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.
The unusual title of the track『Map Ref 41°N 93°W』was based on a guess of the centre of the American Midwest by bassist and singer Graham Lewis; the location of these coordinates is coincidentally close to Centerville, Iowa.[14] One of My Bloody Valentine's last releases prior to reconvening in 2007 was a cover of this track for a Wire tribute entitled Whore.[15] The song was selected as a favourite cover of the 1990s by Flak Magazine.[16]
154 peaked at number 39 in the UK Albums Chart, the highest position the band has achieved.[17] 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 1996 remastered release, released on Wire's Pinkflag label as a digipack, does not contain any extra tracks, because, according to the band, such additions dishonour the "conceptual clarity of the original statements."[18] In 2018 Pink Flag release a 3-CD Special Edition of the album. The first disc contains the remastered album, while the second disc includes 11 non-album tracks including the 4-song 154 bonus EP, two non-album singles and additional b-sides. The third disc contains the 16-song "Sixth" demo session.
The album is so named because the band had played 154 gigs in their career at the time of the album's release. In 2004, Pitchfork listed 154 as 85th best album of the 1970s.[19]
Credits adapted from the liner notes of the 2018 Special Edition.[20]
Wire
Colin Newman – vocals, guitar, backing vocals, distorted bass on "On Returning"
Graham Lewis – bass, vocals on "I Should Have Known Better", "A Touching Display" and "Blessed State", backing vocals, percussion on "Once Is Enough", sleeve concept
B. C. Gilbert – guitar, spoken word on "The Other Window", sleeve concept
Colin Newman – vocals, guitar, syndrum on "Go Ahead", saxophone on "Former Airline", keyboards on "Midnight Bahnhof Cafe", production on "Get Down (Parts I + II)"
Graham Lewis – bass, keyboards on "Go Ahead", saxophone on "Former Airline", vocals and production on "Let's Panic Later"
B. C. Gilbert – guitar, bass on "Go Ahead", saxophone on "Former Airline", production on "Small Electric Piece"
Robert Gotobed – drums, production on "Song 1"
Mike Thorne – production on "A Question of Degree" and "Former Airline"
Paul Hardiman – engineer on "A Question of Degree" and "Former Airline"
Ken Thomas – assistant engineer on "A Question of Degree" and "Former Airline"
Wire – production on "Go Ahead", "Our Swimmer", "Midnight Bahnhof Cafe", "Our Swimmer (2nd Length)", "Catapult 30" and the sixth demo sessions
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