Reviews (page 2 of 8)
Incredible. Quite possibly the best album of the first wave of the post punk era. Dark and menacing, but also upbeat and danceable? Great bass lines and sharp, angular guitars. Snotty vocals. Great. 4.8 (I’m bumping it up to 5 because it’s one of my all-time favorites)
Klikkuð plata. Eitt fyrsta post punkið sem hélt þróuninni áfram. Solid út í gegn.
Geggjuð plata og ótrúlegt að hún sé frá 1977. Wire hafði mikil áhrif á þá tónlist sem á eftir kom, langt umfram þá athygli sem þeir fengu á sínum tíma.
In the Pantheon. I've listened to Ex Lion Tamer so many times. The part where it goes "next week we'll solve your problems..." and the music gets warm is my favorite. Why do I love this so much but I hate Alex Turner's singing voice? I just finished listening to The Last Shadow Puppets album, so it's fresh in my mind.
This is punk stripped down to its conceptual core but somehow expanded at the same time. The songs are often over before they fully settle in, which creates this restless, almost anti-satisfaction energy that feels deliberate. It plays like a deconstruction of rock structure rather than just an execution of it. From a more experimental and avant-leaning perspective, it hits incredibly hard because it rejects excess while still feeling bold and forward-thinking. Every fragment matters.
Best punk album from that that time
I bet there are 50 records on this list of 1001 that you can draw a straight thru-line directly from this record. Certainly influenced by what was happening in New York more than what was happening in London or Manchester in 1977. What the blues and early rock was for the Beatles and the Stones, this record was for the Amercian punk movement of Black Flag, Sonic Youth and Minutemen. Landmark album with a half-dozen certified bangers on it.
absolute banger. i now wanna pick up my bass again
#49 on the randomizer for me, but #1 in my heart.
Same formula as the one minutemen album but with stronger songs and almost a decade earlier. Lovely
This is a lot of fun
I've listened to a few of their bigger tracks previously, but not any whole albums. I regret that. You can literally hear the 90s UK indie scene being formed out of it. Short, sharp tracks, phenomenal guitar sound, nothing outstays its welcome. Clearly punk, but also post-punk. Listened to it four times already today.
One of my favorite post punk albums. 21 tracks packed into a 35 minute span. This rules. Favorite track: Mannequin 4.5/5
Very good. I was afraid to listen to this when I was younger because I was worried I wouldn't like it. Partly that and I would have had to buy it (these days it's so much easier to enjoy music as a listener!). Anyway, too bad I didn't get it, because it's great!
Pretty good!
I knew this was gonna be amazing, and it reeeally was. It's the exact punk (post-punk?) that I love. Non-stop action and incredible guitar sounds, especially for the time. Loved everything about it. Probably a more fitting 4, but I just don't have anything bad to say about it, so it's a 5 for me.
Brilliant
Love the distorted bass lines, it’s got some catchy punk ideas on top of pop licks
This is what punk should be. Uncompromising, primal, messy. Some songs could be longer for my tastes, so there’s more time to develop ideas, but this would undermine the whole ethos of the band. Essential.
Was totally unfamiliar with this and was hooked immediately. Good thing I didn’t know about this album in high school- I would have been insufferable. This kicks ass.
all-time fav
ni siquiera senti el tiempo pasar de lo bueno que fue
Fuck yeah... aggressively British aggressive shouting... for better or worse, I really do eat this shit up. Punchy! Fun!
moeilijk te overschatten
12XU
I need to listen to this more, but it feels like something up my alley.
Super fun and unorthodox album. Has been a regular listen for a while.
Think of a number (ten) Divide it by 2 (that's five)
Wowsers
wow 5
A highly influential record, with everyone from Elastica to Minor Threat taking something from this album. Packing 21 songs into a tight 35 minute package, some of the more brief songs pass without being able to make much of an impression. The angry cuts 'Surgeon's Girl' and 'Mr Suit' work best in this format, with the influence on hardcore punk being very clear. The vocals here are at their best when they are shouty and snarling. We do get a glimpse of their poppier side with 'Fragile' and 'Mannequin' both having catchy melodies without jeopardising their punk sound completely. The album gets at its most chaotic on the title track, with an lengthy breakdown to close off the first side of the album. The burst fire delivery of the riffs are loud and the bass grooves pop. Released only a year after punk broke, these lads released an intense fully formed album which built upon everything that first wave of punk bands laid out.
old school british punk - like it, putting 5 starso to revisit
a short sharp shock, full of ideas and urgency, packed with excellent brief songs -
9/10
Nice album, first time I heard that, thanks!
Another of those classic debut albums & one of my all time favorites. Some considers Wire post punk but this one is all hard-core punk! Absolutely brilliant record!
It's perfect.
Real punk
35 minutes of absolute heat. I'm fascinated by how every song has a different guitar tone. It's incredible to believe this came out a year after the first Ramones album because it changes the game so hard
This is a good one. Love the quick hit songs. Classic.
Loved it, short songs that make an impact. A great foundation for all the stuff I like, but hadn't heard this before
A classic post punk album that could rival gang of four’s that’s entertainment.
A punk manifesto.
Such a great.
i’m on week 3 of daily alliums from this list, and i finally got an album i’d never heard but now love! i was familiar with a few wire songs, but never listened to this album in full
This is just a very solid punk album, one of my favorites of '77. Need to listen to it more often.
Perfect songs. Short & sweet.
I LOVE old school punk... And these guys were never on my radar, but I'm firmly impressed by this album.
Ok, perhaps I was a little unfair on Wire when I said that I liked Elastica's homages/rip-offs "miles more." Because this album is pretty fucking great. I still stand by liking Connection more than Three Girl Rhumba though.
Really fucking good. I've never listened to the whole album, just a couple of tracks. Love the raw guitar. Love the fact that it's loads of short songs. I'll be coming back to this.
Fuck yea. How does this album sound this good? It sounds perfect. I love what they've taken from punk and what they left behind, as well as what they added. Totally unique and great on its own. Art punk maybe. Full listen is fun and you can't get bored (35 min and 21 songs...), but some individual songs stand out on their own. Very excited for this.
My favourite 1001 album discovery so far. One of those bands I’d heard of but never listened to. 21 songs with an average length of 1min40. You’d think that means it’s frenetic or full of half baked ideas but it isn’t. Every song is just about long enough to feel complete but never a second more. Snarling and aggressive but still accessible and catchy. This is what pop punk should be. Almost every song on this album sounds familiar. Which is either a sign of brilliant songwriting or how often Wire have been ripped off. Maybe a bit of both.
Wi re they so good?!
This is such a great album.
Love this album. Very fast and high intensity. Guitar riffs are also excellent. In my opinion, one of the best post-punk albums ever made.
Fucking Perfect. There are punk albums that are just as good; but none better.
Reuters - 5/5 Field Day for the Sundays - no rating Three Girl Rhumba - 4/5 Ex Lion Tamer - 5/5 Lowdown - 5/5 Start to Move - 4/5 Brazil - no rating It's So Obvious - no rating Surgeon's Girl - 3/5 Pink Flag - 5/5 The Commercial - no rating Straight Line - 4/5 106 Beats That - 4/5 Mr. Suit - 5/5 Strange - 5/5 Fragile - 4/5 Mannequin - 5/5 Different to Me - no rating Champs - 4/5 Feeling Called Love - 4/5 1 2 X U - 4/5 Average score: 4.4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
So many great tracks on this album and they’re all 10 seconds long, what’s not to love? Unreal stuff and pretty out there on its own, game changer. 5.0/5.0 Best Song: Mannequin
The best punk album by the best punk band. Three Girl Rumba into Ex Lion Tamer into Lowdown is an insane run of tracks. This album sounds like it came out this year still. It is so beyond its time its unreal. I love this album so much, reminds me of my Dad and Uncle. Its so cool and fun and aggressive, he has one of my favourite voices in music, just lovely shouting. 48/5 Best Track: Mannequin? Three Girl Rumba? Pink Flag? Literally take your pic
Groundbreaking album - love the artsy, punky angst that's radiating from the compositions. "Strange" for example is incredible, and so ahead of its time, like the rest of the album.
