Wire

With this first full-length release in 13 years, first-generation UK art-punks Wire somehow manage to touch (but never dwell) on elements of past glories while dishing out fresh, high-energy sonic goods that sound typically well ahead of their time. Forget about those moody, gloomy soundscape-ish pieces of yore, though. With the debatable exception of "You Can’t Leave Now,” Send thumps, whirs and smashes along with the intensity of a fleet of Ministry-assembled hotrods. Three of these 11 tracks were originally released on Wire’s 2002 mini-album Read & Burn - 01, while four others arrive from the mail-order only follow-up EP, Read & Burn – 02. The balance of material is brand new. As a reward for completists, fans who purchase Send via the band’s posteverything.com web site bonus out with an exclusive live CD recorded last year in Chicago.