Disco de Wire: “It's Beginning to and Back Again”

IBTABA is a live recording, greatest hits and remix album all rolled into one. They've taken the drum (and other) tracks from live recordings and then added other overdubs in the studio constructing alternate versions of existing songs. Sometimes this works; Public Place wafts out from speakers enticingly, capturing the grey public sector existentialism of the original version but without the elephantine guitar riff. A more polite version perhaps but just as effective. And that's the secret to IBABA, really, the songs here are meant as a compement to, not a replacement of the album version. Sometimes it doesn't work, the rendition of Over Theirs (perhaps the pinnacle of Wire's achievement) lacks the punch and crispness of the original (on the Ideal Copy album) and comes a cross like a sort of dub-ified version with someone at the controls who doesn't really like dub. Or Wire. Finest Drops fares much better, full of live energy and Robert Gotobed showing what a fine drummer he is. Boiling Boy (from the Bell is a Cup...album)is present and correct and without the drums which brings the intriguing, dreamlike lyrics to the front on a wsh of atmospherics. It is towards the end of the album, however, that IBTABA really kicks in and Wire show signs of what they could have achieved if they had veered more towards the mainstream and adopted the pop sensibilities of the Bunnymens, U2s, New Order, etc. In Vivo, Eardrum Buzz (12" version) and The Offer are guitar-driven anthems that are exhilarating to listen to. Illuminated is a cool dancy number ruined by a rather annoying spoken loop repeated ad nauseum.

In brief, IBTABA it is a dubby, textured record that offers previously available Wire highlights in a more ambient version.

What do Wire sound like? To me Wire sound like Joy Division, Walker Brothers and Talking Heads. And they're really very good. Wire are an unashamedly cerebral and arty - definitely not the kind of thing your kid sister would like but will fit snugly into the record collection of any post-punk, new wave, Smiths/Cure/Echo & the Bunnymen fan. Come to think of it I'd choose Wire over Robert Smith's and Ian McCullough's cohorts anyday.

The bottom line? Not the ideal starting point for novices but fans should dive right in.

IBTABA (It's Beginning to and Back Again - a line from German Shepherds, the only original track on this album) doesn't feel anything like a proper album. It contains a mish-mash of revised versions of songs from elsewhere with a couple of brilliant singles added in. In reality, the revised versions of older songs are the result of Wire experimenting with the recording process, taking live recordings and rebuilding them in a studio. They all work pretty well but none of them could be judged to be objectively better than the originals, just different, which makes me wonder why they decided to inflict it upon us. I suppose they had to justify/recoup the studio costs somehow.

What makes this album worth having are the two amazing singles - Eardrum Buzz and In Vivo. Both are shimmering pop masterpieces (to use the vernacular), right up there with classics like Dot-Dash, Map Ref. 41ºN 93ºW and Our Swimmer, and worth the cost of the CD alone. Just think of the rest of the stuff as B-sides and bonus tracks and it makes a bit of sense.

A strange concept - to release an album of previously released material that is 'based on' live shows. Although their cloak of mystery and craft seems apparent, the songs suffer from relative mediocrity. Most versions are better in other incarnations, but you can get the single version of "Eardrum Buzz" here, which is mandatory. "In Vivo" should have been a hit single worldwide and "Illuminated" is years ahead of its time. The version of "Over Theirs" is quite inferior to the one on "The Ideal Copy" (in fact, I think I'll have to play that one now) and overall this album is a showcase of their knack for reworking the same song into other realms (which has been done better on ep's and live bonus cuts) but not very convincing. A bland attempt at being palatable for an audience that turned a deaf ear. I'll stick with the ambitious stuff, thank you.

This CD is great even if you are not a Wire fan. This was the 2nd Wire recording I ever purchased, although now I own a lot, and it is just really interesting, especially with earphones. Get it.

This is my favorite Wire cd for a few, essential reasons. It's Beginning To And Back Again -IBTABA- is filled with mature, ambient, upbeat tunes. It best culminates their second (synth-pop) phase. It has some of their best work in all their near thirty years in music. It never gets tiring to hear and remains fresh to this day and age.

The reworkings of tunes like "Finest Drops" and "Public Place" are better, more mature, ambient in mood and style. This cd includes my favorite version of "Over Theirs", everything about that track is better than in previous incarnations. Here, it's longer, more experimental, and fresher.

My favorite tracks in the cd would have to be the originals. "In Vivo" and "German Shepherds" are right where Wire were heading in their musical direction. Sleeker, nifty,wonderfully-crafted pieces. By this time, they really were a far cry from their early, post-punk daze.

And let's not forget their, arguably, most popular single "Eardrum Buzz". It has a hook and a beat. And everytime after hearing it, the tune plays in my head "over and over,

over and over".

I highly recommend this cd, more particularly to other diehard fans since this happens to be 1 of the most underrated in their catalogue. It takes a while to get into it but the listener won't be sorry afterwards.