Chairs Missing (Remastered)

iTunes Review

In 1978, the punk scene in England was falling into a repetitive state, but Wire continued to evolve. As impressive as their debut, Pink Flag, was (and still is today), many consider Chairs Missing their masterpiece. Exploring new recording methods and synthesizer wizardry, Wire kept the punk ethos while stretching their creativity. Chairs Missing delivers enough of the one-two punches that made Pink Flag so exciting (“Sand In My Joints,” “Mercy,” and “Too Late” are as strong as anything on Pink Flag), but it also paved the way for the artier, more challenging 154 that followed. The gurgling synths on “Another the Letter” and the robotic rhythms of “Being Sucked In Again” infuse the album with a chilly, electronic vibe that counters the warm atmospherics of “French Film Blurred,” “I Feel Mysterious Today,” and “Marooned.” Favorites of many fans, “Outdoor Miner” — cousin to Pink Flag’s delicate “Fragile” — and the insidious “I Am the Fly” sound as fresh today as they did those many years ago. It’s difficult to think of a group today creating music as important, timeless and memorable as Wire.