An essential early punk album. It sounded like a transmission from an alien species when I first heard it. Subsequent Wire albums have left the same impression.
Almost gave this 5 stars without listening, but always a pleasure to hear it again. Whilst their peers were sloppily recycling old Chuck Berry riffs and shouting angrily over the same tired song structures, these guys were truly doing something different. 21 songs in 35 minutes shows you how different. They pulled apart the idea of what a song could be, and what it needed to be - if your idea only takes 35 seconds to get across, don't pad it out and repeat to fade. If you have ideas that wouldn't normally make it into a song, why not? If all you need is one chord, or a repeated chant, or even just a pulse - don't clutter it up with additional layers. The minimalism is part of the point, but then when they do add back in some of the traditional trappings of pop and rock the results are stunning - see 'Ex Lion Tamer' or 'Mannequin'. One of the first albums I've come across that truly deserves to be here, and whose influence is felt long afterwards.
That was great punk album. Didn’t really know of Wire by name when this came up in my feed but really enjoyed this and did recognize at least one of the songs from various streams.
# 🎸 In-Depth Review of Wire's *Pink Flag*: A Punk Landmark Revisited ## 🎵 1. Introduction and Background **Wire's** debut album, *Pink Flag*, released in November 1977 under Harvest Records, is widely regarded as a groundbreaking work that transcended the punk era's conventions. While born from the punk movement, the album defied its norms through its minimalist approach, intellectual lyrics, and artistic experimentation. With **21 tracks crammed into just over 35 minutes**, *Pink Flag* redefined punk's possibilities, blending raw energy with avant-garde sensibilities. Its influence resonates across decades, shaping genres from post-punk to hardcore and beyond . ## 📝 2. Lyrics and Themes ### Abstract and Intellectualized Poetry - **Lyrical Content**: Unlike many punk contemporaries who relied on blunt sloganeering, Wire's lyrics were often abstract, poetic, and intellectually charged. Songs like "Reuters" depicted apocalyptic media landscapes ("Looting! Burning! Rape!"), while "Field Day for the Sundays" critiqued tabloid sensationalism in just 28 seconds. Graham Lewis and Colin Newman's words read like surrealist poetry or mathematical equations, challenging listeners to decode their meanings . - **Themes**: The album explored themes of **media manipulation**, **alienation**, and **social decay**. Tracks such as "12XU" delved into queer slang and self-censorship, while "Mannequin" used consumer culture as a metaphor for dehumanization. This layered approach elevated punk's typical rebellion into a more nuanced critique of modern society . ### Vocal Delivery Newman's vocals ranged from detached sneers to frantic shouts, often burying the lyrics in noise and distortion. While this added to the album's chaotic energy, it sometimes obscured the lyrical depth, requiring multiple listens to fully appreciate . ## 🎶 3. Music and Composition ### Minimalist Precision - **Brevity and Structure**: *Pink Flag*'s songs are ruthlessly efficient, with six tracks under one minute and only one exceeding three minutes. This economy of style— reminiscent of punk's "short fast loud" ethos—was pushed to extremes, creating a suite-like experience where ideas were introduced, developed, and abandoned in rapid succession. Tracks like "Field Day for the Sundays" (0:28) and "The Commercial" (0:49) functioned as provocative fragments rather than fully fleshed-out songs . - **Musical Diversity**: Despite its minimalism, the album showcased surprising variety: - **Punk Rawness**: "12XU" and "Ex-Lion Tamer" featured aggressive, riff-driven punk. - **Proto-Post-Punk**: "Strange" and "Fragile" incorporated dissonant guitars and atmospheric textures, foreshadowing post-punk and noise rock. - **Pop Sensibility**: "Mannequin" and "Three Girl Rhumba" (whose riff was famously plagiarized by Elastica) combined catchy melodies with abrasive execution . ### Instrumentation The band's technical simplicity—a result of their limited proficiency at the time—was turned into a strength. Robert Grey's drumming was taut and mechanical, while Bruce Gilbert and Newman's guitars alternated between jagged bursts and repetitive motifs. Graham Lewis's bass provided a melodic anchor, often driving songs like "Lowdown" with grunge-like heaviness years ahead of its time . ## 🎛 4. Production ### Raw Yet Calculated Sound Produced by Mike Thorne, *Pink Flag* featured a **stripped-down, claustrophobic production** that emphasized space and tension. Unlike many punk albums of the era, which embraced lo-fi chaos, Wire's sound was meticulously crafted: - **Cold Aesthetics**: The mix highlighted the separation between instruments, with stereo-panned guitars and a dry, punchy drum sound. - **Layered Textures**: Despite its minimalism, songs like "Reuters" built layers of dissonance and noise, creating a sense of impending doom . - **Unconventional Endings**: Tracks often ended abruptly or dissolved into feedback, reinforcing the album's anti-rock ethos . ## 🌍 5. Influence and Legacy ### Pioneering Multiple Genres *Pink Flag*'s impact cannot be overstated: - **Post-Punk**: Its experimental spirit influenced bands like Joy Division, The Cure, and Gang of Four. - **Hardcore and Post-Hardcore**: Minor Threat covered "12XU," while Fugazi and Black Flag adopted its rhythmic intensity. - **Indie and Alternative Rock**: Bands like R.E.M., Pixies, and Blur drew from its juxtaposition of pop hooks and abrasive noise . - **Legal and Cultural Impact**: Elastica's plagiarism of "Three Girl Rhumba" (settled out of court) underscored its enduring relevance . ### Critical Recognition The album appears on Rolling Stone's Top 500 Albums and NME's equivalent lists, cementing its status as a canonical work . ## 👍 6. Pros of the Album - **Innovative Minimalism**: Its brevity and efficiency revolutionized punk songwriting. - **Lyrical Depth**: Intellectual and abstract themes elevated it beyond typical punk rhetoric. - **Musical Diversity**: Blended punk, pop, and avant-garde elements seamlessly. - **Influence**: Inspired countless artists across genres. - **Timelessness**: Sounds as fresh and relevant today as in 1977 . ## 👎 7. Cons of the Album - **Inaccessibility**: The raw production and fragmented structure can be jarring for first-time listeners. - **Vocal Obscurity**: Lyrics are often buried in the mix, requiring effort to decipher. - **Lack of Punk Joy**: Some critics note the absence of punk's celebratory nihilism, favoring a darker, more detached tone . ## 🏁 8. Conclusion *Pink Flag* remains a landmark album not just for punk but for modern music as a whole. Its fusion of raw energy, artistic ambition, and intellectual rigor created a blueprint for alternative music for decades to come. While its minimalism and abrasiveness may not appeal to all, its innovation and influence are undeniable. As a debut, it is nearly unparalleled in its vision and execution, proving that punk could be both primitive and profoundly intelligent . --- **Further Exploration**: - For fans of *Pink Flag*, the band's follow-ups, *Chairs Missing* (1978) and *154* (1979), further explore post-punk and electronic textures. - Key tracks to start with: "Reuters," "12XU," "Mannequin," and "Strange" .
Goated
One of the best albums ever made. Wire are pop genius
Love this, love Wire, at least those first three albums. This one is more punk, shorter songs that don’t overstay their welcome. Very much worthy of the list.
One of the foundational albums of the UK punk and post-punk. Hugely influential, the members of Wire went on to many other projects before coming back together again.
A+ record. Been listening to these songs since the early '80s and they still sound as fresh as back in the day. Say no more.
UK punk energy! Also prefigures 80s–90s American punk? Love "Ex Lion Tamer"—intro guitar riff rough, jagged, and simple. Just realized, Wire sound reminds me of early White Stripes—rough, garage-y, and somewhat sparse.
I was going to give this a 4 but this sound being from 1977 deserves its flowers and a 5
(92/100)
Love this one. I’ve heard it before and it’s even better a second time. Too many favorite tracks to name them all
Post-punk has been up and down in our group, but thankfully this is an up. 4.5 bumped up to 5.
