Manscape

Untitled

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Manscape is the seventh studio album by the British post-punk group Wire. It was produced by David M. Allen, mostly recorded and mixed at RAK Studios, engineered by Roy Spong, and published by Dying Art Ltd.

Manscape saw Wire exploring electronica more deeply than on previous works. Bass and drums were mostly sequenced, and a 1990 UK and European tour saw the band performing live without Robert Gotobed. They played mostly new material from the LP, as well as a few older songs reworked to fit the electronic instrumentation. The rise and evolution of dance music informed the record while lyrically it remained part cut-up and part obliquely referential. "The Morning Bell" is about the British public school system, while "Small Black Reptile" is about the political system. The record's centrepiece, "You Hung Your Lights in the Trees/A Craftsman's Touch", spans nearly eleven minutes.

The original vinyl release has a significantly different running order and omits "Life in the Manscape", "Stampede" and "Children of Groceries".

Track listing

All tracks written by Bruce Gilbert, Robert Gotobed, Graham Lewis and Colin Newman, except as indicated.

1. "Life in the Manscape" – 3:28
2. "Stampede" – 4:35
3. "Patterns of Behaviour" – 4:33
4. "Other Moments" – 3:50
5. "Small Black Reptile" – 3:14
6. "Torch It!" – 7:31
7. "Morning Bell" – 4:22
8. "Where's the Deputation?" – 3:51
9. "What Do You See?" (Elvander, Gilbert, Gotobed, Lewis, Newman) – 6:47
10. "Goodbye Ploy" – 3:50
11. "Sixth Sense" – 4:19
12. "Children of Groceries" – 3:03
13. "You Hung Your Lights in the Trees/A Craftsman's Touch" – 10:03

UK Vinyl Version (Mute STUMM 80)

1. "Patterns Of Behaviour"
2. "Goodbye Ploy"
3. "Morning Bell"
4. "Small Black Reptile"
5. "Torch It!"
6. "Other Moments"
7. "Sixth Sense"
8. "What Do You See? (Welcome)"
9. "Where's The Deputation?"
10. "You Hung Your Lights In The Trees / A Craftsman's Touch"

Personnel

Wire

• Colin Newman
• Graham Lewis
• Bruce Gilbert
• Robert Gotobed

Production

• David M. Allen – production
• Roy Spong – engineer (at RAK Studios)
• Paul Kendall – engineer on [1] (at Worldwide Studios)
• Joe Gibb – engineer on [1] (at Konk Studios)
• Jon Wozencroft – design
• Neville Brody – design