1001 Albums Generator
Pink Flag by Wire

Pink Flag

Wire

1977
3.2
Rating
23779
Votes
1
5%
2
20%
3
38%
4
26%
5
12%
Distribution
Genres: Punk Styles: Post-Punk, New Wave

Reviews (page 4 of 9)

No hay como 50 bandas iguales? Los temas no se arman... osea mmmmm Nota: 2.2

chato à beça :(

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

Not for me :( All of the songs are sooo short. I kinda liked Ex Lion Tamer, Mr Suit, and Strange. Definitely had to force myself to finish this despite how short. Usually I listen to each album at least twice, but I'm good here...

great to hear another punk album

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.

Post punk

I had never heard of this band before but upon listening came to the conclusion that this is very much of the time it came out.. classic late 70’s and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Not a bad album but I am so tired of brit-rock and this doesn't set itself apart that much, couple of good songs like Pink Flag itself though

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.

not my cup o tea

New one to me, the music style was enjoyable to listen to, but no stand outs making me want to dig in more.

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.

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 punk album is like a malfunctioning factory running on adrenaline—its jagged guitars, clipped vocals, and relentless rhythms clatter with raw urgency, echoing the alienation of modern life.

I can see how influential this has been. The blatant rip off by Elastica leaps out. The production does this no favours though. Some wee gems in there but not enough to make me want to add it to my library

𝘗𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘍𝘭𝘢𝘨 is a fascinating debut that captures Wire at their most stripped-down and experimental. Across 21 songs in just over half an hour, the band dismantles punk rock into jagged fragments — bursts of melody, rhythm, and attitude that often end just as they start. The musical ideas are strong and forward-thinking, but the constant abrupt endings can be frustrating, as if Wire were allergic to resolution. It’s an album more about possibilities than polish — a clever, influential blueprint for post-punk, even if it sometimes feels incomplete.

Good album

Influential but pretty bland and boring. I'd give it a 2.5 if I could.

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 don't get the high praise this album has received. Music is bland and repetitive, and so is the "singing". Most of the lyrics are somewhere between nonsensical and meaningless, with very few exceptions.

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.

Not for me. Well produced music though. Post punk fans should get on with it

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.

It's a classic, what can you say? I might not like it as much as other people, but I gotta admit it rocks.

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.

I like how punk albums never overstay their welcome. Quick and punchy. Couldn’t understand the lyrics particularly well but it was pretty good

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.

Great energy - not my thing, but I can appreciate

The singer's voice got pretty annoying after a while. I'd probably like this more if I heard it live.

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!

Hey, I've heard this one before. I first gave Pink Flag a listen when I used to browse /mu/ for music recommendations. I don't remember much about it save for the rape interlude on Reuters, which is epic. Every song should have one, really. I've never been much of a punker, though the genre has had some success with me in the past. Maybe this album will be better now that I'm older and wiser. Hey, this isn't half-bad. I dig this rough, raw punk sound and the distinctively British vocals are pretty fun, too. Despite being decent from start to end I, sadly, don't feel too strongly for this album. Punk albums have a nasty habit of featuring hundreds of inconsequentially short songs, of which this album is completely dead to rights. It doesn't ruin the album (those interludes are admittedly competent), though I find it immensely difficult to be invested in them. Much of this music is pretty repetitious, too. The aforementioned "Reuters" is a good tune and a solid opener. I've always been a fan of the malignant, anxious atmosphere of the song (those muddy, growling guitars have a surprising level of kick to them). The vocals are pretty good, too. "Three Girl Rhumba" has a pretty great lead guitar riff - very memorable. The title track has a gratifying, rough sound. "Strange" is also a decent tune. Love me some more of those growling guitars. Book time. "...the most original album of punk's first wave". Didn't chart well, but had an immediate influence on punk. Yeah, this seems like a solid pick. I cosign this inclusion.

Seminal Wire

horrible stuff

top3: - mannequin - field day for the sundays - three girl rhumba

Good soup

That band that sounds like Television - but British. 4/5

I guess you had to be there to appreciate this? Or is it in here simply because Elastica ripped them off in the 90s? Either way this really doesn't do much for me.

