Wiretap Scars

Last updated
Wiretap Scars
Sparta - Wiretap Scars.jpg
Studio album by
Sparta
ReleasedAugust 13, 2002
RecordedJanuary – March 2002
Studio Armoury (Vancouver)
House of Blues (Encino)
Cherokee (Hollywood)
Genre Alternative rock, post-hardcore
Length45:38 (International edition)
49:33 (UK edition)
Label DreamWorks
Producer Jerry Finn
Sparta chronology
Austere
(2002)		Wiretap Scars
(2002)		 Porcelain
(2004)
Singles from Wiretap Scars
  1. "Cut Your Ribbon"
    Released: 2002
  2. "Air"
    Released: 2003

Wiretap Scars is the debut studio album by American post-hardcore band Sparta. It was released on August 13, 2002 by DreamWorks Records and peaked at number 71 on the Billboard 200. Only months separated this release from their debut EP, Austere . The album is greatly influenced by the music of At the Drive-In, with whom most of Sparta's members played before their split in 2001.

Contents

The vocals and track naming in particular reflect At the Drive-In's Relationship of Command , the last album by the group. This is in contrast to the music of the Mars Volta, formed by two other members of At the Drive-In (Omar and Cedric), which departs entirely from the post-hardcore genre.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 69/100 [1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [2]
Drowned in Sound 9/10 [3]
Pitchfork 7.2/10 [4]
Punknews.orgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [5]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Sputnikmusic 4.0/5 [7]

Wiretap Scars garnered positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average rating of 69, based on 14 reviews. [1]

Drowned in Sound's Andy Frankowski commended the band for retaining the Drive-In sound while offering a more controlled melodic approach to it, concluding that "[T]hey show a different sign of maturing; it's a kind of growing older without really aging. They have the same talent they had before but it's the way they deliver it that will have eyes being opened and ears to the ground." [3] Jason Jackowiak of Splendid commented about the record, "With Wiretap Scars, Sparta have not only made great strides in the progression of their art form; they've also acknowledged the artists who inspired them. That said, the question remains: will Sparta gain recognition on the basis of their own merits, or are they forever to be judged against the accomplishments of their previous employers? Only time will tell." [8] Sputnikmusic emeritus Damrod praised the band's musicality for its use of instruments and electronic beats to craft quiet yet rough tracks that flow well throughout the record, concluding that "This is a great album by a great band. Definitely one of the better Indie/Post-Hardcore bands out there. The production is good, the overall feel of the album as well. If you liked ATD-I, I guess you will have kind of easy access to this one, though it is much more mellow than most stuff by ATD-I." [7] Noel Murray of The A.V. Club said that, "Dialing down At The Drive-In's ferociousness and concentrating more on its exploration of dynamic, textured volume, Sparta has made a smartly produced, superficially exciting record full of deafening electric hum, full-throated shouts, and quiet, intricately picked guitar breaks." [9]

Alternative Press ranked "Cut Your Ribbon" at number 61 on their list of the best 100 singles from the 2000s. [10]

Tour

On April 12, 2023, the band announced a 40-city U.S. tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut record, beginning on May 4 at the Nile Half House in Mesa, Arizona and finishing on August 12 in Dallas' Southside Music Hall. '68, Thursday's Geoff Rickly and zeta were supporting acts on the tour. [11]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Sparta

No.TitleLength
1."Cut Your Ribbon"3:04
2."Air"3:57
3."Mye"3:39
4."Collapse"4:16
5."Sans Cosm"3:59
6."Light Burns Clear"4:24
7."Cataract"5:11
8."Red Alibi"3:42
9."℞ Coup"3:14
10."Glasshouse Tarot"5:13
11."Echodyne Harmonic"3:57
12."Assemble the Empire"3:02
Japanese bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
13."Vacant Skies"3:55
14."Echodyne Harmonic (de-mix)" 
UK bonus track
No.TitleLength
13."Vacant Skies"3:55

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Wiretap Scars. [12]

Charts

Chart performance for Wiretap Scars
Chart (2002)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA Hitseekers) [13] 5
US Billboard 200 [14] 71

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sparta (band)</span> American rock band

Sparta is an American rock band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 2001. The band currently consists of Jim Ward and Matt Miller (bass), who are touring as a three-piece with rotating session drummers. Founding members Ward, Paul Hinojos, and Tony Hajjar were members of post-hardcore group At the Drive-In, forming Sparta in 2001 after the break-up of their former band. The band went on hiatus in 2008 for Ward to focus on his solo career and side projects, reuniting from 2011 to 2013 for a series of shows and permanently reuniting in 2017. The band has released five studio albums to date; their fourth, Trust the River, was released in 2020 after a 14-year break between releases.

