I swore off trading CDs a while back, but I have sworn back on it, at least in limited numbers. Some CDs simply get, well, boring after a while. One of those unfortunate enough to wind up on the chopping block was Coldplay's A Rush Of Blood To The Head. When I bought it, I found it to be enjoyable, but lacked a certain amount of bite. I listened to it quite a bit, but ultimately found it to be fairly bland, and much of the music simply felt too much the same - same tempo, same attitude, same everything. There just wasn't enough texture and grit there to keep me interested for long. So off it went to earn at least $5 of its original value back.
I set off to pick up the new Opeth, Damnation, but as luck would have it, there were none to be had. I asked the helpful Zia Records staff member "Have you really sold out of the new Opeth?" and helpful Zia staff member checked it up on his almighty stock computer. It was true, none were to be had in this store. All the other stores, however, had plenty in stock. But lucky for me in this particular instance, in that I was able to pick up used copies of both the new Wire album, Send, and Can's provocatively titled Can.
I lack knowledge of the old Wire, having never given them much thought - what little I'd heard just wasn't my thing. I read a review of the new album and was intrigued to check out some sound clips online. I liked what I heard - clearly this was not the sound of a band reuniting just for the sake of money. Send comes off vital and modern, and I'd venture a guess that to the random listener, this album would not register as something put together by a 20+ year old band. In fact, I'd say that Wire today is a more aggressive in terms of studio production - guitars rage with distortions, drums snap and pound, and the general ambience is electric. How this sells to long-time fans of the band, I don't know, but I'm pleased with the results.
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