For this record the band finished recording songs that they had been writing back when they broke-up in the late 70’s. There are live versions of these songs from that era on Document and Eyewitness, but I wasn’t very familiar with those recordings. This isn’t a complete throwback and the tunes are firmly within the sonic range of their post-2000s incarnation. Had this come out in 1980 I suspect it would have been far more experimental which may have been spectacular, but it may also have been Dome. As it is, I would still consider this to be among the band’s best work. I may even be so bold as to say I like it better than Pink Flag. Heresy, I know, but it really is that good.
I got this CD as a bonus from ordering Red Barked Tree directly from Wire mail order. The disc opens with re-recordings of a couple of Bell Is a Cup era songs, “Boiling Boy” and “German Shepherds.” Stripped of their electronic dance arrangements these songs are great straight up rock tunes—A hint at what was to come next.
Probably my favorite of the recent Marvel to film movie productions. It helps that it wasn’t an idiotic superhero movie. Fortunately the focus is mostly on the characters and dialogue. However, like most modern CGI fests, the movie loses me during the big set pieces where I can’t tell what the heck is going on half the time. That said, a surprising amount of the action at least seems like it was done on a set with real people.