<i>Worship and Tribute</i> 2002 studio album by Glassjaw

Worship and Tribute is the second studio album by American post-hardcore band Glassjaw, released on July 9, 2002, through I Am and Warner Bros. Records. As with their first full-length album, Worship and Tribute was produced by Ross Robinson and mixed and engineered by Mike Fraser.

<i>Full Collapse</i> 2001 studio album by Thursday

Full Collapse is the second studio album by American post-hardcore band Thursday. It was released on April 10, 2001, through Victory Records, to whom the band signed after leaving Eyeball Records. With the addition of guitarist Steve Pedulla, recording sessions for the album were held in November 2000 at Big Blue Meenie Recording Studios in Jersey City. Sal Villanueva, who served as the producer, the production team and members of different bands contributed additional instrumentation to the recordings. Full Collapse is considered a post-hardcore and screamo album.

<i>The Unraveling</i> (Rise Against album) 2001 studio album by Rise Against

The Unraveling is the debut studio album by American punk rock band Rise Against, released on April 24, 2001 by Fat Wreck Chords. Following the release of the extended play Transistor Revolt in 2000, the band signed with Fat Wreck Chords and began working on the album at Sonic Iguana Studios with producer Mass Giorgini. Musically, The Unraveling is rooted in melodic hardcore, which later came to be the band’s signature style; conversely, its lyrics differ from their more politically-driven later work, focusing more on personal relationships and issues.

<i>Revolutions per Minute</i> (Rise Against album) 2003 studio album by Rise Against

Revolutions per Minute is the second studio album by American punk rock band Rise Against, released on April 8, 2003, by Fat Wreck Chords. After establishing a fanbase with their 2001 debut, The Unraveling, the band members wanted to record an album that distinguished them from other Fat Wreck Chords bands of the time. They chose Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore to produce the album, with whom they developed a strong rapport. Recording took place from November to December 2002 at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado.

<i>Theyre Only Chasing Safety</i> 2004 studio album by Underoath

They're Only Chasing Safety is the fourth studio album by American rock band Underoath. It was released on June 15, 2004, through Solid State Records. Following the release of their third studio effort The Changing of Times (2002), half of the band's members were replaced. After finalizing the line-up with vocalist Spencer Chamberlain, the band recorded their next release with producer James Paul Wisner at his home studio Wisner Productions in February 2004. The album has been tagged with various genres including screamo and melodic hardcore and features subtle references to Christianity. Drummer Aaron Gillespie had more of a vocal presence to contrast Chamberlain's screams.

<i>The Illusion of Safety</i> (Thrice album) 2002 studio album by Thrice

The Illusion of Safety is the second studio album by American rock band Thrice. It was released on February 5, 2002 through Sub City Records, who the band had previously reissued their debut studio album Identity Crisis (2000) through. They wrote new songs at a rate of two per month, prior to recording in July 2001. Sessions were held at Salad Days Studios with producer Brian McTernan. The Illusion of Safety is a melodic hardcore and post-hardcore album, with a reoccurring topic of death and religious references.

<i>What It Is to Burn</i> 2002 studio album by Finch

What It Is to Burn is the debut studio album by American rock band Finch. It was released on March 12, 2002, through MCA and Drive-Thru Records. After finalizing their line-up, Finch signed to Drive-Thru. Recording for the album took place between June and September 2001 with producer Mark Trombino. A music video for "Letters to You" was released in January 2003. The title-track "What Is It to Burn" was released as the lead single in January 2003, followed by the single "Letters to You" in April of that year. "New Beginnings"/"What It Is to Burn" was released as the third and final single on a double A-side in August 2003. "Letters to You" charted at number 39 on the UK Singles Chart, while "What It Is to Burn" charted within the top 40 of the US Alternative Songs and Mainstream Rock charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Hajjar</span> Lebanese American drummer (born 1974)

Tony Hajjar is a Lebanese-born American drummer, best known for playing in At the Drive-In and Sparta. As of 2016, he is playing in the reformed At The Drive-In, as well as the new group, Gone Is Gone. Tony also produced and drummed on the forthcoming New Language record. Both New Language and Gone Is Gone made their live debuts on April 27, 2016 to a sold out crowd at the Dragonfly in Los Angeles.

<i>Porcelain</i> (Sparta album) 2004 studio album by Sparta

Porcelain is the second studio album by American post-hardcore band Sparta. It was released on July 13, 2004 by Geffen Records and peaked at number 60 on the Billboard 200. The first single released from the album was "Breaking the Broken."

