When we made the decision back in January to eliminate “premieres” from Vanyaland, in favor of a more loose and less exclusive-minded New Sounds series, the idea was to hype cool new shit that was fresh and current, without worrying what other online publications were doing. Around that same time, enduring British post-punk pioneers Wire released a single called “Short Elevated Period,” a electrified guitar-pop bop that found the band sounding as fresh as ever.
So while the track is now several months old, we’re finding it fit to hype today under New Sounds, especially since Wire are coming to Cambridge tomorrow (September 23) to play The Sinclair. And especially since the definition of “new” is stretched by a band that’s been creating fuzzy, magnetic post-punk for the past four decades (with a break for most of the ’90s; who could blame them?), breaking out with a troika of LPs Pink Flag (1977), Chairs Missing (1978), and 154 (1979) that remain stuff of legend.
“Short Elevated Period” is taken from Wire’s 15th studio album Silver/Lead, a spirited effort released in March that remarkably proves the band isn’t resting on its early laurels. When they arrive in Cambridge this weekend, some will focus on the 40th anniversary of Pink Flag, but those tuned in to Wire’s new sounds will be just as satisfied.
WIRE + MINIBEAST :: Saturday, September 23 at The Sinclair, 52 Church St. in Cambridge, MA :: 8 p.m., 18-plus, $25 in advance and $28 day of show :: Advance tickets :: Bowery Boston event page :: Featured Wire photo by Mike Hipple