to many good entries from a legendary body of work that still churns out better material in this musical landscape than those that are decades younger. This is another reminder, thankfully, that Wire’s final chapter is far from complete.
