Drums And Wires  by XTC

The album Drums and Wires by XTC is a milestone in their career, marking the transition from their initial punk/post-punk sound to a more mature and melodic art-pop style. Drums And Wires was the band's third studio album and was released in August 1979.

Its recording took place over four weeks (June–July 1979) at London's Town House studio. The production was undertaken by Steve Lillywhite with engineer Hugh Padgham. The duo used the gated reverb technique on the drums for the first time, which became a trademark of the 1980s. In terms of its musical style, the album is a blend of New Wave, Art Rock, and Post-Punk, with an emphasis on the intense guitars ("wires") and explosive drums ("drums"). The single Making Plans For Nigel was the album's biggest hit as it reached No. 17 on the UK charts. The album cover was designed by Jill Mumford based on an idea by Andy Partridge (vocals, guitar). It depicts the band's logo forming a human face.

Drums And Wires reached No. 34 in the United Kingdom and No. 176 on the Billboard 200 in the United States, while it went gold in Canada.