1977 may have been Year Zero for Punk Rock & accompanying newspaper headlines of horror but it produced few memorable albums from the new generation. 1979, by comparison, produced a shelf load of vinyl wonders with LP debuts from the likes of Gang of Four, Joy Division, The Specials & Human League, second offerings from PIL (Metal Box) & Magazine (Secondhand Daylight) & - dispelling the myth about “difficult” third albums - Wire (154), Talking Heads (Fear of Music), Elvis Costello (Armed Forces) & Japan (Quiet Life) issued respectively consistent, sure-footed, albums. Amidst this splendid flowering of the post-punk community, replete with the sort of musical diversity that would have been unimaginable two years earlier & sadly unthinkable today, Swindon’s finest, XTC, also produced an early classic album with the Steve Lillywhite produced Drums & Wires. Andy Partridge recalls it as an optimistic time for the band. Dave Gregory’s arrival on guitar (replacing organist Barry Andrews who left following the release of Go2) marked a shift in style with the group now configured as a twin guitar/bass/drums line-up. Despite an endless touring schedule much time was spent honing new material. Both Partridge & Colin Moulding were growing in confidence as songwriters – this album did much to further their reputation for peerless post-punk pop tunes. But it was also Steve Lillywhite & engineer Hugh Padgham’s ability to give appropriate studio support & recording expertise to the more expansive pieces such as “Roads Girdle The Globe” & “Complicated Game” that helped to bring a new level of maturity to the overall feel of the release. Issued at the start of September, Drums & Wires entered the UK Albums Chart where it remained for a total of seven weeks, accompanied by another first for the band, a Top 20 UK (& international) hit single in album lead track “Making Plans for Nigel”. The optimism of the recording sessions had proved justified.

35 years later, Steven Wilson has mixed the album in a new stereo edition (featured on both CD & Hi-Res disc formats) & in 5.1 Surround Sound, bringing a fresh aural perspective to one of 1979’s most memorable albums. Several other tracks have also been mixed afresh & appear in both stereo & 5.1, including both sides of the single that was included with initial copies of the original vinyl LP, non-album single releases & b sides. The original album mix is also included in High-Resolution stereo. The Blu-Ray edition also includes the DJM mixes – songs earmarked as potential single releases, videos for singles “Making Plans for Nigel” & “Life Begins at the Hop” & 5 full demo sessions tracking the complete evolution of the album – a virtual boxed set on a single Blu-Ray disc.

For those already familiar with the album this release provides a fully renewed and expanded edition of a much loved album. For anyone fortunate enough to be new to the album, yes, pop music really was this good at one point in time. It was even reasonably popular.