Wire

The British postpunk pioneers of Wire were one of the prime influences on bands like the
Cure, Hüsker Dü and R.E.M. They have survived long enough to see their influence bear
fruit while moving on to a more trancey, hypnotic kind of music that just might inspire yet
another generation of musicians. Wire weaves intricate textures out of the most basic
materials; the components of a song are almost as fascinating as their interplay.... More >

Waiting for my annoyance to articulate itself, I found appropriate contexts--subways, elevators, etc.--and stuck this into my personal portable. Where to my shock it proved fun fun fun. Maybe they are about to jump to Windham Hill, but only because Windham Hill wants to escape its suburban demographic. Mellifluous, deceitful background rock--but ugly, and with a kick. (Grade: B+)