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

I don't like punk.

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.

At least it's short. Oh and what about this is POST-punk, it sounds as dreadful as punk so what's post about it. Looking at the lyrics made clear that not being able to understand most of those is a blessing.

This is another solid punk record, and by default any derivative of punk is usually going to start out as at least a 4-star listen for me. Pink Flag has all the right ingredients: raw energy, short blasts of attitude, and that stripped-down style that makes punk what it is. The issue here is that nothing really stood out as a favorite track. The songs blur together, and while that works for building a consistent mood, it also means I never found that one moment I wanted to hit repeat on.

Generic early rock.

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

Dit was het langste album van een half uur dat ik gehad heb denk ik. Het is weer Punk in optima forma, dus snelle korte nummers die voornamelijk herrie zijn en niet echt ergens naar toe lijken te gaan. Ik snap punk niet, nooit begrepen ook, maar sommige punk kan ik ergens de charme nog wel van in zien. Hier gewoon niet echt, het is snel, het is hard, het is distorted en het is kort qua duur. Maar 21 nummers in 35 minuten proppen is, voor mij althans, nou niet echt een prettig album. Maar goed dat kan ook aan mijn muzieksmaak liggen. Kort album, punk, instrumentaal best wel goed maar de zang of schreeuw haalt het voor mij wel naar beneden. Nummers zijn toch vaak net te kort om echt te blijven hangen, maar voor de liefhebber is dat vast de charme. Vast een album dat het goed zou doen op TikTok. FAVO: Mannequin

It was okay.

It's funny to see something that came out in '77 labeled as post-punk, but I rather enjoyed this one.

A fine album that’s just not much of a standout for me. Maybe just wasn’t the right listen this Saturday for me.

Man, I dug this pretty hard. Vocals and lyrics were whatevs but somebody in that band knows how to work a song.

Like the overall energy, especially from Surgeon's Girl onward.

It was pretty fine. I do at least appreciate it's short! Some things got my attention but a lot of it blurred together.

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!

Thirty-five minutes of the exact same song repeated many times in intervals of less than 2 minutes. Nothing remarkable about this at all.

The riffs here are solid enough, but nothing really mindblowing coming from this genre. Certainly not good enough to carry the off-key shouting-style vocals that really put me off the whole experience. I still found myself nodding along here and there though, so I guess a 2 star is fair. Standouts: Mr Suit • Mannequin • Champs

What is the sound of punks having fun? This might be the best of the vigorous, angry, 90 minute song albums that will pop up on this list and I have no idea why. It taps into something primal in my lizard brain and gets me headbanging. It's a lot to handle but rewarding to enjoy.

Was pretty good, a little old but that also kinda improves it Will I listen to again: 50%

Early punk? '77 had to look up why they're on the list. 1/5

# 🎸 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" .

biz zu sehr müsse durerushe zum e konstruktivi Kritik z geh. Darum gits zwei unkonstruktive Pünkt.

Han zerst sehr bockngha. Aber für es ganzes album so inklöpft, heiligi makrelle wär scho biz gäch. Darum stopp ich da im ne drittel und gib 2 zu rockigi sternlis

albumcover gfallt mer irgendwie no guet, erinneret mi chli anen magritte (eifach mit es paar brise surrealismus weniger) abgseh vo dem: sicher gueti musig aber han mi hüt chli zwenig punkig gfühlt drum schwing ich hüt die pinki fahne und schrei 3 mal ahoy (frög mi nöd, hed bevori's usformuliert han irgendwie meh sinn gmacht)

sounds like noise and yelling!

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.

Buncha kids making noises

Cut this album out and a few Beatles albums and we can easily get it down to the actual 1001 albums instead of 1081

is this the mumble rap of post-punk because maybe i just dont get it but its not good kind of just sounds like a mess to me

Иногда послушать можно, но не часто. 6 из 10.

One of the best albums ever made. Wire are pop genius

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.

We are on a serious roll of crap here.

