penningtron wrote: Tue May 11, 2021 4:49 pm I find myself defending The Ideal Copy and A Bell is a Cup.. somewhat regularly. Wire seem to get flack for making '80s records that are no more dated than, say, New Order or The Cure, but they have some catchy tunes and arty/experimental stuff rivaling the '70s output. The records that followed those.. yeah, those kind of suck.

I disagree - I stopped following Wire in the 80s after the first comeback. I recently started listening to all the records they have released in the last 10 years. They are all good.

My entry in this list:
Its just a great record. I find myself listening to this more than all my other Placemats records.

penningtron wrote: Tue May 11, 2021 4:49 pm I find myself defending The Ideal Copy and A Bell is a Cup.. somewhat regularly. Wire seem to get flack for making '80s records that are no more dated than, say, New Order or The Cure, but they have some catchy tunes and arty/experimental stuff rivaling the '70s output. The records that followed those.. yeah, those kind of suck.

p.s. I didn't mean "all records after those" suck, just from that era. Read and Burn/Send were fine for what they were, and I really enjoy everything from Red Barked Tree onwards.

seby wrote: Tue May 11, 2021 3:48 pm Fear of a Black Planet, ... all fantastic. What followed were abominations for the most part.

Are you honestly dissing The Enemy Strikes Black?

I never understand this, I've come across a few people who think Fear is their best album, but I've always considered it slightly weak musically and it pales next to The Enemy Strikes Black.

Different strokes etc.

Curry Pervert wrote: Wed May 12, 2021 10:31 am

seby wrote: Tue May 11, 2021 3:48 pm Fear of a Black Planet, ... all fantastic. What followed were abominations for the most part.

Are you honestly dissing The Enemy Strikes Black?

I never understand this, I've come across a few people who think Fear is their best album, but I've always considered it slightly weak musically and it pales next to The Enemy Strikes Black.

Different strokes etc.

The Enemy Strikes Black has always passed me by a bit. To be fair I do not dislike it, but the first three seemed like such a rush for the sky. TESB always struck me as flailing for ideas slightly.

Ryan Zepaltas wrote: Wed May 12, 2021 12:51 am Pixies - Trompe le Monde

Almost everyone I know hates this record. I think its their best.

I think it's their best, too.

Ryan Zepaltas wrote: Wed May 12, 2021 12:51 am Pixies - Trompe le Monde

Almost everyone I know hates this record. I think its their best.

I know lots of people that think Trompe is their best. Bossonova is the stepchild.

I'm going to jump in and say I also kinda like Wire's Ideal Copy. It's totally different than those first 3, but I still enjoy it.

I don't expect many people to agree with me on this one, but I totally like Ministry's With Sympathy. Do I like it that same as land of Rape and Honey? Nope. But I still think there's some great 80s tracks on there.

If we're talking Ministry then I reach for Filth Pig beyond anything else. There was a time that would be prime bastard child material, but I think it seems to have fallen into place over the years as a worthy record.

A_Man_Who_Tries wrote: Thu May 13, 2021 10:16 am If we're talking Ministry then I reach for Filth Pig beyond anything else. There was a time that would be prime bastard child material, but I think it seems to have fallen into place over the years as a worthy record.

Not that significant a departure from their adjacent records, I'd say it was more underrated than singular.

Bernardo wrote: Thu May 13, 2021 10:33 am Not that significant a departure from their adjacent records, I'd say it was more underrated than singular.

It's a world away from Psalm 69, if closer to Dark Side.... It was definitely out of step with things at time of release, which gives it bastard points in my book.

I don't know that I'd say Yes' Drama was a bastard as much as it was orphaned.



Losing Anderson and Wakeman was huge. You can't keep the same energy, but at the same time tastes were rapidly changing and you've just entered a new decade. While Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes may not get drafted in a Prog Rock Fantasy League, they both put some work in. I never got the impression that Steve Howe and Wakeman butted heads, but Howe's playing seems inspired.

Bill Bruford + Chris Squire may possibly be my favorite rhythm section. From Time and a Word on they were solid as all get out. Alan White is a solid drummer, but it took until this album (five in to his tenure) to feel like he gelled with Squire at the same level.

I'm not saying it's their best album, but I do skip less songs when I throw it on than I do when I'm listening to Fragile.