I’m at a 5. Just a ball of energy really; not as consistently manic as some of the other fastpaced, rapidfire albums we’ve gotten, but it is as consistently good throughout the whole thing. It’s another strong example of an album where “every song sounds the same” is used to an advantage – granted, not EVERY song sounds the same, and there’s just enough variety to not feel super pigeonholed into a style. It is, at its core though, post-punk with a slightly faster BPM, and the pacing of this album lends itself to one where you don’t have a lot of room to breathe, in a good way. Because so many of these are shorter tracks, even for the tracks that might feel just a bit stale by comparison to others, it’s not really felt since you’re just onto the next one immediately. Lyrically, I don’t think there’s many tracks that actually really care to tell a story; hell, there’s a track on here where they just challenged themselves to write a song with 100 syllables, so when they sort of threw the lyrics out and just used it as a path for a vocal structure, then I threw them out too. I like the vocals here; a little bit flatter or more nasally at times, but it fits with the tone of the album, and they’re not bad at all. There’s some catchy structures too, and for tracks this short, I’m surprised at how earworm-y some of these get in the moment. Is 35 minutes and 21 tracks too long here? Maybe a little bit, but I don’t think it actively subtracts from the album at all. At worst, the minor bloat makes the more mediocre ones stick out a bit more, but like I said, they just fly by. Honestly, for 1977, I think the overall style of these tracks feels just a little ahead of pace, with a few tracks feeling much more like the early 2000s rock bands who would kind of bite this tone. I had a lot of fun with it, and for my tastes, I feel pretty safe giving this a 5. At worst, a 3 if the pacing / tone of these tracks bounces off of you that badly.
This was great! Short n' sweet. Saved to my library.
This is so crazy good. Each song is recognizable and distinguishable from the next, and it’s so catchy and raw. This is the type of punk I love
Punk as fuck. Really loved this one
I was aware of the existence of Wire, but I had them down as some sort of alt-rock band from the 90s, totally unaware that they started out back in the late 70s and were punk/ post punk. I was slightly daunted by the track listing of 21 tracks, but then I saw this is a short (35 minutes) album. Some of the songs barely get started before ending, but the band somehow manage to make just about every track have a start, middle, and ending of sorts. By the halfway point, I was getting used to this and had basically given up trying to keep up with the rapidly shifting "now playing" game. If someone wanted to know what crunchy guitar sounded like, then this album would be a great reference point. There's so many reference points that it makes my head spin a little. I had to listen through once just to feel that I could start trying to unpick things a little. I can hear sounds that have obviously influenced many bands that I liked from the 80s and 90s, even into the early 2000s. Some are such short snippets that it's easy to miss them. I feel that this is an album that would really reward repeat listening. Similarly, reading what music influenced Wire is almost like reading a shopping list for the best bands from the 60s and early 70s. It's often difficult trying to pigeon hole music into a specific genre, but this is so obviously more than punk, earlier than PiL by one year, not quite post punk. I'm not sure what it is to be honest, but I liked it enough for 5 stars. One final thought that came to me listening to this. I used to have a mix tape of punk music back in the early 1980s, Crass, Sex Pistols, etc. and this is how I remember all that music from back in the day, even though some of it is far rougher to listen to. It's possibly down to the remastered edition I listened to, but production values seem sky high here.
Enjoyed this one front to back. It sounds extremely modern for an album made in ‘77. Added it to my regular rotation.
the punk blueprint. no fat. all style
brutalmente bom. papo de obra-prima. (importante ressaltar que passou um álbum do elastica por aqui semana passada e claramente eles plagiaram tudo do wire)
COMO PODE ESSE ALBUM EXISTIR MEU DEUS esse tá no top 5 MAIORES DEBUTS DA HISTÓRIA DO ROCK. vai tomar no cu fraga 21 músicas em 30 minutos e só delicinha minimalista gritada. viver é bom demais. vale citar que a sequencia dos 3 primeiros albuns deles é PEDRADA, mas o pink flag não tem jeito, é o maior de todos pqp
I was a little hesitant at first because this was Yet Another British Album From This Era, but actually this was a banger start to finish. I listened through it twice in a row I liked it so much. Sounds like something you'd here at a tiny record store or a college town dive bar. Hell yeah. Standouts: Ex Lion Tamer, Mr. Suit, Manequin, 12 X U
A stunning post-punk album, especially considering it was released in the punk heyday and the same year as Never Mind the Bollocks. Wire were already thinking ahead on their first album. Brilliant.
Min favoritklubb i mitten av 00-talet var namnad efter detta album. Pink flag förebådar så mycket alternativ rock genrers så jag blir nästan yr. Ett av de riktiga fynden så här långt och då är de två efterföljande skivorna nästan ännu bättre.
This is the good stuff. Such a great album. No filler. Just fantastic post punk by a criminally underrated band. There could have been multiple albums from these guys in the book but at least their absolute best is in here. A treat.
Don’t really consider myself a punk fan, but for some reason this one really works.
Fuck yes!!!
A grossly underrated album in this modern era of music. The Grandfather of so much modern punk, post-punk and rock music. Thick fuzzy guitars, almost sludgy in tone, sneering vocals, groovy bass and energetic drums. This one should be on everyone's radar! 6/5 from me if I could give it
Świetne punkowe kawalki
Великие песни, великая обложка. Быстро и по делу. Лучшая песня - Mannequin.
This is an essential album. It is also clear on listen through that many other bands think so too. You can hear the influences on Blur, Mission of Burma, Sonic Youth, Black Flag, Circle Jerks, and Q and not U in here. They also cross pollinate with Television on the jangly bits. I could list to this all day every day.
One of my favourite albums of all time. Since listening to it for the first I always came back for it and love it for its almost mathematical approach to Post Punk.
Wow, really liked Elastica before I realized Three Girl Rhumbah preceded Connection. Sure, they didn't rip it off, but they plainly expanded on the foundations setup by Wire. Great album, this is a plenty dirty and crusty garage rock. Songs are short, simple and plenty of energy.
One of the best to ever do it. Just a phenomenal album, might be in my top 10. There’s not really a bad song on this, and even if there was it’s over in 2 minutes and on to the next one. A few bands have tried to rip them off, and you can’t really blame them.
Amazing album. I'm a huge fan. Everything they put out is worth a listen, even the later stuff -- which is how I discovered them, through a copy of "A Bell Is A Cup Until It Is Struck". I think of Wire as being similar to Gang of Four in some ways, but they are both more poppy and more industrial sounding, depending on the track, and of course way less political.
I listened to this one when I read Rip it Up and Start Again like 70 years ago. Definitely get it way more after obsessing over gang of four for a long while. Unbelievable that theyre able to accomplish these little amazing warm wonders on each of the 21 tracks. It's definitely a lot to like get into this music and recognize that and there's so many god awful knock-offs. But like the challenge of post-punk is more to limit yourself with little guitar effects/dry production/ironic lyrics thing but to still come out the other end sounding like a human being. Too often do artists trying this these days end up sounding like robots.
Es un pu...himno al punk. Bárbaro.
Had I known about this album in 1977-78 I would have promptly bought it (okay, got my mom to buy it), and then I would have played the hell out of it. The songs are short little bursts of punk energy. I love this. Too many new favorites: Reuters, Three Girl Rhumba, Ex Lion Tamer, Lowdown, Strange, Mannequin, Champs
21 punk songs in 35 minutes. Where have you been all my life? Five songs in and there is no question this is 5/5.
To be fair to this album, I was listening to it with earplugs in and headphones on top because there is a jackhammer approximately 40 feet from my window having a field day. But that being said, I had a lot of fun with it. I'm not sure I picked up on more of the subtle things, but it really just was really uplifting in a way.
This record is like Sex Pistols for people without FASD. Stoked to finally get a real punk album for once on here. I already knew who Wire were and had listened to them multiple times, but never had I actually listened to the whole album through. This album paces excellently, every song feels different yet familiar to the whole theme of the album, and is just generally a fun listen. No skips. I really enjoy the guitar tones on this thing, the switching from a more distorted sound right back to the classic 'Wire' clean tone keeps everything so fresh. This thing definitely shows its age. I bet I could almost predict to the year what My favourite song has gotta be Mannequin. I listened to this 4 times in a row and not once was I uninterested. Really fucking good record.