This was alright, I wasn't really moved, I honestly don't know how many time I listened through it I couldn't really differentiate most of the songs from each other. Mannequin was heat tho.

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.

Very Punk. I enjoyed listening through this on a brainy level, but my ears weren't actually that into it, kinda like slam poetry.

silly song lengths. Overall inoffensive but nothing stood out

Punk. Not for me.

Non mi è dispiaciuto vibes un po caotiche ma non penso lo riascolterò

Another punk album, you say? What percent of this list is punk bands? The revolutionary aspect of this album is that they give up on songs when they run out of lyrics or get tired of a riff. What mavericks.

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?

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.

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.

I really didn't vibe with this It's like punk rock but lame and without energy. Won't listen to this again

Great punk but too inconsistent for 4*

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.

Great album, loved the vibe.

Was looking forward to my first Wire album but quite disappointed. Too many songs, all sounding the same! Strange was good though.

Fun for a bit!

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.

Me: Mom, can we have Pink Floyd at home? Mom: No, we already have Pink Floyd at home. At home: Pink Flag Uh… I mean this was ok at times? But it felt like a pretty below-average punk. And I am mighty tired of those kinds of albums, so I guess that should put it at a strong 2.

Really enjoyed the tone of the guitars and general feel of the album. I am a sucker for British punk though. Strong vibe throughout, 35 min is a good length and I'm impressed they managed to fit 35 tracks in that time. Strong 3!

I was going to give this a 4 but this sound being from 1977 deserves its flowers and a 5

01) Reuters - 6,5 02) Field Day for the Sundays - 6,5 03) Three Girl Rhumba - 6,0 04) Ex Lion Tamer - 6,0 05) Lowdown - 6,0 06) Start to Move - 6,0 07) Brazil - 5,5 08) It's So Obvious - 5,5 09) Surgeon's Girl - 5,5 10) Pink Flag - 5,0 11) The Commercial - 5,0 12) Straight Line 5,5 13) 106 Beats That - 5,0 14) Mr. Suit - 5,0 15) Strange - 5,5 16) Fragile - 5,5 17) Mannequin - 6,0 18) Different to Me - 5,0 19) Champs - 5,0 20) Feeling Called Love - 5,0 21) 12 X U - 5,0 TOTAL: 5,52 (55/100) Current ranking: 566/656

Need some extra listens but loved the first few

Punk music for people who don't like punk music. Unfortunately, I do like punk music, so I'm not the target demographic for this. As a result, I think this is still decent if too self-aware that it's "breaking the genre," but it is reallyyyy overhyped thanks to the fact that those who are a part of the target demographic tend to be music critics, chronically online music board users, and general scenesters who speak over you whenever you try to say anything. "Fragile" is amazing, though.

This sounds like a lot of other post punk things released in the 80's. I'm guessing it was influential. Not bad to be honest. Quite enjoyable.

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.

Art-punk is a weird genre. It's not experimental enough to be called post-punk or anything, and doesn't switch up the punk formula all that much. But there's something off about it, like a longer song here and there, or some odd instrumentation. But it's still very go-ahead punk. Just a weird middle-line.

I didn't like it.

This didn't grab me at all.

This has some fire instrumentals but I think the vocals lower it a level for me.

(92/100)

Seems like one of these guitar riffs provided a sample for... Elastica maybe? I can hear a prelude to Minor Threat in these songs. Got about halfway through the album but I get the idea.

Love this one. I’ve heard it before and it’s even better a second time. Too many favorite tracks to name them all

Alright punk rock-ish album.

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.

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.

There are some records here that feel like they’re not even that influential to a lot of musicians, but that are just critic-praised for generations. I did enjoy this one, but it feels like that.

Really solid instrumentation throughout - Reuters has some great stuff, the opening to Ex Lion Tamer is great - but the singing is just not very good, is it? This is the closest I've got to finding a punk album that I consider to be half decent but nope, still nowt above a 3.

Favourites: Reuters, Ex Lion Tamer, Pink Flag, 106 Beats That, Strange, Mannequin, Champs, Feeling Called Love

This was great! Short n' sweet. Saved to my library.

