Reviews (page 3 of 8)
Exhilarating, spiky, punk/post-punk. Short, punchy tunes. Listened on a drive and enjoyed it a lot.
Just really incredible punk rock with a hugely prescient sense of what's to come.
Absolutely loved the guitar work! Some of these songs were just great. Were there lyrics though? Quick and to the point.
This one left an absolutely huge first impression on me. High 4 stars on first listen, and I anticipate it to grow from there. 4/5
Alright punk. Mostly clear lyrics, which is a quality I find gets lost quickly with punk. Can definitely recognize influence they would've had
Wire are way ahead of their time
Wow, great discovery! I enjoyed this record more than I expected. Even though I am not a big punk fan, I actually enjoyed the melodies and energy of most of the songs. Favorite tracks: Lowdown, Reuters
Cool album. Mix of post-punk and classic punk. Great sound for an album from the 70s. "12 x U" was the favorite this time.
5: 4: Crime of the Century, Pink Flag, Arrival, 3: Darkness on the Edge of Town, Court and Spark 2: Ramones 1: Rain Dogs
I LOVE this sound. It has that later grunge twinge I love from the 90s but a loud rawness of 70s rocknroll, plus unapologetic vocals. Makes me want to embrace teenage rebellion and go graffiti some stuff or like… pierce my eyebrow.
Great punk album! Really liked this!
So close to a 10/10 but the lyrics are meh and the vocals are bad but luckily they are hidden underneath a lot of the production and instrumentation. 8/10
I enjoyed this, favorited a couple. Will likely revisit. It was a nice surprise. Rounding up since I see this as a solid 7/10. 3.5/5
This was a great nostalgia bomb. And way more deserving of being included than lots of other post-punk bands (I’m looking at you The Fall). A very enjoyable listen with songs short and to the point. Love the gritty guitar sound which helps put them in the same conversation with similar bands like Television, The Stooges, Velvet Underground. And for a great listen, check out the cover of their song “Strange” on REM’s ‘87 Document album.
Wassup punk? I liked this album, some songs are repetetive though
A series of punk miniatures. Concentrated, "conceptual" (post)punk album where the strenght is in the whole listening experience. I always liked the cover.
This was tough. I listened to it twice. Probably ahead of its time.
banging
Good stuff: punk with melody
I had listened to Pink Flag in the past, but it didn't impress me back then. What a fool I was. It's kind of wild that Wire is already part of post-punk in '76. It's wilder still how influential this album is ("Strange" was covered by R.E.M. and "1 2 X U" was covered by Minor Threat). I had no idea. Despite the 'post-punk' label, Wire has a lot of punk energy. The driving rhythms, the unpolished and shouted vocals, and the simple songwriting are all welcome. I also adore the heavy distortion throughout! This is a record I definitely think I'll keep coming back to.
21 songs, 35 minutes!
7/10… punk / art punk / *1977
1001 really puts the Spotify algorithm to shame. An apparently influential early punk band I’ve never heard of is exactly the kind of thing it should be recommending to me.
inoffensive and boring
Je suis pas très fan de post-punk. Peut-être qu'un jour, j'aurai le déclic, mais dans l'ensemble, j'ai presque toujours l'impression d'entendre du punk vidé de sa substance pour en faire une version plus molle et plus pompeuse qui ne me parle pas du tout. Je sais que c'est une vision erronée du genre et que c'est simplement pas mon truc, mais c'est mon ressenti. Donc en voyant popper ce matin du Wire comme écoute du jour, j'étais un peu sceptique. Première chose : cet album est sorti en 1977. 1977 ! Le punk, c'était encore tout récent. Quoi que je puisse penser du genre, Pink Flag était un OVNI pour son époque. Parce qu'à la fois, c'était clairement du punk, mais en même temps, c'était déjà autre chose, d'un peu moins brut, ça parait déjà dans une direction totalement différente des standards du genre. C'était un groupe avec une vision totalement avant-gardiste et c'est difficile de ne pas leur tirer mon chapeau juste pour ça. Ensuite, musicalement, après une écoute, je dois dire que c'est quand même très intéressant. D'un côté c'est encore très punk, surtout dans les morceaux les plus agressifs, d'un autre côté, tu as déjà une approche totalement différente et des petites expérimentations qui font tout le sel de cet album. Entendre Pink Flag à l'époque, ça devait être une sacrée expérience ! Bref, même si c'est pas mon genre et que j'accroche pas plus que ça, je dois bien dire que ça vaut quand même au moins un 4/5.
Classical brit punk album, a sprint rather than a marathon with a continuous and fluid mild anger discharge
I was pretty impressed with this. Not every song was spectacular, but they didn’t need to be. As a huge REM fan, it was super fun to hear the original version of Strange! Also, this album had some great guitar tone.
This is exactly why I started this project: to discover something new that I really like.
Some of the artists that I had previously never even heard of, and now I’m a big fan of, thanks to this project: The Pharcyde, Joanna Newsom, Tortoise, Minutemen, Jane Weaver… and now, Wire. I loved every second of this album. It kept me on my toes from start to finish. At times it sounds like The Ramones or The Clash, at others like an alt rock band from the 90s or even early 2000s. When I listen, I hear less 70s punk band and more of the vibe of the Pixies, the sticky dissonant guitar tones of Graham Coxon in Blur, the atmospheric distorted textures of Sonic Youth and the ironic detachment of Pavement. I mean, I obviously hear Elastica too. To say that “Three Girl Rhumba” inspired “Connection” is an understatement. The last song “12XU” reminds me of something Sex Bob-omb might have come out with. What makes my head hurt is that this is an album from 1977. Not just because of how far ahead of its time that it sounds, but also that it’s framed (rightly) as “post-punk”. I mean, 1977 is when The Sex Pistols released “Never Mind the Bollocks", while The Clash, The Damned and The Ramones also released key records. It was a breakthrough year for punk, when it fully emerged into the mainstream. So, while punk was breaking through, Wire were already creating something that went beyond it. How much can you pack into an album? “Pink Flag” is only 35 minutes long, but has a massive 21 song track listing. How much can you pack into a song? “Field Day for the Sundays” is just 28 seconds long, but is a brilliant, fully fleshed-out tune. For how much they compressed into this album, it never feels rushed. Songs stick around as long as they need to, and not a second longer. The two longest songs happen to be my favourite. “Reuters” is a slow-burner, building layers of heavily distorted guitars on top of each other to create some amazing textures and sounds. “Strange” is not only my favourite song on the album, it’s one of my new favourite songs in general. I fully expect it to appear in my Spotify Wrapped at the end of the year for how much I’ve played it on repeat already. The fuzz-toned, clipped guitar tone is INCREDIBLE. It’s such a simple tune in structure and melody, but oozes coolness. It gets seriously, well… strange towards the end with those eerie ambient noises taking over. Again, how is this song from 1977 and not the mid 2010s?? That’s what I love about this project. Sure, I have to endure a Kid Rock, a few Pet Shop Boys and entirely too much Morrissey every now and then, but when an album like Pink Flag comes along, and introduces me to a band like Wire… it’s totally worth it. 4.5 stars.