How is it the first good punk album we get from this project is labelled post punk? While I prefer albums like 154 and A Bell Is a Cup Until It Is Struck, this is absolutely killer as a debut album. Each song goes on for as long as it needs to and the music holds your attention the whole time. Apart from that, no notes at all, multiple listens just made me enjoy it more and more. Highlights: Reuters, Three Girl Rhumba, Ex Lion Tamer, Lowdown, Pink Flag, Mr Suit, Mannequin, 1 2 X U
I loved this, right up my street. Such a great sounds and great vocals and lyrics. Happy to be discovering new stuff right on the cusp of finishing!
Class
This is such a great mixture of surprises! It's somehow hard punk while being minimalist. Mannequin is such a awesome jam. Who would have thought that I would think is 28 second song is a good song and yet, they kinda pull it off. 4.5 normally, but such a pleasant surprise, I'm going with a 5.0
Excellent
Why do I not already own this record? Well, I have this well-worn philosophy for record collecting: We buy the cheap records, because they are cheaper to buy. And I have just never seen a cheap copy of this record, even though it has been on my want-list for years and years. This is my cup of tea; nervy, energetic, muscular post-punk. It's the blueprint for that type of music. I love that this wastes no time at all; 21 songs in 35 minutes. And some really standout tracks; Reuters, Three Girl Rhumba, Ex Lion Tamer, Strange, Fragile, 12XU. But there is nothing here that outstays its welcome. This album is the very definition of pithy. I want to sit don the members of any 90s artist that felt like they needed to fill up the whole run time of a CD and force them to listen to this and to me explain why, exactly, they felt the need to pad out all of their songs to an unlistenable length (Oasis, I'm looking at you, man). I think it's time to bite the bullet and buy one of those over-priced vinyl reissues that are floating around. It doesn't quite seem in the spirit of the thing, but, man, I really dig this album. I'm flying to London next week; let's see if I can find a copy of this in the record stores there.
It feels quite vibrant. It has several short and fun songs.
One of the landmark Post-Punk albums. Just casually laying the groundwork for so much 80s/90s rock. It has gotten better each listen. There are so many tracks coming at you that it's almost impossible to digest it all in one listen. But then each subsequent listen it's been so fun and random which tracks jump out at me. It feels different every time. I do need to give their later albums another try but none come close to this insane debut. Rating: 4.8
This album is like a mini supernova. Not on the level of the Velvet Underground or Nirvana or REM - but shards of this album (and their next 2) permeated a range of music for decades. Wire mostly skip punk and go right to post punk. Ideas abound along with plenty of attitude but it's far from the relentless sea of sixteenth notes and sloganeering. Pivotal.
minimalist masterpiece 10/10 album art
Ok, this one makes up for the series of crap albums I had before this. I did not believe it when I saw this was out in 1977 - it sounds like something that could come out today. What a cool find, I never would have discovered this otherwise. 5/5
I loved it & will listen to this one again.
I’ve loved this album since the first time I heard Ex-Lion Tamer on Henry Rollins radio show in the mid-2000s. I picked this up not knowing any other tracks and have loved it ever since. I picked it up on vinyl a couple years back and it gets spun more than any of my other punk LPs.
Excellent album. This is what I want to hear when I think of Brit punk. Guitar is SO crunchy but works nice with the really bright drums and smoother bass. Album goes pretty hard at times.
21 punk songs in 35 minutes. Where have you been all my life? Five songs in and there is no question this is 5/5.
Date - 1/24/25 Album - Pink Flag Artist - Wire Release - 1977 Genre - Punk/Art Punk/Post-Punk Heard it before? - Y Heard OF it before? - Y
not only are these songs wildly energetic and irresistibly groovy; they're also incredibly smart. some great moments of counterpoint from the bass to the guitars, the guitars to the voices, everything with the drums. suddenly stopping, starting again. sometimes glacially slow, other times blindingly quick. whether an individual song is 30 seconds or 4 minutes, it still feels like an important piece of the overall puzzle of Pink Flag. 21 of them in 35 minutes. economy of time, yet an abundance of intrigue. theoretically infinite replay value. "Ex Lion Tamer" is the best Car Seat Headrest song Will Toledo never wrote. strong 9/10.
21 tracks in 35 minutes. Amazing. Would list out my favorites but it’s more than half the album. Strikes me that I have no idea what the signer is saying most of the time. “No silver boollet” “BOOLLET”
This is a perfect punk album. Top tier!
A true top 100 all time record. This is 1977? This is basically the entirety of 80s music(sans rap and R&B) encapsulated in one record
fuck yeah
Debut de una banda imprescindible en un año esencial de la música. Con elementos punk y un paso definitivo hacia el post-punk y una influencia capital en grupos de todo tipo: Three girl rhumba (Elastica) o Ex lion tamer (Supergrass) pero también Lowdown (Pixies) entre otros muchos: Straight line (Ian Mackaye, Minutemen, Hüsker Dü...). Escuchen Mannequin y rastrear la influencia no solo en Undertones sino en REM (Texarkana) es un descubrimiento. Grandes, enormes. 21 canciones, 35 minutos.
1977 London, Punk rock, art punk, post-punk. BDB
Very good!
Okay this was an immediate love. So fun. Filing this away for repeat listening. Also love the album art.
Excellent album. This is my first time with this one, I will add it to my favorites.
I'd forgotten how good this album is.
I somehow went this long without realizing Minor Threat's 12XU was a cover. Loved this album though! Hardcore punk format before hardcore punk took off!
Pocas bandas fueron tan influyentes para la construcción del sonido "indie-alternativo" como Wire. Siendo el debut de la banda, "Pink Flag" propone una lista de canciones cortas que empujan los límites del punk, el post-punk y el new wave. La producción esquelética, con guitarras reventadas y baterías inexactas le dan un olor a "garage" a todo el LP, inspirando a cientos, especialmente a algunas propuestas britpop como Elastica y bandas como The Strokes. Un trabajo realmente increíble que a la vez es esencial para entender como fue evolucionando la escena musical global.
I am part of the cult following now.
really raw punk album, this is probably my favourite punk album on par with london calling, this is great, really full of energy, really good listen
Mannequin = catchiest song ever?
The best Post-Punk albums in this list so far. Great energy.
If there’s one thing, this serious has taught me, it’s that I’m a way bigger fan of punk, and post-punk than I ever thought I was before. It’s easy to see why so many other bands were cribbing from this template in the years that followed. What a fantastic album.
Sooooo good! 5/5
One of my favorite albums of all time. Their rules of negative self-definition from 1977 that formed the basic framework of the band said it best: No solos; no decoration; when the words run out, it stops; we don't chorus out; no rocking out; keep it to the point; no Americanisms.
