Wire - Pink Flag

Harvest Records

December, 1977.

Some things influence scenes and sounds in ways which pass beyond the scope of measurement. Attempting to follow the roots sprung forth out of a work can lead to a monumental headache. Pink Flag is something of a pink flag-ship for where things would eventually head - hardcore punk, with it the eventual birth of post-hardcore, and the blistering pace in which it set. Garnering something of a cult following, Wire have been, and subsequently have become, beacons of unbridled influence on your favourite acts.

Ground-breaking and ferociously energetic artistic punk from the band that tip-toed around contemporary convention, Wire. Remaining a staple in the annals of punk rock and its eventual off-shoots into more experimental and avant-garde pastures, Pink Flag set the tone for things to come. Approaching punk's renound reverse to basics, Wire maintained a smart approach to the simplicities brought around by the full-on movement of punk rock - there are many ways to remain fresh even through the parameters of two chord minimalism. Many facets of Pink Flag standout in the context of their space in time. One of said facets being the tasteful leanings into avant-garde territory - monstrous tones, droning riffery, brain perplexing pace, and the use of non-conventional means to create something that years, even decades, down the line can still be looked upon as genre defining both inside and outside of itself. It is the definition of a classic.

Tracks like 'Mannequin' stand out as a highlight in a sea of highlights. Excellent songwriting over, you've guessed it, simple and straight forward chord patterns and well picked tones and timbre. The 'la la la oh ohh's' towards the latter half of the track raise the song into the transcendental range of experience - rough and rugged, yet effortlessly and life-affirmingly beautiful. It defies convention and understanding as to how an act has the ability to flip from 30-second-to-a-minute bursts, to straight up pop bliss.

Simplicity cuts through in ways that more complex things simply can't - you can keep things fun, fresh, and innovative without insulting intelligence. The proof is in the pudding. Pink Flag is an important chapter in the history of contemporary music. Said chapter reaches beyond music and into cultural significance unimaginable.