I was angry all day and punk still didn't speak to me. what does that say...

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.

Punk. Not my favorite.

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

This album had me waving the white flag (I'm sorry, it was just there). Honestly not that great. It's not special nor different compared to any other punk band from this era. No memorable songs or anything that particularly jumped out at me. 4/10

Eh. Not annoying but not memorable

Two loud/Chaotic and Raw albums in a row! This album sounded like a more diverse/interesting version of Punk to me. 21 songs in 35 mins! Gotta love punk!

This was a pretty fun, fast and energetic album! I'd listen to it again

Felt a bit punk

• 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?

That's not my taste in music - But ok (some)

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.

The instrumental is awesome, the vocals suck

Great punk. Love me some sloppy british vocals with killer punk instrumentals. Solid 3.5 goin up to 4.

The guitar playing is much more interesting than the sub clash/buzzcocks singing. Even that gets grating after 3 songs. Hard to listen to after a while.

This was okay, but I found myself drifting in and out of focus and the music just sort of faded into the background for most of the record.

better than expected.. but I expected. 1, so...

21 songs, 35 minutes! Okay, I guess this is punk - let’s go… Okay, but nothing too impactful. Kinda feels like a watered down buzzcocks. Songs short, sharp and kinda mid. Yeh, not too much else to write tbh, think that pretty much sums it all up!

Favorite Track: Mannequin

Not my style

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.

Punk as fuck. Really loved this one

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.

The chaos energy of punk tampered into a tight rhythm section that you can see influencing a lot of post punk and new wave later.

Real punk and also musical. Never heard of them before but ready to hear more.

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

Prefer the more developed songs.

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.

All of the songs sounded the same to me, but I didn't hate it. An average album for me

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.

Bit punked out now. Still ok though

2/10 - understand they are pioneers but damn I hate punk

Not for me.

This grew on me. Quick punk album. I especially like the back half of the album, where the songs are so short you just get a taste before moving on the next one.

kojarze ze cos wczesniej od nich slyszalem, ale chyba pierwszy raz puszczam albumik w calosci, ktory akurat jest pierwszym w dyskografii tego wyspiarskiego punkowego banda, jest to punkowanie juz w stylu arty czy post punkowym, bo krazek z 77, na 35 minutach zmiescilo sie 21 trakow, co wpisuje sie dobrze w stylistyke szybkich i chwytnych trakow artowych, ktore jak dla mnie sa najwiekszymi hajlajtami krazka, mowie o trakach takich jak commercial 106 beats that czy 12 X U, ktore nie przekraczaja dlugoscia 2 minut, to wlasnie w tej czeci albumiku siedzi jego urok, ktorego brakuje jak dla mnie na tytulowym pink flagu czy openingowym reuters, ale tak czy inaczej dobrze sie bawilem podczas odsluchu i pewnie sprawdze reszte dyskografii jak bedzie okazja, a jest czego bo 17 samych studyjnych krazkow nabili, w prawie stalym skladzie, bo zmienia sie tylko gitarowy

J - 1/5 Best Track - "Mannequin" F - DNL

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

Okay!! Post Punk!

feel like these guys had one of the strongest first three albums ever ? just an awesome bad no two ways about it

1. reueterz - 1 2. field - 1.5 3. rhumba - 0 4. lion - 1.5 5. louu - 0 6. move - 1.5 7. brazil - 0 8. obviouz - 0 9. girl - 1 10. pink - 0 11. commercial - 1.5 12. line - 1 13. beatz - 0 14. zuit - 1.5 15. ztrange - 0 16. fragile - 1 17. mannequin - 0 18. me - 1 19. champz - 1 20. love - 1 21. 12 - 1.5

3/5 niet slecht

Not for me

Very punky and groovy, but not really my taste. I’d give a 2.5.

Cool sound, a little too old school British for my taste.

I don't want to go in too hard on this album, but at the end of the day it was pretty difficult to get through. That's saying something considering how short the songs, and overall album, are. I'll give a point for the instruments. However, the singer is unintelligible and by the time I got through the album (finally) I couldn't remember a single song. Just not an album I think I NEED to hear before I die by any stretch.