En 1977, j'avais 7 ans, autant dire que le punk, pour moi, c'était une vague rumeur entendue à la radio, un truc de grands méchants qui faisaient peur à mes parents. La sainte trinité que l'histoire officielle retiendra, c'est évidemment les Sex Pistols pour le nihilisme crasse et le "No Future", et The Clash pour la conscience politique en bandoulière et les slogans prêts à être tagués sur les murs de Londres. C'est la version simple, celle qu'on raconte aux enfants pour qu'ils s'endorment en rêvant de rébellion. Et puis il y a les autres, les mecs qui, pendant que Johnny Rotten postillonnait sur la monarchie et que Joe Strummer appelait à l'émeute, étaient en train de disséquer le rock'n'roll avec des scalpels, de le dégraisser jusqu'à l'os, de le réduire à sa plus simple, et donc plus brutale, expression. Ces mecs-là, c'était Wire. Et leur premier album, "Pink Flag", est une putain d'anomalie au milieu du cirque punk. Le projet "1001 Albums" m'a forcé à le réécouter attentivement, et je me dois de préciser qu'on parle ici d'un disque fondateur. La première claque, avant même la première note, ce sont les chiffres : 21 morceaux pour 35 minutes et 41 secondes. Voilà, le décor est planté. On est à l'antithèse totale des délires progressifs de 15 minutes qui polluaient les ondes quelques années plus tôt. Ici, pas de gras, pas de solos interminables, pas de branlette de manche. Certains titres ne dépassent même pas les 30 secondes. C'est l'art du haïku appliqué au punk rock, des éclats, des fragments, des coups de couteau sonores. On a souvent dit que Wire, c'était le "punk pour les intellos", le "art-punk". Des étiquettes à la con, comme toujours, mais qui cachent une vérité : là où les Pistols voulaient détruire la société, Wire semblait vouloir détruire la chanson rock elle-même. Ils l'ont démontée, pièce par pièce, pour n'en garder que le squelette. Un riff, une ligne de basse métronomique, un cri, et puis plus rien. On passe au suivant. L'effet est à la fois déroutant et incroyablement jouissif. C'est un disque qui file à toute berzingue, sans jamais regarder en arrière. On a l'impression d'écouter une compilation de 21 singles potentiels, tous amputés de leurs développements inutiles. On va droit au but, sans préliminaires. C'est brutal, c'est direct, c'est d'une efficacité redoutable. Ce qui est fascinant avec "Pink Flag", c'est son héritage car cet album a pavé la voie au hardcore américain. Des groupes comme Minor Threat ou Black Flag ont poussé ce minimalisme et cette vitesse à leur paroxysme. Mais l'influence ne s'arrête pas là, quand j'étais disquaire durant les années 90, je refilais ce disque aux gamins qui découvraient le post-punk. Tout est là, l'urgence froide de Joy Division, la sécheresse rythmique de Gang of Four, l'approche conceptuelle de The Fall. Sans "Pink Flag", une bonne partie de la musique que j'ai chérie pendant mon adolescence et mes années de radio n'aurait tout simplement pas existé, ou alors sous une forme bien différente. Sonic Youth, les Pixies, et même plus tard des groupes comme Elastica ou Bloc Party, tous ont une dette, consciente ou non, envers ce disque. Wire a prouvé que l'important n'était pas tant la complexité de la musique, mais la manière dont on la jouait. L'attitude, l'intention, l'idée derrière le son et l'idée de "Pink Flag", c'est la déconstruction. C'est de montrer que le rock peut être intelligent sans être pompeux, violent sans être stupide, minimaliste sans être simpliste. Ce n'est pas un disque qui caresse dans le sens du poil. C'est un bloc de béton où on y trouve une tension permanente, une étrangeté qui met mal à l'aise mais qui fascine. C'est un disque qui demande un effort, qui s'apprivoise. Mais une fois qu'on a saisi le truc, qu'on a compris le geste artistique, on tient là l'un des albums les plus importants de son époque. Un disque qui, plus de 45 ans après sa sortie, n'a pas pris une ride. Il reste aussi pertinent, aussi tranchant, aussi nécessaire qu'en 1977. C'est la marque des très, très grands. Alors oui, un gros 5 sur 5, sans la moindre hésitation. C'est le genre de disque qui vous rappelle pourquoi vous aimez cette musique. Parce qu'elle peut être autre chose qu'un simple divertissement. Elle peut être une idée et celle-ci est brillante. Un incontournable, point barre.
One of those albums I ask myself every time I listen to it, "Is it as good as I remember?" and then I hear the opening of "Ex Lion Tamer" and I'm all revved up again. Certainly sowed the seeds for a lot of other music I like, but more importantly it's harder to find finer art punk than this.
A perfect slice of minimalist art and proto post punk.
Incredible from start to finish. The guitar tones on this album are just unreal. Hardly anything on this list will be able to top this.
Fantastic record.
This album fucking rules. I knew it already, but really it grows in my ratings every time I listen. 4.5/5
I can punk to this.
Yeah, one of my most favourite albums of all time.
A landmark punk release that can only be described as the UK's response to Television. Wire has a knack for making great songs that were over before you knew it. Only the opening track breaches 3 minutes in length, giving itself some space to establish Pink Flag before the hit-and-run songs. Every song is great. Even if it's not great, it just moves on to the next one. That's punk, baybee. Fantastic.
First time hearing but I loved it! Maybe it’s a punk thing to have lots of short tracks, but it really serves as a nice intro Punk 101 sort of thing, cool riffs that don’t overwhelm/overstay. Also loved the production, gave it an underground feel, whether this is deliberate or showing its age doesn’t matter. 5/5
This is a real fun album, I've listened before but nice to revisit it today.
Going all in with Pink Flag as my favorite album by Wire. Direct songwriting with acerbic wit, propulsive rhythms and impactful guitar will win me over every time. This record consistently delivers it all at a high level.
Punk-rock flat-out classic that basically wrote the code for what would become hardcore. What's not to like? I don't care if I can't understand what he's saying, this is great.
Such an influential album for punk and post punk. Personal enjoyment: 5/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
Such a fantastic record, everything that's right about punk. Smart in it's dumbness, massive in how concise it is, just a brilliant record that was way ahead of its time.
awesome !
This was a great surprise. Loved it. Everything I like about that old school punk sound is here, I’m actually surprised I’ve never heard it before.
Wow thos album was so hard to find before streaming and iphones. Could never find it but first time listening to all the songs in their order and its just beautiful. Love it, this album is very important for the development of post-punk and influential to all the most important bands of post-punk, new wave and other generes. Songs are short amd sweet very clean punk and clear lyrics its like punk but cleaned and shinny. Really really good
Punchy, creative, and feels fresh. If there is an album marked as an origin point for emotional hardcore and post hardcore from the 80s and early 90s, I'm pretty sure this would be it.
One of my favourite albums of all time. A 21-song punk suite that redefined the genre and brought an art school attitude to it. A band that took a minimalist approach to their music writing and played around with song structure to create songs that only lasted as long as they needed to, just keeping the essential parts. “Think of a number and divide it by two” is the philosophy of this album.
I liked this! I like the crunchy/fuzzy/grungy britpunkyness. Especially "Strange." Wtf is 1 2 x U about tho.
Great. Pow.
Knowing how influential they were to post punk, I've listened to a bit of Wire but never heard this whole album. Definitely should've checked them out earlier. Musically they're like a mix of The Damned and The Ramones with the lyrics and attitude of the Sex Pistols and The Ramones (depending on the song — at times they're serious and political and at other times more inane and silly). The album has a mix of catchy and harder punk songs. It's 21 tracks, but a lot of them are more like snippets than actual songs. The whole album flies by in only 35 minutes, and the pace never lags. Highlights: Reuters, Three Girl Rhumba (which you might recognize from the riff that Elastica ripped off in the 90s), Pink Flag, Mr. Suit 5/5 just a really good punk album
verey good 5/5
Cut and burn. Punk not punk. Satirical masterpiece. Saturday night jitters. Sweetened bitters. Feeling called love be bop a Lula your hula hoops. 12XU. Wire moved on quickly from there adrenalised debut and are still a tour de force today. Individual members have made numerous records. Genius band, starting out on a high, before morphing into individual brilliance, solo and collaborations. Still relevant. Abstract mappers headed off the grid. Essentially yours!!
5/5. There are about 5 actual songs here but it makes for a really easy listening experience as there is just enough energy put into each song as deserved, never overstays their welcome but gives the listener something to think about for about a second before throwing a new idea at you and the suddenly the album ends and you want to throw it back on because you didn't get everything, repeat process. An excellent formula and although unconventionally enjoyable, it was a good album, no notes. Best Song: Ex Lion Tamer, Lowdown, Champs
Totally unique and awesome.
Super fun punk album. Straightforward and catchy. It feels like this band epitomizes the phrase "bring it back to basics" and just writes good songs.
Tiny punk rock amuses-bouches. Get in mah belly.
Elegant & angry. Rough & refined. Catchy & cacophonous. Trendsetting & timeless.