A landmark post-punk album that basically defines the phrase "more than the sum of its parts". Such a good time, regardless of how short it is. I think the percussion is the highlight here, it's so lively and punchy, really gets you in a groove quickly. The whole album has this incredible, infectious swagger to it, I just can't resist it. It's a record I keep coming back to. Favourite track: Pink Flag
1st reaction: 21 tracks? 2nd reaction: 35 minutes?? 3rd reaction: this from 1977??? 4th reaction: hm, not bad. 7/10
Good never heard before 8/10
First ever listen to this. None of the songs hang around too long. Will need to listen a few more times but enjoyed this
This starts promising. Probably a 4.
Beautiful punk record. A pure essential that combines the soul of the OG punk ethos and the acrobatics of dissecting the body of it and just running with it. Minimalist riffs, krautrock rhythms, and noisy backgrounds, you can find all the good stuff It has a dark presence around it. Not like This Heat with its apocalyptic portrait through music, but like a decrepit lived-in basement type of presence. I love how while listening, you can think two diametrically different things about it: 1. This is punk and 2. This is not punk And I think that conundrum is one of the most beautiful aspects of it.
Super cool record. It reminded me of Joy Division, but arguably more palatable. I like the heavy drudge songs, but also loved how it would shift to be more upbeat. This is exactly the kind of punk music that pulls me in and makes me want to listen to the record a few times (which I did). I also really like the early hardcore elements.
Underrated album and band. Nice new acquaintance for me
What I find incredible about this album is that it was released mere weeks after the debut from the Sex Pistols. In punk's heyday, Wire were already post-punk. "Pink Flag" sounds like it fits in with early 80s, proto-new wave. I can easily imagine them opening for Talking Heads. I also have a soft spot for this album ever since I saw Wire play a free show in New York's South Street Seaport. I knew nothing about them, I just wanted to hear some music outside on a nice summer evening. It was possibly my first ever punk show, as it's not a genre that I used to listen to. In retrospect, having heard a lot of other artists from the era now, it's maybe not the best example there is. But there are still some great tracks here, particularly "Three Girl Rhumba" (criminally too short, in my opinion) and "Mannequin".
some nice loud muddy fast punk, i like it!
A lovely, zippy energetic album. A bit variable in quality, but when songs are this short that’s not a massive problem.
Not a bad track.
If you’re expecting 180 bpm thrashing for 60 minutes, you’ll be disappointed (although there are a couple of songs to get you sweating). Wire has some surprises, and you can hear seeds of grunge pop up some 15 years before it officially hatched. These guys are definitely influential and were actually looking to help punk evolve.
4.9
If I have to listen to British punk, I’m his is what I wanna listen to. Fun and not offensive. The best version of a bushwick concert. FOUR
Hell yeah liked this a lot more than I was expecting
Good old Punk
Great driving punk, influenced by the British scene and in turn influencing Talking Heads and R.E.M.. These songs have a punch and a drive that sticks in your head.
I certainly enjoyed listening to this album. It could as well have been published in the 2020s. If I hadn't read the year of publishing, I wouldn't have noticed it's age. Apparently punk hasn't changed much in the last 50 years :-) My highlights are "Mannequin", "Mr. Suit" and "1 2 X U".
Never heard of this before, but really enjoyed it. Wouldn't have thought it's as old as it is.
Varied - Grimy - great listening experience (remaster)
Pretty simplistic, but also fun punk album. Not my favorite genre by any means, but this album is one of the best punk records I have ever listened to. Standouts: Mr. Suit, Strange, Fragile.
I had no idea R.E.M. were doing a cover with Strange, how cool to stumble onto the original. It took me a while to grow into this album, but it sucked me in eventually. The early songs were in the hard rock vein that I'm not a fan of, but as it progressed, it was more like early Clash UK punk rock which I resonate more. I can definitely see why this is on the list.
Punk greatness
Well shit. This was great. I don't know if I'll ever loop around to listening to this again, but it sounds so timeless that I would have never guess it was from the 70s. It honestly sounds like early 2000s in the vein of Vine and The Strokes.I'm not saying this is my favorite album, or even the best discovery I've made while doing this project. But I *will* say that this is one of the albums that I can 100% understand why it was included because I hear the bones of SO MUCH music that came later. This is one of those albums that influenced bands who've never even heard of them, simply by the fact that they influenced so many other bands. Top notch, and definitely an album I'm glad I listened to before I died.
Pretty cool band I hadn't heard of. 3.7/5
Smart Punk in short bursts. No GbV without this band IMO. Belongs on the list. Great listen
Fast and punky
Structure of this was so interesting i wanted the songs to be slightly moreso but its falling on the 4 side of 3.5
Hell yeah
Really fun early punk.
High energy and gritty from start to finish. Such pure punk in a quirky package.
I like the vast majority of punk and therefore I unsurprisingly liked the vast majority of this. I knew this album as "the one Elastica completely ripped off for Connected" but hadn't listened to it before. And yep, Elastica very much ripped off Three Girl Rhumba and because I'm a 90s kid at heart, my brain kept adding the "nee-naa, nee-naa" bit in. It's a funny experience listening to this, because I kept thinking it sounded like one band or another, and then realising it predated all of them. It was really influential in it's own quiet way. I cannot tell what he's singing approximately 80% of the time, which would normally drive me nuts, but it was somehow charming. I did pick up "Take your fucking money and shove it up your arse" as a lyric though. I really liked Ex Lion Tamer, 1 2 X U, Champs, Mr Suit, and Strange. Should really be a 3.5 but I liked it enough that I'm rounding up. 4/5
ONETWOEXYOU!! Not my favorite Wire: their second and third albums are the ones that really move me, where they back off the punk attack quite a bit. But you can get a sense of their painterly approach here, not to mention a subtle tone to the music that might best be described as "sinister." My favorite song is "Strange," which I first heard covered by R.E.M.. "Mannequin" is great too, and you can really hear their influence on 80s and 90s groups on that one. Wire are also a rare example of a group still producing relevant and intriguing music almost 50 years after they formed. Can't recommend their stuff from the last 10 years enough--it is fantastic.
Not a dull moment.
How did I know know this band. Ive heard the clash, sex pistols, Ramones etc, but nobody I know has talked about wire. This was an unknown gem. Listening to their later stuff they were also post punk pioneers.
didnt fully listen but was nice i think
Pink Flag is one of those albums that I've been meaning to listen to for a long time. It has such a strong legacy and influence on some of the bands I love that has just made me a little cautious about listening and being underwhelmed. I needn't have worried, Pink Flag rocks. There's such a fantastic energy and variety to this record despite it being just 35 minutes long. A strong argument that sometimes brevity is best.
A band I probably should have paid a bit more attention to at some point, I hear a lot of good things about them but I've never really found the time for them. This debut album is proper old school punk rock, energetic and angry.
