XTC - Drums and Wires (1979), 7/10

Drums and Wires builds on the shifting momentum of White Music and sheds some of the misguided eccentricities of Go 2 to form what would be the band’s most successful and meaningful run of albums. One of the thematic and sonic peaks of the era, the album has a range of songs and lyircs that finally begin to showcase Moulding and Partridge’s impressive compositional abilities. While songs such as “Helicopter” may be eventually off-putting and the closer “Complicated Game” fails to satisfy the throughline of the record, the songwriting displayed in the remaining track list is formidable. “Roads Girdle the Globe” and “Outside World” have a particularly notable longevity, yet each and every surrounding track is consistently energizing and moving as well. The album undoubtedly brings the band into a new era, although its place among their best is a matter of taste. Those who prefer depth of concept may point to others but Drums and Wires houses some of XTC’s most impressive and successful singles. The quality of sound featured in the album suggests a particular eighties feeling that lives beyond its time, yet despite its sensibilities also transcends the era, largely stemming from its quality of songwriting. What is perhaps one of the most consistently driving and energetic albums from XTC and more broadly from the late seventies.