Gang of Four | ||
| Allmusic Biography : One of the most influential and groundbreaking bands to rise from the British punk scene in the late 70s, Gang of Four took the freedoms and possibilities presented by punk and brought them to wild and unexpected places, both musically and philosophically. Gang of Fours music fused tough funk rhythms, jagged shards of metallic guitar, and lyrics that filtered Marxist theory through the realities of daily life into a sound that bore little resemblance to any other group when they released their debut album, Entertainment!, in 1979. The LP received triumphant reviews from critics and was a surprise hit in the U.K., while their third album, 1982s Songs of the Free, gave them a commercial breakthrough in the United States as the single "I Love a Man in a Uniform" gained airplay on college radio and open-minded R&B; stations. Gang of Four folded after 1983s Hard, but founders Andy Gill and Jon King periodically re-formed the band in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s for touring and recording projects that kept their singular sound alive. Gang of Fours music was a key influence on a diverse variety of musicians, including Fugazi, Franz Ferdinand, and Nirvana, while the ferocious but intelligent tone of their lyrics and their rejection of empty sloganeering would inform the outlook of any number of thoughtful post-punk groups. Gang of Four guitarist Andy Gill and vocalist Jon King first met as teenagers while they were attending Sevenoaks School in Greater London; they were both keen on art studies and played music with friends, favoring reggae. In 1977, Gill and King were students at Leeds University, where a lively music scene had sprung up around groups like the Mekons and Delta 5. Eager to form a new band, they recruited fellow Leeds student Hugo Burnham to play drums, and found bassist Dave Allen through an ad they placed, describing themselves as a "fast R&B; band." From the beginning, the bands sound was unusual, with Burnham and Allen playing a bruising variation on James Brown and Parliament-Funkadelic grooves and Gill chopping out staccato guitar patterns that incorporated clouds of noise and stark dynamics, while Kings vocals dealt with the politics of daily lives, less concerned with slogans than with a clever but streetwise analysis of how systems and economics affected the lives of nearly everyone. Named after a faction of the Chinese Communist Party who were cited for their abuse of power during the Cultural Revolution, Gang of Four made their debut in 1977, and in June 1978 they recorded their first single, a three-song 7" released by the independent Fast Product label featuring the songs "Damaged Goods," "Love Like Anthrax," and "Armalite Rifle." The single received enthusiastic reviews when it was released late in the year, and major labels came calling, with EMI signing the band for the U.K. and Europe while Warner Bros. would handle their releases in North America. EMI released Gang of Fours second single, "At Home Hes a Tourist" b/w "Its Her Factory," in May 1979, and while the BBC banned it from airplay due to a lyrical reference to condoms (the bands refusal to change the lyrics also kept them off Top of the Pops), it still charted in the U.K. Top 60, and when their first full-length album, Entertainment!, appeared the following September, it rose to 45 in the U.K. album charts, an impressive showing given the uncompromising nature of their music. Critics on both sides of the Atlantic were impressed, and the group set out on well-received tours of North American, Britain, and Europe. In March 1981, Gang of Four released their second album, the more contemplative Solid Gold, which became their first LP to chart in the United States, peaking at 190 on the album charts, while the track "What We All Want" also appeared on the Club Play chart. By the time the album was released, Dave Allen had dropped out of the band (he would go on to form Shriekback); Busta Jones, who had previously worked with Talking Heads and George Clinton, briefly took over for live work before Sara Lee (who had worked with Robert Fripps League of Gentlemen) became GoFs official bassist. Lees first album with the band, 1982s Songs of the Free, was slightly more accessible than their previous work without robbing the sound of its power; one of the tracks, "I Love a Man in a Uniform," received extensive club and college radio play, and its slinky rhythms even led to it being played on commercial R&B; radio. GoF toured extensively in support, and were the first act to take the stage at the 1982 Us Festival, a massive music and technology event financed by Apple Computers co-founder Steve Wozniak. While Songs of the Free broke Gang of Four to a larger audience in the United States, it happened as friction arose in the group, and Hugo Burnham left the band in early 1983. For their fourth album, 1983s Hard, a drum machine took Burnhams place, while session musicians augmented GoFs lineup and Howard Albert and Ron Albert (who had previously worked with the Bee Gees) produced the sessions. Steve Goulding, who had kept time for Graham Parker & the Rumour, played drums on the bands subsequent tour, which was documented on the 1984 album At the Palace, which was not released in the United States. Shortly afterwards, Gang of Four called it quits. They didnt stay inactive for long; in 1987, Gill and King began making music together again, and in 1991 they released a Gang of Four album, Mall, a dance-friendly effort dominated by synthesizers and featuring Gail Ann Dorsey on bass. A variety of session musicians accompanied Gill