Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Ghost in the machine, August 9, 2000
1990's "Manscape" is the most overlooked and misunderstood item in Wire's catalog. Many fans were alienated by this sudden break with previous concerns - the band ditched all traditional instruments and virtually forced drummer Robert Gotobed to leave the group. Wire even gave up their legendary minimalist approach in order to plunge into a thickly textured electronic sound. The results are generally intriguing and curious, but what is a problem is that the band has lost its songwriting skills in the transition. There's not a single bad song on "Manscape", but also nothing that matches classics like "Ahead" or "Kidney Bingos" in terms of memorable, melodic construction. However, Colin and Graham do a good job with the vocals and soften the album's robotic bite. The music's forte truly lies in the sonic details and the undeniably amazing production. "Life in..", "Stampede", and the mysterious "Other moments" are solid cuts with pulsating beats, a variety of keyboard textures, and distorted guitars. The furious, uptempo "Torch it" features some extremely paranoid vocals by Graham. The other songs are not so interesting to my ears, but certain elements (a sequencer line, a drum pattern, or Graham's eccentric singing) are enchanting. The more you listen to "Manscape" the more it grows on you.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Mount the defence, September 8, 2006
The phrase `criminally neglected' has never been more apt than in Wire's case. Personally I find it absolutely incomprehensible how music this beautiful and intriguing can remain unrecognised for so long, while unmusical and artless outfits like New Order get hailed as cultural giants. Perhaps if Messrs Lewis, Gotobed, Gilbert and Newman came from Manchester instead of London, their success would have been instant.
Although Manscape may not represent the band's creative zenith (see predecessors Ideal Copy and A Bell is a Cup Until It is Struck) it's still a really good record in terms of songwriting and creative arrangements.
Manscape is the most accessible but also the most unfairly maligned of all Wire albums to date. The main bone of contention among critics and disgruntled fans (Wire's own worst enemy) is the new crisp, digital production and programmed drum tracks. A glossy sheen for glossy times.
This mechanised approach works quite well on up-tempo songs like You Hung Your Lights, Torch It! and What Do You See?, but not on the evocative ballads like Other Moments where the static beat kills the natural dynamic of the song. A crying shame as it's one of Wire's best tunes (drummer Robert Gotobed left after this record, exasperated perhaps with what technology was doing both to the music and his job security).
Manscape is not a perfect record like its two predecessors, but is essential for fans of Joy Division, New Order, Depeche Mode, The Editors and Interpol. Beginners should go straight to a Bell Is A Cup Until It Is Struck.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
It really is kind of lame..., October 17, 2008
Ok, I appreciate the positive reviewers' attempts to put a nice spin on this record, and I do think Wire was trying to do something good, and I do think there are isolated striking sounds and songs, but it really is a pretty lame record on the whole. I have nothing against electronic pop, but the songs are just not really interesting, and the overall feel is pretty silly. I disagree with the reviewer who suggested this compares favorably to New Order. Through the album Technique, New Order had much better, and much more emotionally evocative songs. Arguably, Manscape at times sounds a bit like New Order from the album Republic on, which is not a compliment. Again, I don't knock Wire for doing something completely different, but this really is not a good record.
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