Well I can honestly say that I'm wired for this album. It's simply electric. 🥁 I guess the best way for me to describe this is pre-postpunk. It still has a few songs that are pretty much straight up punk those are probably my least favorite but a lot of it was more Forward Thinking some things that I can tell that some of the Post Punk groups of the late seventies in the early 80s really took notice. Definitely Chrissy Hines delivery comes from a little bit of this album. I actually enjoyed this pretty much most of this album. The only parts that I really didn't like was when it was pretty much straight up punk, but that was really few and in between. Favorites "Reuters", "Three Girl Rumba" (which the riff reminded me a bit of Elastica "Connection" some twentyfive years later), "Pink Flag", and "Strange". (9.25) ★★★★½
This is an interesting album as it both fits within the U.K. punk scene that was happening at the time, but also kind of predicts the post-punk scene that would follow it. There's an artiness that separates it from their peers and the result is something really cool. It sounds great too and the guitar tones here are amazing. It's a really modern sounding album for 1977. I don't love everything here, and I think the songs where they deviate more from standard punk are the best, but it's still a great album. Lots of awesome tunes here including "Reuters", "Three Girl Rhumba", "Pink Flag", "Mannequin", "Fragile", and my personal favorite, "Ex Lion Tamer". High 4.5 stars.
L'album est vraiment étrange. 21 titres sur 35min, de l'anglais difficile à comprendre (du punk londonien apparemment), un son très dur voir dissonant. Mais ça prend bien et ça se démarque.
Great surprise
Like most punk, some bangers and some bombers.
Great little album that I don't think I ever listened to. Fits right in with The Clash and other post punk of the time. Fuzzy guitars, help tell the stories on each song. It's short and sweet, with some songs you wish stayed longer than they play at. When I hear Three Girl Rhumba, I hear Connection by Elastica (at least that little intro) This one is right in my wheelhouse. Biggest Hit - Pink Flag Biggest Miss (if I had to choose) - Lowdown Hidden Gem - Ex Lion Tamer
not huge into punk/industrial, but this was good. if i was a barista i'd put this album on to impress my cool coworker
The instrumentation on this is fantastic, the discordant guitar is 👌 - I'm not crazy about the vocals, but the energy is awesome
Enjoyed it. I hear the punk influence, but it was melodic enough that it was easy to have playing in the background. I found this to be an easy listen even though it’s got 21 tracks. I didn’t grow up listening to much punk but with what I know now, I can hear the influences this album had on post punk.
Raw and fun, you can feel its influence in other acts.
Raw, concise, important. One of the more interesting and important albums to be released in the 1977. Pushing against punk with punk is punk.
One of my reoccuring complaints in activity is that a lot of the albums are overly long. But 21 songs covered in 25 minutes *might* be swinging too far in the other direction. That said, I flirted with giving this a 5, just because A) its the type of album I'd hoped this list would introduce me to and B) this is something so immediate and "shoot from the hip" about the whole thing that is sort of exciting and addictive.
I've never listened to them before but was open to it. It was great to see the beginnings of the post punk era.
This rocks.
You know, with all of the unnecessary punk and post-punk albums on this list, it's always nice to go to one that is undeniably a must-listen. Case in point, Pink Flag! This thing is a post-punk pioneer and I really like it. I say "post-punk," but this thing REALLY puts the "punk" in "post-punk" and reminds you that the two genres share a common root. This thing has a lot more common elements of punk than post-punk. The shorter songs, the chanting vocals, the political/social themes, and the general energy can bring to mind bands like the Clash and the Ramones, but there are some subtle things here that helped pave the way for post-punk bands. I didn't really get much here that made me think of the darker bands like the Cure or Joy Division, but some of the songs here definitely reminded me a bit of an album like Television's Marquee Moon from the same year, so that's cool. Songs like "Three Girl Rhumba" have that feel in a way. You know what else "Three Girl Rhumba" reminds me of? Elastica. Yeah, I mentioned this in the Elastica review, but those guys totally ripped off this song's riff for "Connection." They did change things up a bit and the two songs are both good listens in their own right, but the main riff is damn near identical and I find that hilarious. Back to Wire, the vocals are solid. I can't fully tell what he's saying sometimes, but I think the vocals and instrumentals fit pretty well with each other. The writing is interesting, but in a good way. I think the "many short songs" approach is used well here. I'm not sure if this is my favorite execution of the idea. The Minutemen album comes pretty close to this. Pink Flag is still super cool though. I totally get why so many people adore this album. I don't think I can go all the way for a 5, but it's a closer call than I'd like to admit. High 4/5.
This was cool. Energetic, memorable, evidently quite influential. There wasn’t a track that overstayed its welcome. I saw a review refer to the micro-songs as “punk shrapnel,” which I think describes it well. Cool album cover too.
A long time ago I was at a party with a lot of people who were much cooler than me. There were electric guitars and somebody said, "Hey, let's play!" I said, "I don't know how". He said, "We'll play a Wire song. Anybody can play Wire".
more music need this type of pacing. fast and to the point i fuck with it
solid record, tehy went really straightforward with the name and cover
Yes! Så ska det låta. Ytterligare ett band och en skiva som jag känt till men inte tagit mig tid att lyssna på innan. Väldigt svag för soundet och produktionen men flera starka låtar i sin egen rätt. Kommer återvända!
Hade aldrig hört tidigare måste jag erkänna. Aldrig varit punknörd, mer dragit åt metalhållet. Tycker mycket mycket om detta. Föredömlig albumlängd. Lowdown, vilken JÄVLA låt
# Album Name: Pink Flag # Artist: Wire # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Its a tale of two sides. Theres some good tracks on this thing. But its surrounded by lots of small / short instrumental tracks. I felt like thealbum should be condensed to 12 tracks and it would be much better. Id give it a 3.5 if i could. # Top Tunes: reuters / 3 girl rumba / lion tamer / low down / Mr Suit / mannequin # Would I listen to it again? Yes
interesting. I can hear many influences coming from this?
Very good Reuters is like my everyday doomscrolling
we need to stop labelling punk albums as post-punk just because they have like three melodic choruses
👍
Points for influencing almost every band I listen to. There aren’t any tracks that really stand out to me but the whole thing is consistent and sounds good. Light 4.
21 "songs" in 36 minutes. Wow. Reminds me of Television, the Sex Pistols, and Talking Heads all fused together. The guitar tone on "Lowdown" sounds great. It’s unusal to hear such clarity in punk and I really liked that. There was a bit more musical depth here than in other punk albums I heard, but it’s ultimately not sometihng I truly would expect to return to on my own. All of the other bands I named above are better. Low 4.
What an interesting album. THIS is why I signed up here. I completely missed Wire in period. Wikipedia gives the gnomic utterance, 'Although the album has received acclaim, it was not a big seller.' That'd be why. Urgh... Robert Christgau liked it, that's usually a red flag. I shouldn't like this. It's really not my thing, I don't like 'punk', 'post' or otherwise. I especially don't like it at 7am on a Sunday morning immediately after listening to W.A. Mozart's 'Mass in C major, K. 220 "Spatzenmesse"'. Yet... somehow I found myself switching to a better amp and set of headphones and nodding along. It kept me intrigued. Oh, sod it. A very surprised 4/5 from me.
