Track: Wire – Split Your Ends, plus tour dates

Hot on the heels of announcing their new album, the self-titled ‘Wire’, out via their own pinkflag label on April 13th, the legendary post punk group, now approaching their fortieth year, have shared a new track ‘Split your Ends’. It’s indicative of the lyrical content on the new record that it passes through love, crypic descriptions and coded messages. If came about when Singer/Guitarist Colin Newman asked bassist/vocalist Graham Lewis to send him some unfinished and unformatted text, so he wouldn’t be influenced into what might make up the chorus. Indeed, it inspired two songs to be written on the same day, ‘Split Your Ends’ and album track ‘In Manchester’.

Split Your Ends has this bounce about it, driven on by the thudding bass and drums, as in the foreground its embellished by the deliberate strums of the guitar. As it goes on, so it becomes thicker in texture, more muscular in outlook, until out of nowhere this proggy synth line takes things over. Over the top,of everything though is Newman, always sounding within himself, but to the point and making these grand sweeping melodies sound as glorious as they are, until its choppy ending. Damn , they’re good at this, aren’t they?

The band have also announced they a to embark on a full UK tour in April including DRILL : LEXINGTON (http://drillfestival.com), five nights in London at The Lexington with the band themselves headlining and featuring hand picked support which will include Karen Gwyer, Tomaga, Orlando, Boothroyd & Xaviers (see below for details).

See Wire live:

April 12-13 – UK – BRIGHTON – Prince Albert
April 14 – UK – LONDON – DRILL : LEXINGTON w/ Karen Gwyer
April 15 – UK – LONDON – DRILL : LEXINGTON w/ Tomaga
April 16 – UK – LONDON – DRILL : LEXINGTON w/ Boothroyd
April 17 – UK – LONDON – DRILL : LEXINGTON w/ Orlando
April 18 – UK – LONDON – DRILL : LEXINGTON w/ Xaviers
April 20 – UK – SOUTHAMPTON – Engine Rooms 
April 21 – UK – RAMSGATE – Music Hall
April 22 – UK – NOTTINGHAM – Rescue Rooms
April 23 – UK – LIVERPOOL – Kazimer 
April 24 – UK – HEBDEN BRIDGE – Trades Club
April 26 – UK – ABERDEEN – Lemon Tree
April 27- UK – GLASGOW – King Tuts
April 28 – UK – LEEDS – Brudenell Social Club
April 29 – UK – MANCHESTER – Club Academy
April 30 – UK – BRISTOL – Fleece 
May 27 – USA – SEATTLE, WA – Nuemos
May 29 – USA – SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Slim’s 
May 30 – USA – LOS ANGELES, CA – The Echoplex 
June 02 – USA – CAMBRIDGE, MA – The Sinclair 
June 03 – USA – BROOKLYN, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
June 04 – USA – NEW YORK, NY – Bowery Ballroom 
June 05 – USA – PHILADELPHIA, PA – Union Transfer
 June 06 – USA – WASHINGTON, DC – Black Cat 
June 08 – USA – CLEVELAND, OH – Beachland Ballroom 
June 09 – USA – DETROIT, MI – Majestic Theatre 
June 10 – USA – LOUISVILLE, KY – Headliners