10:20

After being without a turntable for approximately eighteen years, I fixed that problem.

The first few days with the new turntable were spent listening to old albums. The Lords of the New Church. Still Falling. Devo. Depeche Mode. Motörhead. Run DMC. Black Flag.

The first vinyl album I bought in twenty-four years was 10:20 by Wire.

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10:20 is a beautiful piece of art.

It was originally intended as a Record Store Day release, but then a global pandemic got in the way. The band decided to release it as a "regular" album rather than a limited edition RSD offering.

Side one (10) consists of four tracks recorded in 2010 with then new guitarist Matthew Simms and touring guitarist Margaret Fiedler McGinnis. 

Side two (20) consists of four tracks recorded in 2020. 

All of the tracks are studio versions of favorite live tracks of the band members. Reimaginings of reimaginings.

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10

Track 1 > "Boiling Boy"
Originally appearing on A Bell Is a Cup...Until It Is Struck (1988) the tempo of this track is faster here. Robert Gotobed's metronomic drumming on cymbals for the first half, joined later by snares, as well as the bass line really propel this song. Gritty guitar noodling in the latter half replaces vocals for a wonderful mirroring effect.

Track 2 > "German Shepherds"
This is my favorite version of "German Shepherds," which had its first proper album appearance on It's Beginning to and Back Again (1989). I'm in love with the interplay of voices between Colin and Margaret.

Track 3 > "He Knows"
One of Wire's "quieter" tracks, the lyrics are so surreal that I'm not quite sure what's going on. And that's okay, because Colin's delivery over the ever-increasing-in-volume instrumentation, until it mostly drops out into some beautiful sound washes and shifts to Graham's voice leave us, as they sing over and over, "hypnotized."

Track 4 > "Underwater Experiences"
The most punk-leaning track of the album, this is a bit more discordant than the first recording as found on live album Document and Eyewitness (1981).

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20

Track 5 > "The Art of Persistence"
A "soft" and lilting pop track that could have easily found its way onto Mind Hive (2020), this is the first proper recording of it, with the exception of it's "demo" appearance on the rare The Third Day EP which was only sold at one particular tour.

Track 6 > "Small Black Reptile"
The original track appeared on Manscape (1990) in a "squishy" and slow mechanical rendering. With this reinvention of the song, Wire have managed to humanize it and make it more relatable and accessible.

Track 7 > "Wolf Collides"
This is the first appearance of "Wolf Collides." Once again, this feels like something akin to tracks on either Silver/Lead (2017) or Mind Hive (2020). It's a pop tune that has enough meddling with minor chords to pull us in and then push us back. And I'm okay with that ebb and flow of music and lyrics. It's a really beautiful track.

Track 8 > "Over Theirs"
There is a drone that anchors this track, credited to guitarist Matthew Simms. It reminds me a bit of the guitar squall that Helmet guitarist Page Hamilton created for the Wire track "All Fours" on Object 47 (2008). It originally appeared on The Ideal Copy (1987) and then in a fairly similar version on IBTABA (1989). There's an extra tinge of paranoia in this new version. They also play it at a much slower tempo. I like it a lot!