''Snakedrill'' is an
EP by English
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...
band
Wire
file:Sample cross-section of high tension power (pylon) line.jpg, Overhead power cabling. The conductor consists of seven strands of steel (centre, high tensile strength), surrounded by four outer layers of aluminium (high conductivity). Sample d ...
, released in November 1986 by
Mute Records
Mute Records is a British independent record label owned and founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller (music producer), Daniel Miller. It has featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Depeche Mode, Erasure (duo), Erasure, Einstürze ...
. It was the first release after the band's five-year hiatus (1980–1985), and foreshadows their extensive use of electronic instrumentation on following albums, particularly on "A Serious of Snakes", which contains multiple layered synth and keyboard parts.
The entire EP is now included in the form of bonus tracks on ''
The Ideal Copy'' (1987).
Content
"A Serious of Snakes" and "Advantage in Height" are slightly mainstream,
avant-pop
Avant-pop is popular music that is experimental, new, and distinct from previous styles while retaining an immediate accessibility for the listener. The term implies a combination of avant-garde sensibilities with existing elements from popular ...
tracks, while the
droning "Drill", which is based around a single chord, is described by
Paul Lester
Paul Lester is a British music journalist, author and broadcaster from Elstree, Hertfordshire.
Career
He began his career as a freelance journalist, for ''Melody Maker'' in the early 1990s, as well as ''City Limits'', '' 20/20'', '' Sky Maga ...
in the book ''Lowdown: The Story of Wire'' as "far removed from the luscious musicality" of earlier songs like "
Outdoor Miner
"Outdoor Miner" is a song written by Colin Newman and Graham Lewis, and performed by the English post-punk band Wire. It was released in January 1979 as the band's fourth single (reaching number 51 in the UK singles chart) and appeared on their ...
" and "
Map Ref. 41°N 93°W". Instead, "the delight," he wrote, "lay in the sonic layers and textures rather than any melodic twists and turns." The almost
a cappella
Music performed a cappella ( , , ; ), less commonly spelled acapella in English, is music performed by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Rena ...
"Up to the Sun," sung as a duet by
Graham Lewis
Graham Lewis (born Edward Graham Lewis, 22 February 1953) is an English musician. He is best known as a bassist, songwriter, and vocalist with punk rock/post-punk band Wire, of which he has been a core member since founding in 1976.
Biography ...
and
Colin Newman
Colin John Newman (born 16 September 1954) is an English musician, record producer and record label owner. He is best known as the primary vocalist and songwriter for the post-punk band Wire (band), Wire.
Early life
Newman was born in Salisbury ...
, is likened to a
Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainsong, plainchant, a form of monophony, monophonic, unaccompanied sacred song in Latin (and occasionally Greek language, Greek) of the Roman Catholic Church. Gregorian chant developed main ...
by Lester.
The track is described by
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
as a "pseudo-mystical
incantation
An incantation, spell, charm, enchantment, or bewitchery is a magical formula intended to trigger a magical effect on a person or objects. The formula can be spoken, sung, or chanted. An incantation can also be performed during ceremonial ri ...
" and was allegedly written by Lewis in order to "cure" Newman, who had been suffering from
hepatitis
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver parenchyma, liver tissue. Some people or animals with hepatitis have no symptoms, whereas others develop yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice), Anorexia (symptom), poor appetite ...
.
Track listing
All tracks are written by Wire
#"'A Serious of Snakes...'" – 4:53
#"Drill" – 5:05
#"Advantage in Height" – 3:05
#"Up to the Sun" – 2:50
Personnel
Adapted from the EP liner notes, except where noted.
Wire
*
B.C. Gilbert
*
Colin Newman
Colin John Newman (born 16 September 1954) is an English musician, record producer and record label owner. He is best known as the primary vocalist and songwriter for the post-punk band Wire (band), Wire.
Early life
Newman was born in Salisbury ...
*
Graham Lewis
Graham Lewis (born Edward Graham Lewis, 22 February 1953) is an English musician. He is best known as a bassist, songwriter, and vocalist with punk rock/post-punk band Wire, of which he has been a core member since founding in 1976.
Biography ...
*
Robert Gotobed
Technical personnel
*
Daniel Miller – producer, mixing
*
Gareth Jones – producer, engineer,
mixing
*David Buckland – cover photography
References
External links
*
1986 debut EPs
Wire (band) EPs
Mute Records EPs
Albums produced by Daniel Miller (music producer)
Albums produced by Gareth Jones (music producer)
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