Len Houmous used to always carry a pink flag with him. It was like his safe word for the bedroom. He never waved it. 4.1 3/21 Three Girl Rhumba
Pretty greta post punk
Excellent
i'm not gonna go look but i feel like every time we get something even approaching "21 songs in 35 minutes" it rules. this ruled.
Great album, and not heard it before either, the system works!
Didn’t like punk when it first started, this is however a fine example
Pretty good
I can hear how this band influenced so many punk bands. I am a punker at heart and thoroughly enjoyed the album.
Sparse, terse, tense, taut. Brilliant.
Often cited as a big influence on postpunk. This Album is not only influential but also a great listen all around. Really cool sound with a lot of cool moments.
Love post punk, but DC punk > London Punk
Punket på den sofistikeret og intellektuelle måde. Det kommer direkte fra kunstskolemiljøet. meget korte sange ren punk lyd. Men det er ikke politisk det er kunstnerisk. De inspirerede hele post-punk bølgen med deres eksperimentelle tilgang til punken. Synes det er en fed lyd, kan rigtig godt lide det. Man kan godt høre på de der distorted tunge riffs at det er lidt anderledes end ramones f.eks. det lyder sgu nærmest noget fra slut 80'erne start 90'erne. Der er også nogle af sangene som er lidt mere lowbeat? eller hvad man skal sige. Det er som om det ikke gør så hurtigt hverken i tekst eller rytme/lyd. det minder mig faktisk lidt på nogle punkter omkring noise-rock, som jo i princippet først blev en del af den alternative rock-scene. Det er minimalistisk, fremadskuende, kynisk, skarp og ironisk.
This album is great, so cohesive and enjoyable. I am really surprised the sound is very clear. And, also, the songs are fantastic. What a great album to discover! It's not a masterpiece but sometimes what you need is something fun to listen to, and this album is great at that.
74/100.
great Punk Album. I can see the influence of this in some songs of bands i really like. Especially the 1 2 X U which was covered as "Lest die Prawda" by Die Ärzte from Germany
This is a more palatable post-punk album than Sulk by The Associates. There's more recognizable punk stylings and it's... Well, it's listenable, and fun.
I liked the second half more than the first half. Great energy there. If it was just the second half, then I’d probably give it a 5.
I like how punk albums never overstay their welcome. Quick and punchy. Couldn’t understand the lyrics particularly well but it was pretty good
These guys have really caught my attention. Interesting lyrics, some straight up pink energy at times but other tune a bit more atmospheric… good stuff!
Seminal Wire
Good soup
That band that sounds like Television - but British. 4/5
21 songs in 35 minutes - no time for fillers. Excellent album.
This was a great album. Lots of songs that were short but all good, it was a perfect degree of rock and punk and the songs flowed together well.
This is so fun! Standouts for me were Mannequin, Strange, and Lowdown. Also there is a single guitar strum on Champs that is so fun. I will definitely listen again while walking around the city at night. Is this punk? Why even go post-punk if we could just stay here? Humanity does not always need to evolve
I was initially fatigued by the idea of listening to more British punk, but actually I loved this. Short! Tight! Hot! Now I know that Elastica lifted the riff from Three Girl Rhumba for Connection. Surgeon's Girl, Mannequin, and 1 2 X U are so good. Ok I love British punk.
Nice raw punk sound. I love all the variations they get out of basic chords
Wire apparently refuse(d) to call themselves punk, so I guess we’ll call this post-punk. In reality, this album is so close to punk that I wouldn’t make that distinction on my own. If you listen to much punk rock, you’ve probably heard a few of these songs: “Mannequin”, “Three Girl Rhumba”, and “Ex Lion Tamer” are most likely, and “Lowdown” is also a possibility. The standout track for me is “Pink Flag” because it’s almost 4min long and has a very “set-ending” breakdown towards the end - a weird thing to put int he middle of your album. I looked it up and this track would have ended side one of the vinyl, which helps explain the placement. Their resistance to being called punk has me curious how their sound develops on future records, though not curious enough to dig in today.
6 of the 21 songs are greater than 2 minutes, and only two of those songs are greater than 3 minutes. a review of the album says its like a darker for minimalist version of the ramones, and it's true. instead of focusing on rock lyrics, this late 70s album contains a lot of grim lyrics that focus on self-doubt, social issues, consumerism, and other heavier topics. it's also a foundational album in the development of the post-punk movement. The title track feels almost like a mashup between thrash and shoegaze, and the tempo changes on these short, intense tracks is magnificent.
8/10
And here I thought The Strokes would be only influenced by Marquee Moon. A lot of fun with noises, though it's kind of crazy to see 21 songs pass by within 35 minutes.
This is better than the average English punk band from the late 70s early 80s and you know I love a 21 songs in 35 minutes effort. Title track is my favorite, fits in with any hardcore band right now. Love the energy of this, love the hootin and hollerin, really no complaints. I find myself between a high three and a low four and I think I'm gonna give it to em.
One of the all-time greatest early punk records out there
It's funny to see something that came out in '77 labeled as post-punk, but I rather enjoyed this one.
Man, I dug this pretty hard. Vocals and lyrics were whatevs but somebody in that band knows how to work a song.
A pleasant surprise! At some point on this album the tracks started really digging into my ear, and that enjoyment kept itself up throughout. This is what punk rock is all about!
Was pretty good, a little old but that also kinda improves it Will I listen to again: 50%
As a day 1 punk music hater, I am amazed to admit I thoroughly enjoyed this. Maybe it’s just a product of how early this came out, but I love the level of control they keep over their sound. Don’t get me wrong, they definitely let it rip into chaos, but it’s not constant throughout and there’s still a lot of great musicality on display. Additionally every track is short and sweet, in tandem the album as a whole. Albums like these are typically very fatiguing as they stretch an 11/10 energy level across 5 minute tracks and a 60 minute album, that by the end I’m exhausted and annoyed. Wire doesn’t overstay their welcome and it allows me to engage and appreciate this genre in a new way. Fantastic production btw.
Fed overraskelse! Lyder anderledes og MEGET mere moderne end jeg forventede af et album fra 1977
Vanvittig mængde bangers på så kort tid, var det ikke meningen at 1977 punk bands skulle være sloppy?
Awesome! Great guitar and cool songs
Solid punk album. Influential. Short songs are sick.
Great. Very clearly foundational to hardcore in the album and song structures and the short bursts of chaotic emotion. Some of the instrumentation and tone also establishes the documented connection with post punk. Just fascinating to listen to and really driving, gripping music. Clearly of it's time, but also so forward thinking and inventive. As someone who has also listened to Gang of Four (also on this 1001 albums list), it's clear they are of the same era, both being bands started in 1976, and both really pushing punk forward from the UK. Really cool album and a piece of music history. Solid 4/5.