and King on 1995s Shrinkwrapped, a more aggressive set than Mall; in 1997, they once again retired the Gang of Four banner, and King dropped out of the music business for a while. In 1998, Rhino Records released 100 Flowers Bloom, a career-spanning two-CD anthology that was compiled and annotated with the participation of Andy Gill, Dave Allen, and Hugo Burnham. As more and more bands acknowledged Gang of Fours influence, interest in their music grew, and in 2004 the original lineup of Gill, King, Allen, and Burnham reunited for an international concert tour. Demand was such that they hit the road again in 2005, and later that year they signed with V2 Records and released Return the Gift, in which they re-recorded 14 songs from their first three albums (the musicians insisted they were never happy with the drum sounds on their early releases). In 2006, Burnham bowed out of Gang of Four, and Mark Heaney signed on as their drummer. Two years later, Dave Allen also left the lineup, with Thomas McNeice taking over on bass. The band returned to the recording studio, and 2011s Content became their first album of original material since Shrinkwrapped. The group toured extensively in support, but in 2012 King departed Gang of Four, and John "Gaoler" Sterry took over as lead vocalist. By the time the 2015 album What Happens Next was released, Mark Heaney was no longer working with Gang of Four, and Heaney and Jonny Finnegan both contributed drum tracks on the set. Alison Mosshart of the Kills and the Dead Weather, Robbie Furze of the Big Pink, and Gail Ann Dorsey all contributed vocals to the album. In April 2018, Gang of Four dropped a four-song EP, Complicit, produced by Ben Hillier; the EP included the topical track "Ivanka (Things You Cant Have)." A year later, the group released a full-length album, Happy Now, which included new drummer Tobias Humble. The release was followed by an extensive tour of North America. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 22 Title: Entertainment! Released: 1979-09 Tracks: 15 Duration: 50:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Ether (03:50) 2 Natural’s Not in It (03:06) 3 Not Great Men (03:06) 4 Damaged Goods (03:26) 5 Return the Gift (03:06) 6 Guns Before Butter (03:45) 7 I Found That Essence Rare (03:13) 8 Glass (02:28) 9 Contract (02:39) 10 At Home He’s a Tourist (03:30) 11 5.45 (03:43) 12 Anthrax (04:23) 13 Outside the Trains Don’t Run on Time (03:27) 14 He’d Send in the Army (03:40) 15 It’s Her Factory (03:09) |
| Entertainment! : Allmusic album Review : Entertainment! is one of those records where germs of influence can be traced through many genres and countless bands, both favorably and unfavorably. From groups whose awareness of genealogy spreads wide enough to openly acknowledge Gang of Fours influence (Fugazi, Rage Against the Machine), to those not in touch with their ancestry enough to realize it (rap-metal, some indie rock) -- all have appropriated elements of their forefathers trailblazing contribution. Its vaguely funky rhythmic twitch, its pungent, pointillistic guitar stoccados, and its spoken/shouted vocals have all been picked up by many. Lyrically, the album was apart from many of the day, and it still is. The band rants at revisionist history in "Not Great Men" ("No weak men in the books at home"), self-serving media and politicians in "I Found That Essence Rare" ("The last thing theyll ever do?/Act in your interest"), and sexual politics in "Damaged Goods" ("You said youre cheap but youre too much"). Though the brilliance of the record thrives on the faster material -- especially the febrile first side -- a true highlight amongst highlights is the closing "Anthrax," full of barely controlled feedback squalls and moans. Its nearly psychedelic, something post-punk and new wave were never known for. With a slight death rattle and plodding bass rumble, Jon King equates love with disease and admits to feeling "like a beetle on its back." In the background, Andy Gill speaks in monotone of why Gang of Four doesnt do love songs. Subversive records of any ilk dont get any stronger, influential, or exciting than this. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 22 Title: Gang of Four Released: 1980 Tracks: 4 Duration: 12:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Outside the Trains Don’t Run on Time (03:16) 2 He’d Send in the Army (03:40) 3 It’s Her Factory (03:09) 4 Armalite Rifle (02:50) |
 | Album: 3 of 22 Title: Solid Gold Released: 1981-03 Tracks: 10 Duration: 38:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Paralysed (03:22) 2 What We All Want (04:56) 3 If I Could Keep It for Myself (04:08) 4 Outside the Trains Don’t Run on Time (03:16) 5 Why Theory? (02:30) 6 Cheeseburger (04:04) 7 The Republic (03:20) 8 In the Ditch (04:19) 9 A Hole in the Wallet (04:01) 10 He’d Send In the Army (04:27) |