<i>Stay What You Are</i> 2001 studio album by Saves the Day

Stay What You Are is the third studio album from American rock band Saves the Day, released in 2001. The album received positive reviews from critics at the time of its release and remains an influential album in the emo and pop punk genres. It has been described as "channel[ling] the thrill of pop punk, the intellect of indie rock, and the raw emotion of emo all at once." Lead single "At Your Funeral" charted in the United Kingdom and Scotland.

<i>Kings of Pop</i> 2002 studio album by Home Grown

Kings of Pop is the third and final album by the rock band Home Grown, released in 2002 by Drive-Thru Records. It was the band's first release with the drummer Darren Reynolds and its only release as a trio, having lost the second guitarist in 2000.

<i>How to Ruin Everything</i> 2002 studio album by Face to Face

How to Ruin Everything is the seventh studio album by the punk rock band Face to Face, released in 2002.

<i>A Mark, a Mission, a Brand, a Scar</i> 2003 studio album by Dashboard Confessional

A Mark, a Mission, a Brand, a Scar is the third studio album by American rock band Dashboard Confessional.

<i>The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most</i> 2001 studio album by Dashboard Confessional

The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most is the second studio album by American rock band Dashboard Confessional, released on March 20, 2001, through Vagrant Records.

<i>The Undying Darkness</i> 2006 studio album by Caliban

The Undying Darkness is the fifth studio album by German metalcore band Caliban. It was released on 4 April 2006 by German record label Abacus records.

"Cut Your Ribbon" is a song by American rock band Sparta. It serves as the first track and debut single off their debut album Wiretap Scars (2002). Another version of this song was released, and it contains many differences, most notably the lyrics. Also, the version of the song off the album has a tone to it that makes the song sound as if it were being performed live. The song received positive reviews from critics praising the instrumentation and vocal performance. The accompanying music video for the song was directed by Sophie Muller.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Miller (musician)</span> American bassist

Matt Miller is a native of El Paso, Texas and the bassist for the Post-hardcore band, Sparta. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California.

<i>Sing the Sorrow</i> 2003 studio album by AFI

Sing the Sorrow is the sixth studio album by American rock band AFI. Recorded at Cello Studios in Los Angeles, California between 2002 and 2003, the album was produced by Jerry Finn and Butch Vig. Sing The Sorrow was the bands final release under the Nitro Records label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Satellite (Rise Against song)</span> 2011 single by Rise Against

"Satellite" is a song by American punk rock band Rise Against, featured on their sixth studio album Endgame (2011). Written by lead vocalist Tim McIlrath, "Satellite" is a melodic hardcore song expressing the idea that the band stood by their social and political beliefs, and that they would not conform to mainstream media. The song first premiered on March 4, 2011 in a webisode series detailing the recording process of Endgame, but was not released as the album's third single until November 1, 2011. The song impacted radio on the same day.

References

  1. 1 2 "Reviews for Wiretap Scars by Sparta". Metacritic . Archived from the original on November 5, 2022. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  2. ↑ Loftus, Johnny. "Wiretap Scars - Sparta". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 20, 2019. Retrieved October 24, 2012.
  3. 1 2 Frankowski, Andy (August 10, 2002). "Album Review: Sparta - Wiretap Scars". Drowned in Sound . Archived from the original on November 23, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  4. ↑ Carr, Eric (August 22, 2002). "Sparta: Wiretap Scars". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on January 24, 2024. Retrieved October 24, 2012.
  5. ↑ Daren (August 27, 2002). "Sparta - Wiretap Scars". Punknews.org. Archived from the original on February 7, 2024. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  6. ↑ Appleford, Steve (August 26, 2002). "Sparta: Wiretap Scars". Rolling Stone . Wenner Media. Archived from the original on June 2, 2007. Retrieved October 24, 2012.
  7. 1 2 Damrod (June 30, 2005). "Sparta - Wiretap Scars". Sputnikmusic . Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  8. ↑ Jackowiak, Jason (August 14, 2002). "Sparta: Wiretap Scars". Splendid. Archived from the original on April 16, 2008. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  9. ↑ Murray, Noel (August 30, 2002). "Sparta: Wiretap Scars". The A.V. Club . The Onion. Archived from the original on August 20, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  10. ↑ Paul, Aubin (November 20, 2009). "At The Drive-In's "One Armed Scissor" tops AP's 'Haircut 100' singles countdown". Punknews.org. Archived from the original on December 2, 2023. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  11. ↑ Kaufman, Spencer (April 12, 2023). "Sparta Announce 2023 US Tour Celebrating 20th Anniversary of Wiretap Scars [Updated]". Consequence . Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  12. ↑ Wiretap Scars (booklet). Sparta. DreamWorks. 2002. 0044503662.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ↑ "ARIA Report: Issue 677" (PDF). ARIA. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 23, 2008. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Sparta Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.