After recently announcing news of their new self-titled album, due April 13th via pinkflag,  Wire have shared a new track ‘Split Your Ends’ showcasing the record's heavier side. They have also confirmed the other acts taking part in their residency at The Lexington next month.

'Split Your Ends' is also a fine example of the lyrical subject matter on the record, encompassing love songs, cryptic narratives and coded messages. Singer/guitarist Colin Newman asked bassist/vocalist Graham Lewis to send over some unfinished, unformatted text so he wouldn’t be bound by what to use for the chorus. This material spawned two songs written on the same day, ‘Split Your Ends’ and another album track entitled ‘In Manchester’.

Wire are set to embark on a full UK tour in April including DRILL : LEXINGTON (http://drillfestival.com), five nights in London at The Lexington in association with The Quietus with Wire headlining & support chosen by the band themselves, which will include Karen Gwyer, Tomaga, Orlando, Boothroyd & Xaviers (see below for details).
 
Right from their inception in 1976, back in the first stirrings of punk, Wire went about making music in a subversive, conceptual way, setting themselves apart from both their peers and their influences.
 
Their 13th studio album - simply titled WIRE – comprises material that was written with the album in mind, but toured extensively first, as well as songs that Newman introduced to the group in the studio just prior to recording. The idea was to get the most spontaneous reaction possible from the musicians, and far from the rough and ready results one might expect from such a tack.
 
WIRE is full of swooning pop melodies with a 60s tinge and an irresistible, near motorik rhythmic momentum. One can recognise certain melodic inflections, guitar and bass motifs, and drum rhythms from Wire’s idiosyncratic vocabulary but it has a remarkable freshness.
 
Big money offers have been made to Wire to become part of the Heritage Rock industry, to get the original line-up back together and play only 70s music. These have all been unequivocally turned down. Fun though that might be, why plant yourself firmly back in the past when you are making new music this potent with the promise of more in the future?
 
“The point where our personal narratives meet is all about change - moving on and keeping it interesting for ourselves,” says Newman. “We’re in it for the long haul and this is a one-way trip.”
 
WIRE will be launched by the fourth event in the band's DRILL series entitled DRILL : LEXINGTON - five nights (14-18 April) at the Lexington in London with Wire headlining, plus a different curated support each night. This will be followed by a UK tour. See full dates below.

Bio written by Mike Barnes.
 
See Wire live:
 
April 12-13 - UK - BRIGHTON - Prince Albert 
April 14 - UK - LONDON - DRILL : LEXINGTON w/ Karen Gwyer
April 15 - UK - LONDON - DRILL : LEXINGTON w/ Tomaga
April 16 - UK - LONDON - DRILL : LEXINGTON w/ Boothroyd
April 17 - UK - LONDON - DRILL : LEXINGTON w/ Orlando
April 18 - UK - LONDON - DRILL : LEXINGTON w/ Xaviers
April 20 – UK - SOUTHAMPTON – Engine Rooms
April 21 – UK - RAMSGATE – Music Hall
April 22 – UK - NOTTINGHAM – Rescue Rooms
April 23 – UK - LIVERPOOL – Kazimer
April 24 – UK - HEBDEN BRIDGE – Trades Club
April 26 - UK - ABERDEEN – Lemon Tree
April 27- UK - GLASGOW – King Tuts
April 28 – UK - LEEDS – Brudenell Social Club
April 29 – UK - MANCHESTER – Club Academy
April 30 - UK - BRISTOL – Fleece
May 27 - USA – SEATTLE, WA - Nuemos
May 29 - USA – SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Slim’s
May 30 - USA – LOS ANGELES, CA – The Echoplex
June 02 - USA – CAMBRIDGE, MA – The Sinclair
June 03 - USA – BROOKLYN, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
June 04 - USA – NEW YORK, NY – Bowery Ballroom
June 05 - USA – PHILADELPHIA, PA – Union Transfer
June 06 - USA – WASHINGTON, DC – Black Cat
June 08 - USA – CLEVELAND, OH – Beachland Ballroom
June 09 – USA – DETROIT, MI – Majestic Theatre
June 10 – USA – LOUISVILLE, KY - Headliners
 
'WIRE' album artwork:

‘WIRE’ tracklist:
 
1. Blogging
2. Shifting
3. Burning Bridges
4. In Manchester
5. High
6. Sleep-Walking
7. Joust & Jostle
8. Swallow
9. Split Your Ends
10. Octopus
11. Harpooned
 
Links:
Preorder 'WIRE'
Wire website
Wire Facebook