This album’s cover is Wire’s album manifesto, one of the first to marry aggressive noise and pop: scary earworms. I love the impressionist blobs of guitar (“Strange”’s opening is gold), the startling flips in content, the skipping from bloody drama to sped-up Kinks - “Pink Flag” to “The Commercial” - and the cheekiness. “Reuters” is a killer opening. What a band!

Packed to the gills with top tunes and great ideas, sometimes both at the same time. Only fair to be on here after we suffered its later godawful Britpop derivatives. Not sure if I prefer this or "Chairs Missing", but "Mannequin" pulls me over, at least today.

Simple. Really fun to hear more origins of punk beyond the Ramones.

♫ Listening to "Three Girl Rhumba (2006 Remastered Version)" by Wire (Pink Flag, 1977) ♫

Some good songs on here, but a lot of short, half finished ones. Some of the shorter ones could have been developed more. Still a good time, though.

didn't realize the punk influence this had until I read into it so it gets a bonus star for that but I'm not the biggest punk fan so still only 3 womp womp

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

Väldigt klassisk punk. Rätt najs. Men inte så stor variation på låtarna.

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.

punk being both Worshiped and Shunned for its restrictiveness is a funny thing to consider, seeing as how weirdo offshoots like this were contemporary w/ the classic ramones material,,,,and we're only a couple years away from This Heat's debut lp! but as punk has slowly clicked more and more for me (with fugazi being the biggest help along this journey), i do think the heart of my lens for the genre is just seeing What u can do within its boundaries,,,or i suppose rather, with its limited set of tools in an otherwise boundryless world. i think in a way punk attracted these weird art kids because restrictions and discipline can be deep friends of creativity...this suite-like record rly cracks open what u can do with two chords and a dream. every track is just a capital i Idea....fun, interesting, worthwhile enough to not need augmentation. not that im against augmentation, but theres something kind of comforting about just how Digestible this is...whether its cramming a bunch of false endings into a song thats less than a minute, having two songs next to eachother that have basically the Exact Same Chords but just slightly re-arranged, an unexpected build and frenzy, a disarming shout-along refrain..more than anything, just a bunch of good and impactful notes stuck next to eachother on a jittery jagged rhythm. i was not nearly punk pilled enough to rly appreciate the first three wire albums back when i first heard them, but i appreciate how different they all sound from one another (considering they could have just milked this record forever) and ive always enjoyed this one. how could i not, its basically the punk white album in less than 40 minutes! this album could be ur life

just fine, not memorable to me

Some really good stuff, some average stuff.

So strange

Intelligent and exciting. Undervalued band if there is one.

Hilarious, ridiculous punk. Not my cup of tea. Not upset I listened to it once though. - 21 songs, 35 minutes. 1 2/3 minutes per song. This will be interesting

Pretty good with listening again

I appreciate the influence of this album on other bands more than I like the music itself! (though I do like some of the music, especially 'Ex Lion Tamer').

There are parts of this I liked. Mannequin is rightfully a good single. 21 songs for 35 minutes was not what I expected.

Feel like I'm throwing around five star reviews like confetti but I couldn't possibly give this album any less. Great from start to finish and I must have listened to it hundreds of times over the years and not got bored.

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.

Interesting album. I really liked more of it than I thought I would, but it really is a 50/50 split on the songs for me. If they were actually developed songs I thought they were great; punky and short I didn't like at all. Could've been a really solid alternative rock EP with all the filler songs removed. Top tracks: Three Girl Rhumba, Ex Lion Tamer, Mannequin

Very meh

I thought this said Pink Floyd and I was so confused. Great early punk sound that from the wiki sounds like they were super influential but not well know, shame. 7/10

Enjoyed this one front to back. It sounds extremely modern for an album made in ‘77. Added it to my regular rotation.

