The First Letter

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The First Letter
Studio album by Wir
Released	October, 1991
Recorded	Swanyard Recording Studios, 1991
Genre	Punk rock, art punk
Length	54:50
Label	Mute Records
Producer(s)	Wir and Paul Kendall
Professional reviews
All Music Guide (2/5) link
Wir chronology
The Drill (1991)	Pink Flag (1991)	Send (2003)

The First Letter is the last album released by Wire before their second extended hiatus. It was their one of only two releases (the other being a difficult to procure limited edition 2 song EP entitled "Vien") under the name "Wir" and without drummer Robert Gotobed, who quit the band as their musical direction increasingly relied on drum machines and loops. Other than an Erasure remix, the band would not reform until 1999, and not release any new material until 2002's Read and Burn 01 and Read and Burn 02 EPs and 2003's subsequent Send. The album produced the single "So and Slow It Grows." All songs were composed by Bruce Gilbert, Colin Newman, and Graham Lewis, except "Naked, Whooping and Such-Like (Extended on and On)", with words by Lewis, and reading by Claude Bessey.

[edit] Track listing

1. "Take It (For Greedy)" – 3:13
2. "So and Slow It Grows (Single Mix)" – 4:00
3. "A Bargain at 3 and 20 Yeah!" – 2:55
4. "Footsi - Footsi" – 4:55
5. "Ticking Mouth" – 6:31
6. "It Continues" – 4:33
7. "Looking at Me (Stop!) Stop!" – 4:12
8. "Naked, Whooping and Such-Like (Extended on and On)" – 7:05
9. "Tailor Made" – 3:48
10. "No Cows on the Ice" – 4:16
11. "A Big Glue Canal" – 4:09
12. "So and Slow It Grows" – 5:13

[edit] Personnel

• Bruce Gilbert - Guitar
• Colin Newman - Vocals
• Graham Lewis - Bass
• Paul Kendall - Production, engineering
• Pascal Gabriel - Production, mixing on "So and Slow It Grows (Single Mix)"
• George Holt - Engineering
• Russell Haswell - Design and images
• Sven - "3w" and "stoneman" images
• Red Cloud - Layout