On Returning gathers most of the jewels from the richest period in the career of Wire, one of the most influential bands to emerge from the punk era. Groups as diverse as R.E.M and the Minutemen have cited Wire as a key influence. Wire"s 1977 debut was densely packed with skewed, raw songs full of vitriol and quintessentially English insolence, while the two subsequent releases showcased the group"s art-school leanings as the sound grew darker and more dissonant. This generous 31-song collection effectively charts the group"s rapid evolution. It begins with a slew of songs from the debut, PINK FLAG, including "Three Girl Rhumba", a song that "90s Brit-popsters Elastica quoted so liberally that they were forced to pay royalties. The early songs have a messy charm built upon dirty guitar chords and the distinctly cheeky vocalsof Colin Newman. Later works, incorporating synthesizers and keyboards played by producer Mike Thorne, are far more caustic, but the group never fully drops the pop, especially onthe furiously catchy "Dot Dash" and "I Am the Fly", one of their signature songs. "Strange" may be familiar to listeners from R.E.M."s cover version. EMI.