WIRE Red Barked Tree on vinyl - great album, junk pressing.

The return of Wire, the great UK underground band, is very welcome and their new "Red Barked Tree" is quickly becoming one of my favorite records of 2011. This is a record that, along with the new Gang Of Four, shows that 1980's acts can return just as vital, or even more so, when they have something new to say and aren't just reuniting for a cash grab or to play the oldies.

Red Barker Tree is a tight, powerful and exciting statement from the reconstituted Wire. Unfortunately, the vinyl qualifies as among the worst pressings in history. Virtually EVERY pressing of this album is defective - and so far, I have tried 5 at home, and looked at over 30 pressings in local record stores - virtually all are defective, ranging from multiple dimples in the vinyl on all, to major scuffing and no fill, even to a sandpaper like texture on a number of second sides. I finally got one that, while it has dimples and a scraping sound through most of side 1's first track that is present on all, doesn't play too badly. But still, this is a case of drop dead great music ill served by some numb brained decision to cut costs by using the worst eastern bloc pressing plant that could be found.

But get this record. It's one of the best rock records of the year, at once a return to and a vital 2011 take on the new wave/post-punk era. You just might want to go for the CD on this one.