The album has been well received by critics. The
BBC review by Garry Mulholland described the record as "40 minutes of gorgeous nothings, full of intricate curlicues of sparkling Colin Newman guitar and synth given beef by the surging rhythms of Robert Grey aka Gotobed and Graham Lewis [...] if you love alternative guitar music, you will love this, because Wire play alternative guitar music better than any young British band you can name."
PopMatters rated
Red Barked Tree 8 out of 10, stating, "Selecting a standout track is no easy feat when there's so much to sink one's teeth into. [...] Over 11 tracks of fantastically unapproachable guitars and vocals, of deceivingly simple rhythms and unswerving purpose, Wire sound perfectly comfortable in their own skin and sense of history on
Red Barked Tree."
The Quietus described the record as "a Wire album, through and through [...]
Red Barked Tree reclaims the essence of their best work – the irreverence, the serene self-assuredness and the melody, but it's their lesser recognized attribute – a gamely grace – that eclipses all else here [...] as products of the post-punk generation their songs are full of contradictions: simultaneously friendly and unfamiliar; arithmetical but rolling; and rabble-rousing but vaguely neutral. The overall outcome is a sound much like a summer cold – woebegone and chilled but caressed with ripples of tingly heat, valanced by Newman's nacreous rhythm guitar that twirls through the wet, refined production beautifying everything it touches." The
Pitchfork review by Stuart Berman noted the presence of
acoustic guitars in three tracks and the record's "impulsive stylistic shifts – from mechanized thrash to psychedelic folk to nervy power-pop – mirror[ing] the 'age of fragmentation' that Colin Newman is railing against. [...] Wire have successfully reinvented themselves, this time as wise elder statesmen cautioning against a world where over-reliance on GPS systems has replaced the basic survivalist skill of knowing your map references." The
New Zealand Herald gave the record four stars out of five, stating that "aside from disconcerting lyrics throughout which are droll and sometimes sharply witty – there are blasts of their more recent musical menace here too: 'Two Minutes' is a mad but disciplined guitar thrash; 'Moreover' and 'Smash' are crafted Erasehead-grind metallic pop; the brooding 'Down to This' rides on electrostatic and repeated guitar and keyboard phrases. Smart, sharp, approachable and economic, Wire again give art-rock a very good name." The
Kansas City Star commented, "virtually all aspects of Wire's varied history are covered, creating a stylistic best-of composed of new material. It may be the band's best work since 1979's
154. [...] If influence were sufficient currency to buy one's way into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Wire would be a contender. You can count bands as diverse as
R.E.M.,
Guided By Voices,
the Manic Street Preachers,
Minor Threat and
the Cure as among those who confess a fondness for Wire that extends to inspiration.
Red Barked Tree demonstrates that Wire can be a sustained influence; it's a most worthy addition to the band's estimable catalog."
The Independent gave the album a 4-star rating, stating that "on this showing, the feral rage of [Wire's] punk youth has matured into a pleasingly poised disaffection, with no loss of acuity," The review by Tim Klingbiel on Australian music website
FasterLouder noted that from "seething political references to prophetic statements about the environment.
Red Barked Tree deals with a range of subjects in a magnificently compelling and thought provoking way", adding that the record "serves as an indication that Wire have returned to form in a massive way, and remain just as relevant today as they were 35 years ago". By contrast, longtime music critic
Robert Christgau remarked in a two-star review, "Even formalists get the grays, well – especially formalists."
Classic Rock reviewer John Doran awarded the album 8 points out of 10 and defined it as "yet another post-80s success of Wire." ==Track listing==