Customer Reviews

Object 47

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've been very excited for the release of this album, especially after Wire's previous album, the very impressive Send and the terribly great EP Read & Burn 03, but this release is a little bit disappointing. Plenty of good songs, which sound similar to some of Colin Newman's solo albums, but the music and lyrics can be tedious in a few places, although they do carry through the variation and repetition of the other recent material. Worth buying for the Wire fan, but I would get Send or R&B03 first.

Object 47 finds Wire realizing what they seemed to be moving towards on their previous release, Read & Burn 03: An EP that was a more ambient, deliberate, mid-tempo incarnation of the intense, droning, distinctly modern industrial punk they created on the first two Read & Burn EPs (partially compiled on the full-length Send). O-47 features sonic industrial elements from R&B 02 along with some ambient elements from R&B 03, combined with the brevity of their early work and pop-sensibility of their 80s material: Recognizably Wire, yet most of it doesn't sound specifically like anything they've done.

The strongest songs on O-47 manage to strike the perfect balance between sonic adventurousness and pop sensibility, combined with clever, but accessible lyrics. The opening track, "One of Us" is among the very best songs Wire as ever done - propelled by a powerful, compelling bass/drum line which serves as the perfect undercurrent for an irresistibly catchy guitar riff and oddly harmonious vocals. "One of Us" sets a high bar the rest of the album never reaches, though "Mekon Headman" comes close.

While O-47 is more focused and taut than R&B 03 it suffers from many of the same weaknesses. Specifically, they consist mostly of mid-tempo, sonically-repetitive tracks that dilute Wire's strengths. With a couple exceptions ("One of Us", "All Fours") all songs on O-47 move at mostly the same pace, making the album feel somewhat tedious (even at only 35 min). A problem made more pronounced by the mechanical, monotonous nature of some individual tracks: "Four Long Years", "Hard Currency", and especially "Are You Ready?" - a dated dance-rock track which could've easily been one of the many similar mediocre songs they recorded in the 80s.

O-47 has enough interesting material to be worthwhile for those of us who are long-time fans, but listening to it and thinking about Wire over the last 5 years I can't help but wish they'd followed through with their original plan to release a series of R&B EPs - A logical and fairly brilliant extension of thier minimalist aesthetic (Since Send consisted mostly of R&B 01-02 tracks it was essentially redundant). If instead they compiled the 5 or so best tracks from O-47 with "No Warning Given" (the standout track from R&B 03), and instead released that as the R&B 03 EP it would have been a cogent statement on par with the first 2 R&B EPs. Instead, O-47 will likely be thought of much like their 80s albums: A mostly inconsequential release with a few worthwhile songs.

I agree with the other reviewer that this album by Wire is good but not great. I think Send may be the best thing they've done since the heyday years of Pink Flag/154/Chairs Missing, and while this one is still sharp and on target, the overall quality level does not match that of Send. But this is comparing the album to other Wire releases - if this was a new band and this was their first release, I would think, "Wow, these guys are interesting - I want to hear more from them!" The sound is very much like Send, with a mixture of uptempo, edgy tracks and slower, more atmospheric and cerebral songs.

I've been listening to them during the aforementioned 20-year interval, and have enjoyed most of what they've put out. I've listened to all the records again during the past week, while getting jazzed up to see them live, and I'm convinced that this is the best one since "A Bell Is A Cup Until It Is Struck". The band has rediscovered the joy of songwriting, as opposed to artsy drone, and the better half of this (admittedly short) album is classic Wire.

It took me a few listens to "154" before I realized it was a masterful set of poetic constructions that is to Eno's "Another Green World" as interpersonal relationships are to landscape portraits.

It took me a number of listens to "A Bell Is A Cup" until I started to see it as a perfectly wonderful brew of various styles of pop and rock, perfectly recorded.

After a few listens to this, I realize that it's a fun, exciting record that makes me hope very much that Newman and Lewis keep working together for a while and writing quality songs like these.

I've read that Wire influenced not only various early-80s punk bands (with their first two records), but also late-80s electronic rockers (Depeche Mode* etc.) with albums such as A Bell Is A Cup. Both of those aspects of Wire's history are present on Object 47, a short (35 mins.) but relatively strong collection of nine new tunes. This band line-up includes both Colin Newman and Graham Lewis but not Bruce Gilbert. Ob47 is a highly listenable and enjoyable set that goes by very quickly. The tracks feature melodic, dual-tracked lead vocals that sound vaguely Eno-esque in their slightly blurred way, plus some forceful bass lines and very interesting song arrangements. One song pretty much goes right into the next, giving the disc a seamless feel that made me want to hear it all over again after the first time thru. (So I did.) My favorite cuts are "One Of Us," "Four Long Years*," and "Are You Ready?" but all nine songs are good. [*Listen for the Depeche Mode flavor of this tune. Actually, it's a better DM sound than much of Dave Gahan's solo work!]

Wire have almost disapperaed from view and their records have become more and more difficult to find. I did not even know this had come out when i saw it at Newbury comics recently. At first I hesitated because I had not found Read and Burn that Great and Send was also kind of boring. However after reading some positive reviews I decided to get it. It is a very solid record but unfortunately it knid of sounds like most records since Manscape. That is not to say that there are not some splendid moments with one or two breath-taking songs. It simply sounds a bit toired at times for a band once capable of such greatness.

Wire's now at version 3.5. Bruce Gilbert's departure after his low profile on the e.p. "Read & Burn 3" (which this resembles more than "Send") does not seem to have altered late-00s styles that Wire advances. For musicians at it about 35 years, they sound impressively energized in "One of Us" that rouses you to a propulsive beat at the start of this short record, and its closer, "All Fours," that resembles "Send" most in its more relentless aggression.

The middle shifts around. "Circumspect," "Mekon Headman," and "Perspex Icon" continue the pace of the opening track handsomely, and these first four songs raise hopes of a stimulating, intelligent effort to rival their late 80s version. But, "Four Long Years" sounds about as long, and slows the pace to a methodical step. "Head Currency" begins as a dance track, and then guitars kick in to upgrade this into a successful combination of electronic and guitar that pleased me.

"Patient Flees" brought my hopes down, plodding and spoken-word dull rhyme recital over an indifferent, faceless backing. I understand this "message" or intentional design might provoke me, but it did little to make me want to listen again to it. "Are You Ready?" as the penultimate track is a solid song, akin to much of later Wire in its steady beat.

This is a sort-of midtempo album compared to the renewed, unexpectedly vigorous industrial-strength assault on "Send" and even better their live interpretation as "The Scottish Play." It follows the more accessible songs on the ongoing "Read & Burn" e.p.'s. Fine, and few bands from the '77 era of punk bother to take their music seriously anymore, so I wish Wire well in continuing to remind us of how they and we can evolve.

Wow, this is an excellent collection of songs with mellow vocals throughout. I've been a fan of Wire since the 80s and like Ideal Copy, Manscape and Send. I like putting this new one on as background music, the songs flow, not a bad one here.

Wow, this is an excellent collection of songs with mellow vocals throughout. I've been a fan of Wire since the 80s and like Ideal Copy, Manscape and Send. I like putting this new one on as background music, the songs flow, not a bad one here.

On first listen, the lyrics seemed awkward and the music dull. On the second listen, not much changed. I almost gave up. Then, on listen who knows how many, it suddenly made sense to me. I was hoping for Send part two, or even Read & Burn part four, but instead they gave us a whole new direction that leans heavier on their pop side than Send did.