Leeds moodsters BLACK WIRE have actually been kicking around, snagging ever-larger numbers of converts over the past couple of years, although they've largely eluded your reviewer until now.
Nonetheless, new single "Smoke And Mirrors" is a good place to get the chills with them for the first time. It's a spiked slice of indie-noir splintering into spooked rockabilly roughly akin to The Cramps fronted by Guy McKnight and is an all-round fascinating, skullduggery-fuelled sensurround.
Hearteningly, the brace of B-sides also indicate the fact Black Wire have a feverishly weird strength in depth. "No One Loves You" throws a bit of a dummy with its' blockheaded tribal beats and initially sounds like it could be a third generational relation of Golden Earring's "Radar Love", but then kooks out considerably, discovers Transylvanian trumpets sounding in the mist-ridden distance and ends with a blank, possibly murderous lyrical mantra that apparently goes "I don't hear a fuckin' word you say." Ooh. Goose-pimple time and then some.
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Closing slice of sawn-off scuzz "I Don't Feel Well" once again hurls itself unsteadily forward with Gonzoid beats and pianos as well as ratchety early Fall-meet- Gallon Drunk guitars and is a slobbering lurch of a thing. It's joyful, if kneecapped in intent and with the self-lacerating chorus of "To sell us the things that we don't need now!" they are surely selling themselves short.
Leeds isn't exactly short on talent right now, but with this bunch, it sounds like the fine city's done it once more. Getting tangled up in black would appear to be the only option round here.
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