154 (album)

154 is the third album by the English post-punk band Wire, released in 1979 (see 1979 in music) on EMI imprint Harvest Records in the UK and Europe and Warner Bros. Records in America. Branching out even further from the minimalist punk rock style of their earlier work, 154 is considered a progression of the sounds displayed on Wire's previous album Chairs Missing, with the group experimenting with slower tempos, fuller song structures and a more prominent use of guitar effects, synthesizers and electronics.

154 peaked at number 39 in the UK Albums Chart, the highest position the band has achieved. It was first issued on CD in 1987 by EMI Japan and later reissued by Restless Records in 1989. First editions of the vinyl album were accompanied by an EP, the tracks from which are included on the Harvest CD, issued in 1994, along with an additional bonus track. The new remastered release, released by Pinkflag as digipacks in 2006, does not contain any extra tracks, because, according to the band, such additions dishonour the "conceptual clarity of the original statements." The album is so named because the band had played 154 gigs in their career at the time of the album's release. Pitchfork listed 154 as 85th best album of the 1970s.

Track listing
Tracks 19–24 are demo versions that have also appeared on compilations such as Behind the Curtain and After Midnight.

Personnel

 * Wire
 * B. C. Gilbert – guitars, spoken word on "The Other Window", sleeve concept
 * Robert Gotobed – drums
 * Graham Lewis – vocals, bass guitar, sleeve concept
 * Colin Newman – vocals, guitar


 * Additional personnel
 * Hilly Kristal – bass vocals on "A Mutual Friend"
 * Kate Lukas – alto flute
 * Tim Souster – electric viola on "A Touching Display"
 * Mike Thorne – keyboard, synthesizer, production
 * Joan Whiting – cor anglais on "A Mutual Friend"


 * Production
 * Dave Dragon – art direction
 * Paul Hardiman – engineer
 * Brian Harris – typographic design
 * Ken Thomas – assistant engineer