Wire: Manscape (Mute)

THE FLIES in the ointment return. Formed at the onset of punk, Wire's art school background was far removed from the council estate mentalities of the Strummers and Rottens, hence their status as outsiders was inherent from the off. Nothing's changed. While they might have been expected to put out a commercial release to follow last year's near-hit single 'Eardrum Buzz', Manscape is perhaps the most uncompromising record Wire have made since their reactivation.