Pretty good. I really liked the song Mannequin. I’m pretty sure I’ve heard that song before but I’m not sure where. Mixtape? Compilation? Movie? Cover version? Cat video?
It feels like there was a lot of very similar British punk back in the day. Some of it is better than others and some of it is really great. I’m getting the sense that a lot of it just the same ol’ schlock. I actually liked this one more than a lot of others. I’d listen again.
Had never heard of this before. I like it. Punk sounding stuff.
Great album, loved the vibe.
One of those bands that I know are super influential, but don't really ever recall hearing. Anyway, what a fool I've been! This is really good. You can see how they rubbed off on Buzzcocks, Joy Division and other near contemporaries, but also on much more modern bands. In fact, there's a great deal of the early 2000s indie boom in there, only better. The other obvious connection is the Manics - you can really feel that James will have taken a fair bit of his early vocal stylings and recording style from this. It actually starts a bit slowly (not literally) with some fairly standard punk, but keeps on getting better as it goes.
I'll really never forgive Public Image Ltd.'s METAL BOX for the effect it had on me. If you've been following my reviews— well, first of all, if you're not in my group, y'mind if I ask why? I can't be that insightful. But anyway, I've made my disdain of post-punk no secret. The way I hear it in my head, post-punk is a load of unappealing, artsy-fartsy noise that Big Important Rock Critics™ love to eat the hell up because it's uncommercial and, therefore, Art™. Like, gimme a break. It's a perception that started with METAL BOX (and an essay about it over on The RS500 that read to me as being obnoxiously hipster) and hasn't subsided since. No matter how many albums I've come across that prove to me that "post-punk" is just words and I shouldn't groan every time I see 'em, I always forget the next time. I even predicted as much at the end of my last babble about a post-punk album (Echo And The Bunnymen's OCEAN RAIN) — and whaddya know, here we are. So, let's just cut to the chase here: I like this album, and not because it's "post-punk." Though it's not too far off. See, myself, I'd personally call this a "punk" album. I'm not even sure what's too "post-" about it. Yeah, it's honestly a really simple one to talk about. It's 21 tracks and 36 minutes of non-stop, rip snortin' punk madness. There's not much you hafta end up considering; what you hear is what you get. Even the lyrics probably don't mean much besides providing some kinda guidance for the vocal melody. And, sure, sure, I'll cop: it can all blend together a little. Unless you look, you might not know exactly which track you're on. But take it from someone who likes AC/DC, Motörhead, Ramones and all those kinda "one-trck pony" bands: if the sound kicks ass, and if they're really damn good at making, who cares if there's not that much deviation? And there is some, of course — a little bit more than you might expect — but you get my point. So, damn, there goes another album labelled as "post-punk" that can I slap a seal of approval on. It for sure won't mean I won't groan the next time I come across an album labelled as such, but given that this genre currently has an average of 3.36 in my ratings (my second worst, only 0.06 above shoegaze), I figure it needs all the help it can get. So good on you, Wire. And, uh, go continue to be a 2 outta 5, METAL BOX, I guess.
Favourites: Reuters, Ex Lion Tamer, Pink Flag, 106 Beats That, Strange, Mannequin, Champs, Feeling Called Love
Funny enough, for a 35 minute album with 21 songs, I felt this album was too long. :) I think the problem is having 21 songs, regardless of how short they are, especially since they are all such a similar style. They are all very good, but I think they should have made a very tight 25 minute album with a max of 15 or 16 songs. Instead, this almost comes off as a compilation album. Again, the music is great, though. The energy, so many great hooks for such short post-punk songs, too.
• 4/5 • Super tight suite - better as a whole. So many post-punk threads across 21 tracks. • How have I not heard Ex-Lion Tamer before?
Pretty good! I had never heard of this band but Wikipedia says this was a landmark album for post-punk. I thought it sounded more punk than post-punk, but I am no music expert. I liked the song “Strange” and will be keeping that one on my phone.
Great punk. Love me some sloppy british vocals with killer punk instrumentals. Solid 3.5 goin up to 4.
Honestly, much better than I anticipated. The music itself is quite contemporary. has a dance beat. The singing is how johnny rotten wanted to sing in the sex pistols. It's a good mash of punk vocals with an actually decent backing band. I still hate punk, and about 99% of the British music called "post-punk" but now this will be the metric I judge them by. Plus the art is incredible.
First wave punk. Art school. Short songs. Short album. I liked it.
Love this record and surprised to find it here because it is a bit obscure.
I was worried when I saw 21 tracks and thought my energy wouldn't stay with theirs. But at 35 mins it works. Love hearing little bits that influence bands I love.
A missing piece that takes you from 70s punk proper and assertive at the door of 80s post punk. Really enjoyed this in particular the title track. Solid 4
Solid 4 a great album from start to finish
So many bands want to sound like Wire. They are the exact centre point between punk and post punk. Tough, carefree vocals meeting guitars that are thoughtful when they want to be and blunt instruments when required. 21 tracks over a pleasingly short 35 minutes. You never get a chance to get tired or even stay still for a second.
Its a high 4 for me, would be a low 5 but it retains a little too much punk for my tastes
I wasn’t a huge punk guy proof to this endeavor (and though I liked a few of the punk albums given to me, including this one, it probably will be my never one genre) but one thing I absolutely fucking love and respect about this genre is how economical the albums are. Every punk album I get recommended is like Total Number of Tracks: 17. Total Runtime: 21 minutes. lol I love it.
Wow that is a great discovery. I just love that the songs are short and straightforward covering lots of diverse sounds within punk. It feels atemporal as well. Might listen to this album some more.
I can safely say I’ve never heard of this band. How have I never heard of this band? They are really fun!
Pink Flag came out the same year as Nevermind the Bollocks and The Clash's first album, so it's disappointing to me that this didn't make as big of an impact as those two records, though I suppose not surprising. Anyhoo, Pink Flag rocks. (Wire was/is still putting out quality records as recently as 2020 and have a massive back catalog filled with little treasures, which is certainly preferable to the beautiful corpse of the Sex Pistols.)
Banger album, such a breeze to listen to! I gotta dig into more Wire but this is a classic
feel like these guys had one of the strongest first three albums ever ? just an awesome bad no two ways about it
♫ Listening to "Three Girl Rhumba (2006 Remastered Version)" by Wire (Pink Flag, 1977) ♫
Can't believe this was 1977. Incredible. 21 short songs and while sometimes they blend together without thought, other times it really catches my ear. I like the guitar tone. This one is really teetering that 4/5 range. I really liked it, but how much? Maybe I'll put it in 4s just under Fragile by Yes
Tycker den här var rätt kul. Många och föredömligt korta låtar med bra energi. Tycker ungefär hälften är fyror och andra hälften treor så får bli en svag fyra.
Intelligent and exciting. Undervalued band if there is one.