Punk? Post-Punk? Proto-Post Punk? Proto Crank Wave by-the-way-of-post-punk? Who the f*ck cares? It's a f*cking masterpiece. How terrifically abrasive and yet effectively "moody" are its obvious highlights, having a somewhat "normal" length for a song (opener "Reuters", "Ex-Lion Tamer", "Lowdowm"," the title track, "Strange" and, of course, "Mannequin" and its infectious backing vocals), and looking like long epics next to the many one-minute angry bursts also bringing their fair share of gems:"Three-Girl Rumba", famously plundered by Elastica, prophetic "It's So Obvious", foretelling the importance of year 1977 for culture overall, raging "Mr.Suit", probably against music industry goons, or closer "1 2 X U" and its homoerotic context--possibly a comment on internalized homophobia--covered by Minor Threat, by the way. In that particular league of songs, everyone will have their favorite. But they're all objectively good. To put it in a nutshell, this record is like no other--not even the two awesome albums following this debut (which Dimery should have included as well). Its off-kilter concept makes it timeless, and its overall effect is both mysterious and exhilarating. As seen on the wikipedia page for this record, one Pitchfork writer called it an explosion of "song-fragment shrapnel". Can't do any better than this to conclude this tentative review. Number of albums left to review: less than 200, approximately - I've temporarily lost count here. Number of albums I'll include in my own list: half so far, approximately (including this one) Number of albums I *might* include: a quarter, approximately Number of albums I'll never include: another quarter, or just a little more (many other albums are more important to me)
A completely under appreciated album that is unapologetic, energetic and...I dunno...enigmatic? Top tier dirty punk with some of the crunchiest guitar tones this side of the Mississippi. I've been struggling with simplicity in my own music lately, so this album was a swift kick in the ass reminder that great music = simple music.
An audacious album that’s slick yet grimy, minimalistic yet complex, fragmented yet cohesive, and still somehow underrated despite its considerable influence.
great memories!
i love wire, i think their first three albums are all amazing but this one easily stands as the best imo. its really fun to listen to and its so eclectic it never gets boring. strange is probably my favorite track but there isnt a single low point on the entire album. 9/10
often I'll just leave the review blank for 5 star albums where i have nothing to add that hasn't been said a million times already here and elsewhere, but sometimes i need to write something just to emphatically underline that sentiment. this is one of those times
Fuck yeah
Cracking debut album, punk but also post-punk before post-punk became a thing.
One of the best albums of the post-punk era. Structured, but noisy and angular in the best way.
This is the third best punk album I've ever heard after the Sex Pistols and London Calling. The singing voices/styles are the most immediately recognizable elements of punk, but these bands are so incredibly good at their instruments. If an album's instrumentals alone could be 5 star, you've got a pretty god damn good one. Favorite track: Champs
Think of a Number. Divide it by 2. Five stars. <first 3 Wire albums all 5 stars - this is number 1>
According to my last.fm account this is my most listened to album (since 2014 when i reset my plays), so you could say i kind of like it. Barely a month can go by without me giving it a spin, I genuinely believe it's one of the best rock albums of all time. Incredibly catchy, short punk bangers that just fly through in half an hour. The two longer cuts of the title track and 'Strange' show their versatility that would become more apparent on their next two albums (which are also incredible). Thank god for Wire.
106 Beats that Mr. Suit Mannequin 1 2 X U Punk
The most influential, timeless, essential punk album of all time.
It was great!
Давно не могла послушать, наконец-то послушала. Крутая и легендарная панкуха.
Good album!
Classic punk from the late 70s.
25 pounds of chaos in a 5 pound bag! Love it
Saucool!!!
Already heard this, it is amazing, literally only slays.
Just a non-stop fun listen overall I remember this being one of the first albums that got me into post-punk and its still one of my favourites from the genre Favourite tracks: Reuters, Three Girl Rhumba, Ex Lion Tamer, Lowdown, Pink Flag, Strange, Fragile, Mannequin, 1 2 X U
When you’re a kid and find out Minor Threat’s 1 2 X U is a cover and first discover this album. That’s a good part of the developmental process.
I like it
What a blast
An absolute cult punk classic, this album is up there with the best from 1977, which says a lot given the level of music that came out that year. To name a few, Marquee Moon, Never Mind the Bollocks, Rumours, Low, The Clash, The Stranger, Lust for Life, are some of the albums that make 1977 one of the best years in music in my opinion. The songs are short but impactful. You need to listen to the album to appreciate them. Songs in isolation are not long enough, but together in the album they just flow. This is impressive given the rawness of the music. This album is a five-star punk masterpiece and so underrated. More people need to hear this album.
Que punk cru e foda demais... Nossa, fazia tempo que não ouvia algo no volume máximo assim ahahaha
Loud, noise, rockin'
This is one of the essential Punk albums and I am a big fan. It hits all the classic punk elements while also providing its own take on certain things like their less on the nose lyrics and the more minimalist sound they had compared to contemporaries. This is one of those albums that really needs to be listened to as an album. It is much greater than the sum of its parts. Listening to a playlist that has a few of the songs really takes away from the experience and would probably not make you feel as strongly about the album as I and most other fans do. I think this is a near perfect album and is very deserving of a 10/10. From track 1 to 21 the band creates incredible atmosphere and movement in each track that really makes the album fill up a room or your headphones. It feels very fleshed out sonically despite the minimalism when it comes to instrumentation. I feel like this album is sort of like a plateau in that no one song feels much better or worse than the rest. The songs work like a well oiled machine to make this album a great experience to listen to. The only thing that stood out to me was at the end it felt like they had some tracks that felt like they were intended to be the hits, those being "Mannequin" and "Fragile". That being said it doesn't really take away from the experience of the album because they aren't selling out their sound to make the hit. Each of those tracks still feel like a song from "Pink Flag" more then their own thing so it is still a smooth ride. As said before this album is a pretty clear 10/10, is one of the most essential punk albums and imo is a must listen album for anyone not just punk fans.
The originator of that whole ‘ton of songs in short album’ thing, and it does it well. Only 3 songs even reach the 3-minute mark, and those songs are some of the best on the album. The shorter songs are great, too, and they don’t overstay their welcome. I remember thinking ‘Three Girl Rhumba’ was the second song on the album and lasting 29 seconds, but it’s the third, and a minute and a half. The second song is - well, not that song, I guess. Anyway good album.
Think of a number (10) divide it by two (5(stars))
Although the name rang a bell, don’t think I ever listened to this record before. A very nice surprise, such a raw and cool album.
They are too often overlooked but this has classic written all over it and once you hear it you realise its influence
3.2 average rating for this absolute masterpiece is criminal. You should all be ashamed of yourselves.
I'm still not sure how Wire did a post-mortem of punk while punk was still very much alive. But it's amazing, desolate and snarling and bleak and beautiful all at once.
It’s magnificent. Basically a playlist of 21 short post-punk songs that are all just amazing.
Pink Flag serves as a summary for most everything punk was during its birth in the seventies. A tapas course of short songs ranging from cheeky pop to spooky ambience, if you like punk at all, this is not to be missed.
Songs so good you wish they were longer.
There are a lot of them but these songs are lean and clean. Nothing goes on too long nor does anything really meander. I love especially Three Girl Rhumba, 1 2 X U, and Mr Suit.
This sounds like punk infused with pop sensibilities and I really love it! The music is solid, there are actual hooks, but it still feels strongly punk-oriented. I also love the cover with its stark pink flag!
Not heard of the band - a bit before my time - but this sounds pretty good. Reminds me musically of things like The Undertones. Stuff like Mars bars, Smarter than you, She can only say no and Emergency cases could all be on here if you replaced the Derry tones with something a bit more estuary. And I do love that estuary English voice not trying to sound American and cool. It's a bit Ian Dury and Billy Bragg and you can hear years later in Blur. So, yeah, I rather liked this. Short, sharp and to the point. As it should be. A nice discovery that I'll listen to again. Keep on going back and forth between 4 and 5 stars but, fuck it, I'll stick 5 down so that I can keep arguing with myself about it.
Masterpiece. One of the most definitive British punk records and like nothing else at the time. Great lyrics, from darker topics like the opener Reuters to much more fun and energetic songs like the closer 1 2 X U (which was later covered by minor threat). It’s a deceptively smart record, and the band’s artistic depth was explored much further on later albums but pink flag is still a perfectly crafted and executed listening experience from front to back. Pink flag changed rock music, was hugely influential with its short songs and stands as one of the greatest punk albums to this day. Essential, 5 stars
Usually a 21 track album would have been running for the hills but this was such a fast and fun hit that I enjoyed every minute. Can’t decide between 4 and 5 stars… I have a feeling this will grow on me more, so I’ll 5 it…
Alright....alright....alright....AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.................... Fav Track: Pink Flag
Love me some post punk. I could listen to this every day.
