[Europa Gluten Free]

Ok so I’ll use this post and keep editing it as I listen to every song:

PART 1

1. It’s Not War - strangely not as bad as I remember and also as bad as I remember. The intro is cheesy and the strings too much. The verse lyrics are cringe. Like really really bad. Of course the title must have the word “Love” in it if it’s a Wire lyric. But actually the different couplets at the end of the various choruses throughout the song do offer some depth to an overly shiny song. Guitar solo is decent. Overall perfectly represents the era. I remember being INCREDIBLY disappointed with it when it got its first play on a Monday night in August in summer 2010. Still feel that now.

2. Postcards from a Young Man - Should have been the opening track. Following the overblown strings on the opening track, the way this blasts out is just too much. But this is a great Wire lyric. Less production and stick it as the opening track and would have made a big difference. “I don’t believe the absolutes anymore” is a great opening line. Much better than “To feel forgiveness you gotta forgive”. I enjoyed listening to this even though there’s no need for all the fucking strings. In fact I’d love to hear a two guitar stringless version on the next tour. Middle eight is cute until they couldn’t resist the fucking strings again. This is much better than I remember. Outro is cheesy. Not exactly who’s responsible - you fucking are, is it?

3. Some Kind of Nothingness - song about Nicky’s dog or about Richey (to be fair I think every song is in some part about Richey). I know Ian McCulloch is one of their big heroes so hard to criticize really but probably not one of the strongest duets. (Is this on the duets playlist album thing?). Chorus incredibly uplifting and great melody. Lots of harmonies on there. Who is the lower voice? Could it be Sean! McCulloch’s first “Does beauty do nothing at all” before the breakdown is gorgeous. The big choir then is almost taking the piss. Again this song perfectly represents the era. A great version is the acoustic one Jimbo did for RTE radio. It’s on YouTube and well worth a listen.

PART 2

4. The Descent (Pages 1&2) - I strangely remember finding The Descent less offensive as the other songs from this era. Some of the lyrics are typical Wire shite but there are some decent lines here as well. "My baby teeth are gone" is bloody awful though. (And there is a reference to Richey). I was quite enjoying this until I heard the bloody strings on the chorus. Yes, more strings. I forgot there was a guitar solo and it is quite nice especially as it's not the LP Custom. But the pre-bends after the main solo are bloody awful. And then of course just repeating the chorus again. I remember reading at the time that the band wrote this song while touring JFPL in America? Was it one of the first for the album? I don't know why I remember that. I also thought that this song got a first play the same time as It's Not War but that was I'm Leaving You for Solitude which I prefer over this one. Overall not a bad tune but forgettable. Did they play this live? Maybe they did.

5. Hazelton Avenue - Ah Jesus. Fucking awful. Lenny Kravtiz riff. More fucking strings. Maybe the lyric will have some nice lyrics.... no. "I am a happy consumer"; "Don't need a wilderness to feel solitary" etc etc. Jesus this one REALLY reminds me of 2010 and 2011. This might have been a decent underproduced TIMT or KYE b-side with no strings and no production. I was waiting for a guitar solo in the middle but it was some weird atonal break. No point whatsoever. At least it ended quite abruptly. Awful, sorry lads.

6. Auto-Intoxication - I remember liking this one. Is this the song with Duff hidden in it? Or is that Billion Balconies. Decent guitar at the beginning here. Sounds like it's in E (Jimbo's best key). No strings yet! And real electric guitar! Nice Stephen Hawking-esque pre-chorus break. Ah this is a good one. Maybe two much acoustic overdubs. Need some riffing! CHORUS YES!!!!! The Jimbo screaming! Still no strings. This is glorious. Lyric is a typical Wire lyric really but I don't care I'm just waiting for the chorus again. They should re-visit this song and play it live - double the guitars and remove the acoustic. Ah this is great. Did they do this live once on the 2010 tour? What a palate cleanser from the opening songs on this album.

PART 3

7. Golden Platitudes - Seemingly everyone's favourite on the album. And it is glorious. Nice change of pace. Quite simple chords but nice arpeggios and licks throughout. Bloody strings and choir vocals again though but we'll let it slide. More love again of course from Wire. "The liberal left destroyed every bit of my youth" - I remember that being a big line but in the day. The la la la middle is really cringe. Very Oasis. Awful. Strange arrangement and choir choices. Always think this happens when a song is lacking something. Overall I don't think it's such an amazing Manics song but on this album it does stand out I suppose.

8 - I think I found it - Abba intro gives me the shits. Is this the Jimbo lyric? Seriously this is awful. "I think I found it and I think I love it" - really? Full of cliches lyrically and musically. Oh a guitar solo - not bad actually. The choices in the second half - drum stops and the vocal harmonies - eugh. I don't recognise the end of the song - I guess I never made it this far the first time around. Come back Hazelton Avenue, all is forgiven.

9. A Billion Balconies Facing the Sun - Ah so this is the famous Duff McKagan bass song. Do you think he's ever listened to the final song? The chorus is not bad. Very SATT this song. Solo not bad at all. Another typical Wire lyric but some decent lines in there among the usual moaning. I like the chorus in this one. Will there be another solo? I am waiting - yes is the answer. Wonder what guitar this is? Doesn't sound like the LP custom. Sounds like a hollowbody. Might go digging to find this out. Weird final chords. Not a bad tune in the context of the album.

PART 4

10. All We Make is Entertainment - Don't really remember this one. Ah yes - this is the backwards "Born To Run" riff in the intro. More Wire-isms in the first few lines. And they thought this was all great stuff? On the other hand no strings so far. Hope there is a chorus here and not the riff. No - there is the riff. Chorus is catchy enough. Going to try to count how many guitars are on here - could have had fewer guitars and a bit more edge in the actual sounds. Wire's social commentary here is pretty cringe. Still the chorus saves this one. Another song in E it sounds like to me. "We are so postmodern we are so post everything" - alright Wire. Ah - "the pointless jobs lead to pointless lives" line. I remember that being divisive back in the day. Very recent times Morrissey that line. Guitar outro ok. Overall ok - another song that represents this era. They sound quite old in this album.

11. The Future Has Been Here 4 Ever - Forgot about this Wire song as well. This song doesn't offend me overall but the choices do - who was making these decisions? Sounds half-arsed and I can't be arsed with it. Sorry Wire. I don't think I've ever listened to this song - not even in 2010. Going to listen to the end to see if there is anything redemptive. Maybe a guitar solo? Maybe a clever couplet? No, fuck all.

12. Don't Be Evil - was this a James lyric? Is this the last song? Too scared to look as I hope it is. Trying to listen to the lyric but no idea what it is about. Is this one of Jimbo's dodgy political songs? Seems to be repeating the first verses but I've checked out by now. I have no memory of this song either. At least some sort of solo. Not sure what guitar it is - sounds like a Jazzmaster but maybe I'm just biased. Again there is a song in here but it's just falling a bit short.

And yes, that is the end of the album. Thanks for reading if you've made it thus far. I enjoyed this as an exercise overall as I didn't remember a lot of the arrangements and choices. It is still awful though. AWFUL Wire. Those fucking strings. Fuck me.