Fairly certain that post-punk icons Wire are incapable of making a record that doesn't at least SOUND good, even 40 years deep with some dubious detours. This maintains that streak, but after a bright-n-exciting first few trax this just steadily sinks into the mellow and languid. A no-frills approach was rather complementary on their last one, here unfortunately it just turns into a drag; frontmen Newman and Lewis in particular refusing to reveal much of anything in the way of ardor as voxers. Proficient in tonage and contented restraint.
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