One of the best records I have ever listened to. Ever song is a gem. I can’t even say which one is my favorite track.
Great album, massively influential and years ahead of its time.
- Heard this before - Not listened for a while and I forgot how good it is - Clear influence on so many albums and artists that came after - All-round great album - Fav songs: Mannequin, Ex Lion Tamer, Three Girl Rhumba
Brilliant. A band I knew only through the artists they had influenced (Manics, Elastica etc.) but now wish I had explored more. Like a slightly artier Clash, or a Pistols who could actually play. Wonderful
Wow. I had never heard of Wire, but this is one of the best punk albums I've ever heard. This is on par with The Clash and The Sex Pistols. I might even like it more.
Hell yeah, this was fckn' awesome!
All my favourite punk songs are under 2 minutes.
Review tbc, but obviously one of the best albums there is.
So we're now back to familiar territory for me. Have had this album for years and I love it. An absolute punk classic, with its deconstructed songs and bursts of ideas and energy. It is extremely influential on the next generation or two of alternative music. There isn't much to say other than that, so in honor of Pink Flag itself, this will be a short review.
PREFS : TOUT MOINS PREF : RIEN
Timeless classic. Punchy guitars and even punchier songwriting blitzed through in scarcely over half an hour, this record really is a bit of an outlier in the history of music. Few records sound as fresh and vital nearly 50 years after their debut. Whereas the slightly exaggerated pseudo-anarchism of bands like Sex Pistols and their legions of wannabe punks may look a bit cartoonish through the prism of history, Wire’s completely stripped back approach stands the test of time and represents a real challenge to the established musical order to this very day. Although the majority of these songs are barebones fragments punctuated by growling, feedback-ridden guitars, Colin Newman’s pop sensibilities shine through on tracks like “Mannequin” and “Ex Lion Tamer”. Wire are a band who always stood at the margins of their field, completely distinct from their contemporaries but always pushing the boundaries of what may be called alternative music. Following a short hiatus at the beginning of the 1980s, they returned with a string of albums which completely reinvented the band’s sound into an electronic groove-space, while still maintaining something that was essentially theirs. That period is my favourite of this unique band, but this is where you should start. So far ahead of their time, we still haven’t caught up yet.
Really liked
Quintessential post punk new wave album
Love this. Such energy for a punk band that can really play. It is kind of astonishing they aren't as huge as The Clash, say.
This rules. Spiky, concise razor-slash tunes that by turns sneak, slither and strut into the ol' lugholes. Alienation has rarely sounded so cool, so together.
I love this album. You can see why it's considered an influence for like half of the bands that I consider now to be my favorites.
Great album. Can’t understand how I hadn’t came upon it before. Cover art 4/5
This album is full of energy and new sounds, I can see why is the inspiration of a lot of great albums of that age. The sound of the bass is there, not just for armony but just like a guitar, this give the album a better sound.
One of the best punk albums!
The slowest hardcore I've heard, predicting so much music I like, almost endlessly inventive. The guitar tone fades into itself, maybe, but the pieces are so well-designed that I never came down from amazement. Track-by-track impressions are pointless because of the time-warp affect musicians can conjure. The package is united by sound in the way great post-punk albums are, laconic lyrics ready to unfold.
I love it, one of my favorites! Probably the best of the early punk era. And 'Mannequin' is one of my top songs ever. 5/5
Klasik s razlogom
Amazing punk album.
Each track capsulates punk music‘s characteristics very well.
noice, good to know this band
I remember hearing this album for the first time about a decade ago and it being a brilliant half hour. It remains so. Averaging about 90 seconds a track, nothing outstays it's welcome, it's all very good fun (well, musically, lyrically it's pretty serious). It has Three Girl Rhumba (elastica's best song), Ex Lion Tamer, 12XU, it's like an intro to great punk.
great
Yeah this is a classic punk album
Fuck yeah. All-time great album. I listened to this all through college but haven't listened to it much since. It's amazing how many of the lyrics I still remember. There's not a ton of punk that resonates with me, but Pink Flag still totally does.
So many ideas. Ex lion tamer and Mannequin fantastic pop punk. Strange I heard the REM cover first. Short, stabby, songs everywhere else. No need to write much here it's so massively influential. The longer it goes on the better it gets. Fabulous album.
Great!
Never heard of them, but grew up listening to punk rock in the 80s 90s. Awesome!
I was really surprised actually! I've never heard of this band before even though I like this era of music. The short songs really seem to fit the album format the best so far. Pretty unique music, my first 5 star rating.
Pink Flag can stand on its own legs as a great album, but listening to this in a vacuum doesn't do the genre or moment in time justice. Post Punk, Hardcore, and Alt scenes all owe a lot to this record. Wire finished what the Ramones started. It's insane this album is from the friggin 70's Reuters - Halfway through the first play of Reuters I restarted and doubled the volume - immediately gave the drudging guitars more atmosphere and weight for that build up. Field Day for the Sundays - Did the Wire or Minutemen come first? I'm a sucker that farm boy punk banjo sound Three Girl Rhumba - I actually know this from Elastica first (I love 90's girl alt rock - go watch that music video for connection right now), and while I like their take on that riff more I gotta knock em for stealing it from Wire Ex Lion Tamer - Such an unreal tune! I love singing the back up vocals in a dumb deep voice, one of my favourite tunes on the album both instrumentally and lyrically. You cant not play air guitar to this one! Every time this tune shows up day to day Im good for a couple immediate replays. Lowdown - Probably the only song on the album that I'd consider too long Start to Move - Vintage Wire. I swear this dude goes an entire album without annunciating a single word Brazil / It's So Obvious / Surgeon's Girl - Nice slew of 1 minute songs. Drumming stands out on all of them and love those tweaked vocals on Obvious but I don't love the Irish drunk boy vocals of Surgeons Girl Pink Flag - This song could have came out today and depending on the producer it could have been Stoner Rock, Hardcore, Post Punk, or Pysch Rock. The bones of this track have been widely used since - you can feel the wire start to gear their music to a more solitary listening experience rather than the typical jams that were designed to be played live Straight Line - This was made to be played live 106 Beats - Vocals are a bit mismatched but the progression makes up for it. That riff (progression?) at 42 seconds rules Mr Suit - Classic punk tune down to the 1,2,3,4 Strange - Another favourite. You can feel this one borrowing from early DEVO as the vocals gets a bit more nerdy/tech while still being grounded by that drudge guitar sound. Love the experimentation in the studio too, the producer had fun with this one. Fragile - That drum beat is surprisingly dance-able. Mannequin - A CLASSIC. People have written essays about this song so I don't have to. Feels like a really early take on pop punk or emo . . . proto-emo? Different to Me - Perfectly paced, love the roar of the opening vocals Champs - Some interesting vocal experimentation going on here that separate it from the others. Champs bridges the gap between those explosive 1 min bangers and the 4 minute more considered tunes. Franz Ferdinand created an entire style after this song. Feeling Called Love - Least favourite tune on the album. Sounds like he's doing a Bob Dylan impression lol. 1 2 X U - The opening dialogue feels gimmicky but this tune has a rich history of being expertly covered (Minor Threat <3) Overall, Pink Flag is not an easy listen, the explosively short songs demand attention but its legacy can be heard in modern takes of rock keeping this album fresh. I bet this was the first time reviewers were using words like "minimalistic" or "atmospheric" to describe rock music. Wire deserves to be considered alongside Devo, Gang of Four, Joy Division, and the Talking Heads as the most important bands to mature punk.
El mejor disco de punk inglés.
Short albums with short songs deserve short reviews. Chaotic, confounding, catchy, cryptic... genius.
One of those perfect albums.
