July 7, 1998

Wireless

What's in the name? Wireless suggests retro-futurist cosiness, like some old black-and-white sci-fi flick; something that was once state of the art but now seems hopelessly dated....

4 / 10 WHAT'S IN A NAME? WIRELESS suggests retro-futurist cosiness, like some old black-and-white sci-fi flick; something that was once state of the art but now seems hopelessly dated. Paul Bardsley and Phil Murphy, Wireless' songwriting core, were once Molly Half Head, whose lopsided moniker was reflected in their music. The pair have since claimed that that band lost its way and was unlistenable; Wireless is an attempt to be more direct. Trouble is, it was that awkwardness that made their previous incarnation so intriguing.

But there you go, why go out on a tangent when you can play safe and bask in the glow of a playlisted single? The irony of 'In Love With The Familiar' surely can't have escaped Wireless, with its epic chorus, sweeping strings and discreet nod towards the John Lennon school of songwriting.

Never once do they threaten the listener, and while the resulting 40 minutes of gently rousing pop is as pleasant and unchallenging as a stroll in a slightly bland park (and often similarly paced) there's an air of sadness at hearing shadows of REM and Magazine in their music.

Wireless, it seems, are heading into the past. Sadly, not their own.