Pretty good with listening again
I like that this is now being referred to as the first Post-Punk album. Released in late 77 following on from the (5-star) debut albums earlier in the year by the UK punk big three (Damned, Clash, Pistols). This is the first time I have listened to this Wire LP in its, admittedly short, entirety, preferring tracks from their next two albums. I reckon if I’d spun it hundreds of times on my record player back in the day it would have made my classic list.
Very tempted to give 5. I hated punk. To be fair idk what punk is, it was mildly like other punk. Various times beats reminded me of "the wall" for some reason.
4.5/5. Give me more of this and less of the other shit.
spending a lot of time over at whosampled.com thanks to this website (Elastica and Three Girl Rhumba in this case)
hey ha nöd chöne notize mache aber uuhuere spass gmacht zum lose churz knackig tönt alles geil, irgendwie punk mit hoffnig? super.
Buen disco, muchas influencias de los pistols, bien punk
That was fun. Good energy!
Punk, but a little more alternative - is that what makes it post-punk? It's good, regardless, with riffs that have a timeless guitar feel with that old school Brtitish singer. The music is a little more intricate than the blur that is 70s punk, but it still rocks hard. Field Day, Three Girl Rhumba, and Ex Liom Tamer are pretty strong starts to this album, and at only 37 mins, it doesn't overstay it welcome. I don't love it quite as much as some pure punk from the era, but it does feel like an evolution from that music, which is cool to listen to.
Super relevant sounding album for the age... Never heard of these guys before and I will probably dig this one out again. The mix, effects and even song styles sound like something that would have came out within the last 10 years - definitely ahead of their time.
Not something I’ll reach for everyday, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and will absolutely throw this on when I’m in the mood for an all around solid punk album.
So, I knew Three Girl Rhumba from Wire’s Ping Flag album but this was a fairly recent thing. And that was because someone was talking about Elastica ripping this song off. (Yeah, pretty spot on with that assessment) I’d heard people talk about Wire but never took the time to listen to their music. Pink Flag is a fun album. Fun in the sense that I enjoyed listening to it. It reminded me of Minutemen’s Double Nickels on the Dime. And yes, I know the Minutemen came later. I’m just talking about my listening experience. Quick, concise punk songs. Yes please! This is a 4 rating for me. 4/5
Знаковая штука.
This isn't typically my kind of thing but it won me over; I enjoyed this.
Ramones for readers
so this is the band that Elastica and Menswear ripped off (influenced by) - wonderful album
Enjoyed the album!
I listened to this a couple of times because I’m not sure how I feel about it. I want to like it because I can really hear the influence in a lot of bands I like (not least, Elastica!) “Post punk” is one of those genres I’ve never really got a handle on - being more familiar with what came before and after it, punk and grunge. Generally I like this. I like that the songs are short and the sound. I’m not sure about the singer though. He sounds like a parody of a British punk. And maybe that’s the problem I’m having. I’m going to give it a cautious 4 star because I think I’ll come back to it.
British punk. Liked it
repetitive af
The variations of guitar tones is insane, I quite dislike the label 'shoegaze', as I don't think the different music which people consider shoegaze sounds remotely the same, but this has some really ahead of its time, fuzzy overdriven sounds, which could easily be categorised as shoegaze. The vocals are amazing, the its got that British wit, and punk attitude at the corporate world, but it feels a little bit more arty and intelligent than some other punk, in a way more similar to bands like television and the gun club than some straight 'punk' bands. The songs are really short, but still quite digestible, a lot unlike napalm death where the songs are moving by too fast. No downsides. Favourite songs: all, might have missed a few good short ones. Overall around 8/10 (will maybe update to 9 when I have a further listen)
Punk 100%
Mannequin
So much punk music consists of just hammering away on an instrument and telling the world to sod off. These guys, similar to the Clash, show that you can tell the world to sod off while still having some musicality.
Better the second time through. The short songs take some getting used to. 3.5
Back in my late teens and early 20s, I worked in a kitchen as a dishwasher alongside a line cook in his early 40s who was an old school punk from the late 70s and early 80s. He’s the one who really introduced me to punk and got me into it. Out of all the albums he played for me, Pink Flag was the one that truly captured my attention and resonated with me. This album had a raw, energetic, and stripped down approach that I loved, but Wire had their own distinct sound. A lot of punk back then sounded similar and blended together, but these guys had a more artsy approach, with way more depth and substance compared to all the other bands he introduced me to at the time.
Not that familiar with Wire - certainly not listened to whole album before. Surprised how modern it sounds for 1977. Sounds very tight with some great bass/ guitar hooks - particularly enjoyed Strange and Ex Lion Tamer.
Angular riffing ripped off to heckity by Elastica. It stills sounds fresh, and most of it hits immediately. A lot of credit here goes to the bass which propels these songs along with energetic runs and counter-melodies. 'Champs' is rollicking. Pure simplicity and unbridled indie rock greatness. This is very much Strokes territory and they must have nicked an idea or two from this album. I love the overall feel approach, the hooks, the delivery. I feel it blanks out a little in the middle, preventing what is otherwise a sure fire five.
One of the best uk punk albums. Love the quickfire song style and some of the longer songs (ex-lion tamer, mannequin) are just amazing
Pretty cool, a little bit too long but some great stuff
Interesting start. Powerful. Pre-punk.
I will repeat it ad nauseam: the guitar tones and melodic presence on this project are spectacular! There’s a pretty big difference in track one and track two/three here. The opener is heavy, melodic, and almost hypnotic. It was hard to pin a genre to it (not that it matters), but I was intrigued. What followed after sounds much more typically punk. Typical doesn’t equal bad though! “Ex Lion Tamer” is a fairly standard melodic punk jammer with a really memorable four-chord singalong loop. “Lowdown” has a lot of swagger with its rhythm-guitar-based composition. It was around this point that I picked up on how they wanted to sequence this album, bunching a few fully-fleshed-out songs with a quick interlude after a while. The title track once again strikes gold with an excellent guitar section, the tone in particular of the guitar on this one is awesome. The way this song evolves and elevates really impressed me. Something about how the instrumentation was recorded and processed gives this whole album an above-average melodic quality that I can only compare to Hum’s “You’d Prefer An Astronaut” album. Unfortunately, the last few songs on the album dont do much, and fade into forgettable territory. Really well-done project, it deserved more attention than it seemingly got. Lots of fun songs to choose from, maybe “Strange” is my favorite. This is a super light 4/5 for me. I thought about going 3 stars, but there’s one too many standout moments on here
Though Wire never enjoyed the mainstream attention as other old school punks, The Clash, Sex Pistols and the Ramones, their debut album, Pink Flag should be considered just as essential. Short, sharp and fast, Pink Flag is filled with smart, snarky punk songs that might still be considered under the radar. I listened to this album many years ago and it didn't resonate with me at the time, but listening with fresh ears now, this is really great! If you have a chance snap up a reissue of Pink Flag or better yet, spend your money on an original pressing. Worth it.
Alyne might like this one
Cool, punky, weird.