"Pink Flag" is the brilliant debut album from Wire. Classifying Wire is almost impossible; Throughout their career they've like had like four iterations. I would definitely put this in the punk category with 21 songs clocking in at 35 minutes. There are some similarities to the Ramones (1,2,3,4). However, some of their songs have a much more darker and grungier edge. There are some songs with no choruses that just end after 45 seconds. That's punk. The songs seem to fall into three categories to me: pop-rock with choruses, dark driving more grungy and straight-forward punk. Lyrically, this album jumps all around from political, social, and a bunch of other topics. This album was heavily influential with covers/samples by Henry Rollins, Elastica, Minor Threat, Firehouse, the Minutemen and R.E.M. Two of my favorite songs follow more in pop-rock category: I can't play "Three Girl Rhumba" without hearing Elastica's "Connection." Just listen. Also, I won't be able to get the great chorus "Stay glued to your TV set" out of my head all day after listening to "Ex Lion Tamer." In the grungy dark category, "Pink Flag" has an eerie percussion beginning and then kicks in with their driving guitars and ends in a very punk way. "Strange" is the longest song on the album at four minutes and is driven by a distorted guitar and ends with screams and echos. How R.E.M. reconstructed this song into a pop song is quite the reinterpretation. "12XU" ends the album in a straight-forward punk way. Great, simplistic lyrics. This is a great album. I could re-write this second paragraph with five different songs. I would also say that I haven't heard a bad Wire album. All of them are worth checking out to some extent.
I totally love the album, though I'm not into punk music. This one is so energetic and harmonic and high-quality, so I would keep it for my collection.
This? Just <3
So many punk albums rip this one off. This is the blueprint.
Artsy and angry, my favorite flavor of punk. Been meaning to listen to this one for a while and it was well worth it!
I thought this album was fantastic. I found myself thinking about how much I'd love to hang out these guys. They seem like a perfect mix of smart and cool. The intonations that they make with their voices are subtle for punk, but really lend themselves to the beat. I particularly liked "Fragile" and "It's So Obvious." I will definitely save some of these songs for future listens.
So very good. I love the story of when Wire resumed touring in '87 after many years off. The opening band covered Pink Flag in its entirety so Wire didn't have to revisit their old sound. https://gojohnnygojohnny.wordpress.com/2011/01/07/the-ex-lion-tamers-wire-the-amazing-story-via-cassette/
Iconic band and album - much more so, in the case of the latter, for being a debut.
A terse classic. Iconic. I'm glad I got to see them in 2020.
Love this album. Minimal punk perfection with a great dynamic range, from the repressed anger of Mannequin to the beautiful Strange. So different from its contemporaries, this album should be vaunted alongside the first Ramones effort for its succinct and focused energy. A masterpiece only surpassed by what came next from the band. 10 stars.
I wish I had some really thoughtful, critical thing to say. All I can think is this is a damn fun album. Great great great!!!
Even if the songs weren't great (they are) it could be a 5 star album just for the amount of influence it's had on so many bands and artists that I enjoy. It's just all around great.
21 wonderful songs in 35 minutes… What an amazing journey!
Fast snappy British punk, can still hear the influences today
Loved it
Timeless - wouldn't have placed this in the 70s
Excellent. Shades of early Talking Heads mixed with Television.
Loved jt
I enjoy reading the wiki entries on each of the albums and this one was a good one that reinforced why this album stands out from the rest of the random late 70s to mid 80s British bands that have an entry on this list. tldr; “Richard Hell but good. See Black Flag, Robert Pollard, and Franz Ferdinand”
A thoroughly bitching album. The rockier tracks have shades of The Black Keys, while the punk tracks are pure Ramones and Minutemen. I like my punk musicians to be... actually able to play music, so this album was a real treat.
4.5/5, but here it's a 5/5
Very cool album throughout, definitely had some bangers and flowed pretty well. If i had any complaints about it, i think the songs could be longer
Fucking wicked
Yes! Who? Where?
One of the defining records, I don't get wire's appeal usually but this album is an exception.
Yep! Just wish it went on a bit longer. But its post punk at its best.
Greaf
I'm a stereotypical girl, and I like pink things
You can hear a million bands cry out from being born by this.
Mr. Suit stood out. This is the type of album I want to find on this list. Post-punk that is quick with fun riffs. 4.5/5
The grittiness of this album makes it so striking. You can clearly see its influence on later bands such as The Descendants, The Dead Kennedys, and Bikini Kill. When listening to this album , you’ll hear a raw choppiness that comes from the shortness of some of the songs. Wire is able to capture ideals in under sixty seconds that could be dissected for ages. Reuter starts the album off with an honest look into the problems of pre-Margret Thatcher PM term, and the echoing of rape at the end of the song gives it a really poignant ending. Ex-Lion Tamer critiquing almost mindless zombies watching TV is really interesting ; this idea that machines that we enjoy becoming a part of us is such an interesting discussion and it reminds me of one of my favorite movies “ Videodrome”. Brazil such a short song but I think it really captures war, and I love how much is Said in such limited amount of time. Surgeons Girl habit of going into shouting at each other which turns into gibberish for the audience is honestly just really cool to listen to , and you can see so many bands afterwards who adopted the same practice. Pink Flag I’m going to be honest I didn’t understand what it was specifically critiquing until I made an effort to look it up. Apparently it’s about the Soviet Reign which I think with that context it make the echoing questioning of “ How many dead or alive” so interesting. Mr. Suit takes a direct revolt to an oppressive force and address the limitations that the upper class intends to take on the band. I think why a lot of people tend to admire this song is the honesty it reveals ; there is this oppressive magnifying class extended on each of us. Strange details a problem that people refuse to see, which I’m willing to guess relates politics but I think how I imagine the song might not be the intended meaning. I imagine it more along the vein of a middle class kid being institutionalized for a mental issue yet I understand if it has more political implications of maybe a society not examining their social issues; either way it’s a great song and it reminded me a lot of the Talking Heads. The ending of Strange is really wonderful, though, regardless of intended meaning. Fragile and Mannequin both have elements that I would consider more poppy ( I have limited experience in discerning different albums) and are an interesting detour form the usual sound of the album. Champs I also felt was a criticism of war or maybe just macho masculinity; however, it’s possible I imposed that because my understanding that this is a punk album. I think it’s interesting though to see the “taste of champions…. The need to die “ is a cool concept of the emptiness of success in the eyes of the general public. 1 2 X U is a censored version of “ 1 2 Fuck U “ and the whole song is about gay sex in a bathroom; needless to say, it’s great. Today I learned that cottage ? Can be used as slang for gay sex in a toilet, which aren’t we alll gay sex in a bathroom. Overall, this albums influence on music is easy to see and it was wonderful to listen to it. My favs Ex-Lion Tamer Mr. Suit Strange Fragile 1 2 X U
ik was verbaasd dag ik dit nog niet kende, erg leuk
welp, i think this my last album that ive already heard. while i think i like their next two albums more i still love love love this one. mannequin and 12xu are two of my all time favorite songs EVER.
Damn it its good. Punk without complete descending into chaos
I got into Wire a few years ago. There's a couple of excellent songs on this album. Ex Lion Tamer is a particular stand out. The rest of the album is good, but lacks something that would make it truly great.
I really dug it! Super solid punk from start to finish.
classic
Fuck yeah Wire
This shit made me feel cool while I was taking a sunny walk down the street so idk what’s better than that fr.
9/10
Tyk skramlet guitar. Catchy melodier.
I like wire ..good band...good songs
GOAT punk album
Fucking excellent album
Often, in this exercise, reviews are colored by the previous album. The guitar sound this record great, though. Almost deserves the 4 just for that
I am a casual fan of Wire and this album I really like. It's kind of crazy that they don't consider themselves punk since it sounds like they invented post-punk and hardcore at the same time. Plenty of my favorite bands owe a piece of their music to Wire. Good album.
4/5 - This has the blueprints for lots of music to come. I should listen to this more.
a wild punk album that leaves you no time to process, presenting a huge number of different ideas while maintaining an almost hyperactive energy level with truly technical performances that are nonetheless capable of conveying a primal feeling four stars, almost five
yasssssss