Not my cup of tea. Not bad just not anything I’d go back to

Not the biggest fan of this one as it doesn't do much for me. Cool that this was a shifting album for the "post-punk" genre i guess. The fact that one of the guys said "I can't say this is an enjoyable album. Maybe it's just a stupid bit of rubbish. But you won't know unless you find out" tells me it was created as "rubbish" but they were able to sell it like candy to a kid lol

Average British punk Rock, had some nice motifs but not my favorite genre

the punk blueprint. no fat. all style

Very pink. Lots of songs under 2 min followed by one that sounds similar. A little noisy for me. 12 year old me would have loved it.

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.

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

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)

Great grungy punk sound

Es un buen album definitivamente, pero la verdad termino tuneando out con estos temas. Capaz es que no soy tan fan del punk o que hay temas que no me interesan demasiado ni instrumentalmente ni en letra, pero hay canciones del album que mentalmente skippeo. Podría revisitarse. AMO Field Day For The Sundays, tendría que haber sido mas larga. Absolutos TEMAZOSSS Lowdown y MANNEQUIN y el primer tema también ahora que lo pienso. Son estas cosas por las que me da pena no darle mas estrellas. REVISITAR ALGUN DÍA

Musically, ok for some tracks; lyrics pointless. Might just as well have gone la la la all the time (and that's me not a lyrics person!). Wouldn't have been particularly impressed in 1977, don't think my impression is much different now. Reuters, Strange, Mannequin I would listen to again. Having said that, I would at least listen to their subsequent albums to see if they live up to their (?) suggestion they are innovative each time.

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.

Alles sehr churzi Lieder, fangt guet a und isch dänn doch sehr punkig

hey ha nöd chöne notize mache aber uuhuere spass gmacht zum lose churz knackig tönt alles geil, irgendwie punk mit hoffnig? super.

ich LIEBE s albumcover okok ich gsehns hahaha aber die einzelne lieder sind nüt uuuunglaublichs aber han na e gueti ziit ok pink flag isch mega funny gsi joooooo ich hans na intressant zfunde I guess? aber vill z sege han nöd

Buen disco, muchas influencias de los pistols, bien punk

That was fun. Good energy!

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.

21 reason why I don't like punk, or variations of noise. The idea of short biting tracks is interesting, but in reality they sound the same bad to me.

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.

I'll be honest - when the generate spat this one out, I thought it said "Pink Floyd" and I was pretty excited. I've been waiting for literally any Floyd album to pop up but I'm nearly 450 albums and that's yet to happen. So I was admittedly bummed when, after half a second, I realized that wasn't the case. But that's not fair to this album, and I'll try not to let my disappointment in what it wasn't influence my take on it. I've never heard of Wire. This album felt like a pretty typical proto-punk album, if only a little more put together than most. It was fine. Nothing really blew me away, and I wonder if this is an example of a band being big in the UK but not here, thus its inclusion by the editors. That's debatable, but as it is, I'm whelmed. Three stars. Standout Tracks: Reuters, Three Girl Rhumba, Lowdown, Brazil, The Commercial, Mr. Suit, Strange

The album invokes memories of Fred Armisen British punk band skits on SNL about 20 years ago. The short song format keeps it moving but overall just not my thing. I’m realizing from this project that punk, as a genre, isn’t my thing. 2/5

Pretty solid Punk

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

Do not like this genre of music

Album just didn't jive with me. I respect punk, but this album just was mostly uninteresting to me. Falls into a class of music I call annoying British music.

Never heard of Wire, was OK but didn't broke my heart

Знаковая штука.

This isn't typically my kind of thing but it won me over; I enjoyed this.

Ramones for readers

A good punk album, but still a little overrated.

That was cool, but a little too "gentle" to me for punk. It's a good release, but I hardly can hear why it's so special.

so this is the band that Elastica and Menswear ripped off (influenced by) - wonderful album

nope! More British Punk Rock that nobody asked for! I really am having a hard time seperating these bands from one another at this point. It works for the genre I guess, I got more annoyed the longer I listened.

Generic British punk album #10 For the next list update feel free to replace this album with any of these (courtesy of my wife) The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess - Chappell Roan The Gods We Can Touch - Aurora When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? - Billie Eilish First Body - Two People

I didn’t like all of this But what I did I loved Especially 3 girl rumba, strange, mannequin and 1 2 X U I know the singing is far from the main thing in punk but I did wish he was stronger The very strongest of 3’s

Enjoyed the album!