4.5/5
Wish I'd heard of this one when I was in my teens and 20s!
21 songs, 35.5 minutes! Admirable. I like my punk a little poppier (I'll take the Buzzcocks any day) but this is a solid roadmap for a generation of British punk bands.
Old school punk.
A refreshing start to the weekend. Post-punk, raw energy refined a bit with some musicality, is a genre I want to explore, starting with more Pink Flag. The opening to Strange is sublime.
Pretty great, fun upbeat riffs. Didn't overstay it's welcome. Looks of energy.
Guter Punkt welcher Spass macht.
3.5 - This was pretty cool actually, but felt a bit too much in the end
I really wanted to like this more than I did. I've heard a few Wire songs before and loved them. Both the start and end of the album have a lot of cool moments, there's just a bit too much filler in the middle that doesn't add much for it to be a truly great album. You shouldn't have filler in a 35 min album. Fave Tracks: Reuters, Three Girl Rhumba, Pink Flag, Fragile, Champs 3.7/5
Better than I expected.
Great album with punk ethos but not always the speed of punk. The album was a little one but so great
whether you love or hate this album, you have to admit, punk is fucking lit
Lowdown has a great sound to it ... and then a bunch of songs afterwards do too. I can get down to this, probs need a few more listens. If Vaas couldn't catch Elliott Smith's lyrics, not a chance she gets the lyrics from these punks. 4/5
Great band great album
Nice
A lot of pressure on me to like this one ... From Luke!! He's a big fan and I will listen to this again to appease him but overall it was great. I liked that it was lots of little songs. Fun and snappy. Punchy and punky. A good time!
3.82
Good guitar sound and choice of chords. The songs were a bit short (yes I know it's a punk album) but I just felt there was something missing.
A smorgasbord of punk and punkadjacent music, which feels very modern for a 70's record.
Very Ramons esque. Dig it
Day416 - this is what i want from my punk music
I wasn't really feeling this one at first, but as the album went on and I got used to the frantic quick hitters I started to like it more and more, especially once it got to the title track Pink Flag. From there I really liked it and then listened to it a second time and thought it sounded a lot better. Very punk and sounded like it was recorded in someone's garage, which made it sound more raw and authentic. I really dug the track Strange, which added some spooky background noises to the grungy rock riff. I think it did enough to earn a low 4 from me.
Soft 4 for me. Found this to be better than average punk rock with better than average production and songwriting quality. Not my most careful listen, but I expect to come back again.
Very refreshing raw post-punk energy after the last prog album. Something about Wire always elevated their sound and concepts to from run of the mill post-punk to prestige art-punk, but I've never been able to put my finger on it. They certainly aren't afraid to come out of left-field and completely commit to their approach, which doesn't hurt.
can hear its influence in later albums
Big like will listen again
I liked this. Lots a fun short but sweet songs with lots of energy.
I do like a good punk album. This one is a good one. The thing I don't like about it is that a lot of the songs are over before they really take hold. I mean with an album that's 21 songs and 35 minutes, there are a lot of sub 2 minute songs on here. A few sub 1 minute songs. That's enough for an idea of what a song might sound like, but it's just not enough. Even given that, I really enjoy this album and would definitely buy it if I saw it at the record shop. 3.75/5
I wasn't familiar with them beyond their name, but they're a cool combo of punk and rock, kind of ahead of its time. Didn't outstay its welcome at all.
This grew on me. At first I thought it was typical punk, although particularly poignant with Reuters. But while it isn't novel musically, it is pretty good and some songs later in the album should have been led with. Mannequin is particularly good and I liked Champs a lot too. Overall, a slow starter but I dig it.
alright y'all, this rocks. bri'ish. there is. a game called.... 1 2 X U! Best tunes: whole album ruled, but expecially strange, reuters, three girl rhumba, 106 beats that, mr. suit, 12 X U
Very fun album, reminds me of Minutemen with the short tracks, but they came a few years later. Liked the raw energy and punchy nature of the songs. Feel like I need another listen to probably take it in as there is so much going on, so may become a 5* with more exposure!
Очень интересный перфоманс из времëн ранней панк сцены. Ребята собрались и решили поиграть панк-рок, но, будто не зная, как панк-рок играется. По итогу мы получаем 20 треков не больше 2-х минут каждый, на которых ребята пытаются извлечь вообще что угодно, и, сами того не осознавая, потихоньку зачали постпанк, в который по итогу и переросли. Угарный альбом, послушайте как-нибудь на досуге.
This was a happy discovery today. While this album didn't speak to me on a deep level or anything like that, for a punk album, I enjoyed it quite a bit. There was a good bit of melody mixed in with the chaos and distortion, which helped the time fly by. One drawback for me is that the runtime on individual tracks could be so short that the song sometimes felt unfinished, giving the album a disjointed feel. There were certain songs where I really would have appreciated them being longer and more developed. It's rare that I wish a song was longer. I can't say that I understood much of anything that was being sung on this album, between their accents, their delivery, and the aforementioned distortion. And I was driving while I listened to it so I couldn't follow along with the lyrics. But the music itself was compelling enough to keep my interest, and I would listen to these guys again. I definitely heard their influence in some later stuff, especially "Three Girl Rhumba" in that Elastica song.
the angels pulled a joke on me
Punky fun. I liked this.
Pretty great stuff, definitely influential. there's a bassline in here that 100% must have inspired DEVO. I'm surprised I never heard of this, glad to have had the chance. My punk history isn't as good as I would like
I knew Elastica ripped Wire off so had heard a few songs. This is a great example of early new wave and you can tell the influence that comes from it. Definitely worth a listen.
This was a really fun listen, sounded great. They gave me vibes of stuff like The Clash which might be a cliche to say but they’re in that vain. Great album!
Very cool punk album. Maybe my favorite early punk album? Still has some filler tracks, but it has a lot of variety which is nice. I’d call it a must-listen, sure. #65
A nice surprise. This was solid
I actually really enjoyed Pink Flag a pretty decent bit. The album has the fast and energetic pace that i expect from most punk albums for most of the songs. The guitars and drums are of course exactly like that and the vocals are also really good here too with the right amount of British cheesiness while still sounding very clear and understandable. I guess if i did have one problem with this album, it would be that sometimes, this album gets a bit too fast-paced with the songs ending before they can really start to sink in. Other than that small blemish, this is still a really fun album i enjoyed quite a bit. Best Song: Pink Flag Worst Song: It's So Obvious
I wish most of these songs were longer
Fun punk sounds. I couldn’t point to any one particular song that stood out, but it worked really well as effectively one long track
mjögmjöggott.4,5.
wow, never heard of these guys before but this is a solid punk album. lots to enjoy here, and great to have an idea hit hard and fast before moving onto the next. the songs are all fairly similar in terms of their sound and production, and the lyrics didn't seem particularly deep from what i could make out. still, nice to find an album like this in the list, and i liked it enough to listen twice all the way through and then a few extra tracks. favorites: field day for the sundays, ex lion tamer, lowdown, the commercial, strange, fragile, mannequin
Upee punkkilevy, joka ei oo latistunut ajan saatossa! 4/5
Komea punk-levy!
I really like how short all the songs are. Very easy for my tiktok addled brain to consume.
Solid album. Never new elastica used “three girl rhumba” for their song “connection”.
This was a fun album, short and very punk rock. Favorite songs were: 3. Three Girl Rhumba 4. Ex Lion Tamer 17. Mannequin 8/10
21 songs in 36 minutes. Hell yeah. This was super solid throughout. I enjoyed every song, and enjoyed blitzing though the whole thing. I especially like Reuters. Album Cover: (A+) Arresting and ominous graphic, with arresting and ominous text.
This album was way better than I thought it was going to be. Every song was short and had a different drum-the-steering-wheel energy to it. The singing was the punk style that I enjoy, it obviously wasn't beautiful singing but they also weren't actively trying to make me unhappy. 8/10
Huh, I'd thought I'd done a pretty decent survey of classic post-punk but I'd only listened to a track here or there from these folks. Very happy to be remedying that as part of this project - "Pink Flag" kicks ass! I'd go 4.5 on this one... Fave tracks - "Reuters", "Three Girl Rhumba" (with obligatory side eye at Elastica 😏, "Pink Flag", "Strange" and "12 X U" It's full of bangers, and if you don't like this track, wait two minutes and another will be along!
Quite good as far as the punk rock I’ve heard so far. Quite British in terms of sound, catchy tunes. 3.5
I enjoyed its simplicity. Wasn’t sold at first but liked it more after repeated listens
there isn't a lot i can add onto any analysis of Wire's "Pink Flag". i don't think it's the greatest record of all time, but i fully understand why someone would hold it in such regard. each of the hits float along as song islands in the little wave pool of sub-2:00 oddities that push you around and fill your nose with water. if you enjoy that feeling, then i'm sure you'll love "Pink Flag" lot for a lot more than The Songs Every Hipster Knows. maybe one day i will too. i would just like to say something about British punk c. 1977. whenever a band takes heavy influence from "Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols" or the Clash's first effort, you can probably tell. if a band takes influence from "Pink Flag", they would probably need to tell you -- but the latter band is always better than the former. no exception.
True form punk. Classic.
Who doesn't love a good 60 second punk song. Bless em.
7/10 Fuzzy guitars and a mad Englishman roar. I love it and I would have never heard it. 11-13-2024
I thought it was really good. They had some nice drums and the beats were good. I am unsure whether I am going to listen to it again, though I liked it.
I seemed to not be agreeing with punk rock, but this I very much appreciated. Blazingly fast songs, so best listened as an album to keep the stream going. The use of fat fuzz gives the sound a slushy, grungy feel that makes it stand out from dryer sounding contemporaries. The vocals are on point and do more than the standard "don't care"-attitude. Recommended
Pink Flag is the debut album from Wire, a British post punk band that has had a long career as a band that consistently reinvented themselves. This first version of the band created raw, minimal, guitar driven punk. The songs are short, clean blasts of attitude and energy. These songs are more melodic, and better executed that most punk - almost the polish and production of pop. For the sound, subject, and attitude, these are challenging songs, but nonetheless memorable ones.
Simple but cool
This was good. Proto punk
Pièces éclairs qui frappent, illuminent et s'éteignent. Des courts-circuits.
This is a really cool album. Energetic, packed with catchy short old school punk. There are a few songs that fall a little way short of the mark, but there’s no denying classic like Manmequin, Mr Suit (also, check out New Bomb Turks’ cover) and Three Girl Rumba
Great album that had a bit more depth than I expect from punk of this era.
I am familiar with Wire and they have some good songs. I heard a vast majority of these songs before. Not my favorite 70s British punk band but definitely not bad. That being said, it probably would never enter my regular rotation of music but I wouldn't turn it off when it was on.
Great listen! Incredibly energetic and original take on punk music. The tracklist format of short songs but many of them works wonders here. Key tracks: Reuters Three Girl Rhumba Ex Lion Tamer Mannequin
Haven’t heard this before but can see why it would make the list - it’s fast and furious and. Encapsulates the punk era.
Cant believe i never heard of these guys
Very good, not much else to say
8.5/10 I loved, that each composition followed previous one. It gave some sence of unity. Lowdown is a favorite of the album though. Good studio start for the group.
Amazing
all right, punky, listens pleasantly, good energy
The song Champs has been showing up on my random play quite a bit recently, and I really like that song, so very stoked to be able to hear this whole album. I liked it a lot; adding it to the growing list of 1001 bands that have been mostly off my radar but are now go-tos. 4/5
Top 5 punk album? A-
I feel these 1001 albums have a strong punk/post punk editorial bias, which means that I am both finding a lot of new bands outside of the usual. Another pleasant listen in the genre, though it didn't stand out enough to surprise me
What I like about punk. If I had heard this back then it would have been my favorite,
Wire were a great band who I got to see a couple of times in the very early 90's, ironically once supporting Blur, who are heavily influenced by them. This debut, falls into the category of Punk, but it's more than that due to the more complex arrangements of the songs - this is shown more on their follow up 'Chairs Missing'. But as a punk album in 1977, it was vety different from the other bands of that scene at the time and there isn't a bad track on it. And I successfully avoided the Brit-pop elephant in the room!
Colin Newman's voice is a bit strange to me, a classic album nonetheless. The bass and guitar tone is the highlight I think.
A bunch of drunk guys yelling over guitar chord progressions that every 7 year old could play. I love it
Really good.
never heard of wire love wire great album almost 5* but not quite 86
A very enjoyable album - the tracks are short, fast, and loud, and that format works really well here. I’ll have to remember to check out other albums by this band.
Energetic, fast paced, rock late 70s.
A cool Post Punk, Proto-Grunge, Sonic Youth sounding. Digging it. Gimmie that distortion,
21 songs at 36 minutes. Some of these songs are way too short for me to do anything with. How am I to enjoy a 40 second song. There’s no time for any investment. Production, lyrics, and instrumentation are all good. Vocals are fine. Writing is original enough for me to be able to set them apart from their contemporaries. Fun for a punk enthusiast. Alright for the average listener. This album definitely had a lot of influence, which shouldn’t go unnoticed. 4/5
Punk rock in its purest form. Hook it to my veins!
It strikes me as being a really important album, and it is borderline criminal that I've never heard of it before. It's like looking into the priomordial past and seeing the first organisms dragging themselves onto the shore, ready to birth a million indie bands. I really enjoyed it. Loads of fun. Short sharp fun. But defo fun.
Fun to listen to and exactly what you would want from a punk album
Better than Innervisions.
Had never heard this band before, but feel like it's one that I would listen to again.
I like it! Some of my early Pop-Punk exposure. 1980, and I fucking loved it! I’m gonna buy this one tonight, cause it deserves $.
a "punk suite", praised its "simultaneous rawness and detachment"