Uninspired punk. Black flag did it better. Nothing remarkable about the guitars, drums, vocals. Pretty low energy, would never seek this out.

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.

Enjoyed but a whole album gets repetitive. Works better as singles band.

Snappy little punk number with 21 tracks and a 35 minute runtime. All worth the average of a minute and 45 seconds each. Don't blink or you might miss some of it.

British punk. Liked it

repetitive af

kinda boring, feels very dated

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)

Surprisingly pretty fun!

Good ole New York punk rock-'n'-roll. Some of this I loved, some was just ok. 3.5

I honestly didn't notice listening to it.

If nothing else, this list proves to me that I find post-punk pretentious and an unnecessary exercise in navel-gazing.

Punk 100%

Whenever I see it is a postpunk album, I expect something like this. They all start to sound the same to me.

Good punk.

First Album, didn’t really click with it. I could hardly hear the vocals throughout most of he tracks so they all molded into one unimpressive chore to listen to. The were a couple songs I almost found intersting like ‘field day for the Sundays’, ‘Three girl rhumba’ and ‘feeling called love’.

Mannequin

Listenable, most definitely influential, but will i listen to it again?

eh, a couple of the songs are good but at the same time edgy british boys yelling isnt really my vibe but to each their own

was so good until the vocals kicked in

More punk on this list than I needed

YAPA (Yet Another Punk Album) I'm not sure why this is here, it's ok, some good energy in some tracks. 3*

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

Meh. I didn't hate it, but I still don't like most punk all that much.

Okay, but forgettable.

Don’t really consider myself a punk fan, but for some reason this one really works.

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.

One thing I hate more than a boring album is a directionless album. 21 songs 36 minutes of half-baked punk songs is not a recipe for success.

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.

Pink Flag Another album of multiple short songs! I know Three Girl Rhumba and I know how influential this album was, but I don’t think I’ve ever listened before. It is right in the sweet spot between punk and post-punk, straddling both those genres; there’s some of the riffing and urgency of punk, but with an added (subtracted?) minimalist edge with some great bass hooks and drum patterns, as well as some sludgy creepiness like Strange. They also have a great line in catchy singalong melodies among the punkiness, Ex Lion Tamer, Pink Flag, Fragile for example. I also really like his voice, it’s of course not the most technical, but it has some of the punk sneer but with a slightly more detached feel. With Guided By Voices and Circle Jerks the shorter tracks are the whole point of what they do, whereas on here the shorter tracks interspersed with longer tracks feels more considered as part of the overall feel and sequencing of the album. I don’t get the same feeling of frustration as I did with GBV, something like Feeling Called Love is only 82 seconds but feels like a fully formed song with a beginning, middle and end. Although it's perhaps less in thrall to rock classicism It feels a bit like Marquee Moon in places, from the same year, as well as some of the Modern Lovers first album. There’s also a bit of Ramones in some of the more bubblegum punk moments, like the backing la la las on Mannequin or the overall feel of The Commercial. You can also hear the influence it has had through the years, Elastica most obviously, but also on Blur and some of the Strokes/Libertines era bands. And of course on some of the bands and music that immediately followed it, PiL, Magazine, Talking Heads and post-punk and new wave in general. It’s a great punk/post-punk album, wth some great songs, some great bits of frantic urgency and minimalist, wiry grooves. A solid 4 but keen to let it percolate some more, I think it will improve. 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️ Playlist submission: Mannequin

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.

Didn’t find this very memorable or inspiring

Not too bad!

I do not love it, but I see it's influence as early post punk music.

British. It's ok

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.

Interesting to hear the song that elastica got the riff from in context. Here the original of Strange (That REM covered) was also interesting. Clearly an influential album. It is maybe a little too punky for me, but I enjoyed listening to it, and there were a few songs i really liked. Loved the fuzz guitar throughout. Would probably not listen to it again, but I am glad I have. 3.5 stars.