| Solid Gold : Allmusic album Review : Gang of Fours existence had as much to do with Slave and Chic as it did the Sex Pistols and the Stooges, which is something Solid Gold demonstrates more than Entertainment! Any smartypants can point out the irony of a band on Warner Bros. railing against systematic tools of control disguised as entertainment media, but Gang of Four were more observational than condescending. True, Jon King and Andy Gill might have been hooting and hollering in a semiviolent and discordant fashion, but they were saying "think about it" more than "you lot are a bunch of mindless puppets." Abrasiveness was a means to grab the listener, and it worked. Reciting Solid Golds lyrics on a local neighborhood corner might get a couple interested souls to pay attention. It isnt poetry, and its no fun; most within earshot would just continue power-walking or tune out while buffing the SUV. Solid Gold has that unholy racket going on beneath the lyrics, an unlikely mutation of catchiness and atonality that made ears perk and (oddly) posteriors shake. With its slightly ironic title, Solid Gold is more rhythmically grounded than the fractured nature of Entertainment!, a politically charged, more Teutonic take on funk. Its a form of release for paranoid accountants. Financial concerns form the basis of the subject matter; the hilarious but realistic "Cheeseburger" is a highlight with its thinly veiled snipe at America: "No classes in the U.S.A./Improve yourself, the choice is yours/Work at your job and make good pay/Make friends, great/Buy them a beer!" This is a nickel less spectacular than the debut, but owning one and not the other would be criminal. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 22 Title: Songs of the Free Released: 1982 Tracks: 9 Duration: 36:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Call Me Up (03:40) 2 I Love a Man in a Uniform (04:11) 3 Muscle for Brains (03:20) 4 It Is Not Enough (03:32) 5 Life! It’s a Shame (04:09) 6 I Will Be a Good Boy (03:58) 7 The History of the World (04:44) 8 We Live as We Dream, Alone (03:38) 9 Of the Instant (04:57) |
| Songs of the Free : Allmusic album Review : Only within the context of Entertainment! and Solid Gold does Songs of the Free seem truly weak; otherwise, it has its merits and lasting value but doesnt hold up in invention and influence like its predecessors. Clunky rhythms, lumpen tempos, and morbid existentialism dampen some the songs, making the record seem less assertive and defiant. Funk plays more of a definitive role here, defenestrating the frenetics that characterized the earlier records. With bassist Dave Allen out of the fold for Shriekback, the rhythmic chemistry isnt what it used to be. Replacement Sara Lee is excellently skilled, but she doesnt have the rapport with drummer Hugo Burnham that Allen had. Theres a certain dour moodiness apparent in the production, most obvious in Andy Gills guitar on "Call Me Up"; hes less incisive, used more as an atmospheric and rhythmic device than for the dagger shots he provided before. "I Love a Man in a Uniform" wound up being the bands most well-known song, which is something of a shame. Not weak in any manner, its just unfortunate that more exciting singles like "At Home Hes a Tourist" and "Damaged Goods" didnt catch fire. Nonetheless, "Uniform" found its spot down on the disco floor; ironically, odds are pretty good that most didnt realize the lyrical content of the song. With its chorus led by female singers, "Uniform" could be mistaken for something similar in subject to "Its Raining Men." Not the case, as the song is laden with just as much irony as Go4s early album titles. Soldiers sexy! Rifles erotic! Amputations -- well, the picture is clear. [Songs of the Free was reissued in 1995 on Warner subsidiary Infinite Zero/American, with a dub mix of "I Love a Man in Uniform."] | ||
 | Album: 5 of 22 Title: Another Day/Another Dollar Released: 1982-01 Tracks: 5 Duration: 21:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 To Hell With Poverty (04:59) 2 Capital (It Fails Us Now) (04:03) 3 History’s Bunk! (02:57) 4 Cheeseburger (live) (03:40) 5 What We All Want (live) (05:24) |
 | Album: 6 of 22 Title: Hard Released: 1983 Tracks: 9 Duration: 35:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Is It Love (04:34) 2 I Fled (03:51) 3 Silver Lining (03:48) 4 Woman Town (05:14) 5 A Man With a Good Car (03:40) 6 It Don’t Matter (03:49) 7 Arabic (03:29) 8 A Piece of My Heart (03:18) 9 Independence (04:01) |
| Hard : Allmusic album Review : Driving their guitar spangles and jangled lyrics into the new wave morass of the early 80s, Gang of Four hoped to spin magic one more time with their 1983 swan song. The last studio album the band recorded before it disintegrated in 1984, Hard came under fire from critics and fans alike, both camps skewering this foray into lighter, more dance-oriented territory, screaming bloody sellouts and death-of-our-heroes up and down the streets, without once stopping to see the album for what it really was. Yes, its true that, by 1983, the band had abandoned the bite and saliva that drove its once politically fraught lyrics. Yes, its also true that this album snaked out into smoother-edged waters than previous efforts; that Jon King and Andy Gill had grown up a little. But really, after the sexed-up disco of the preceding Songs of the Frees "I Love a Man in Uniform," which proved to be one of 1982s biggest club hits, where exactly did one go next? Hard, of course. Packed with relatively fluffy dance songs -- "Woman Town," "A Man With a Good Car," and the hyper ballad "Is It Love" -- Gang of Four were not so much selling out as catering to a new breed of fans who had little time to worry about the desiccation of society but would sure as hell shake their money-makers to songs whose lyrics danced about the periphery. Sellout? Sure. But that really depends on what side of the split youre looking. Hard lost the band most of its pure-bred fans, but still managed to let plenty more get their ya-yas out to something a little cooler than the pap-driven pop that littered the clubs like brittle bones. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 22 Title: At the Palace Released: 1984 Tracks: 10 Duration: 05:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 We Live as We Dream, Alone (?) 2 Historys Not Made by Great Men (?) 3 Silver Lining (?) 4 The History of the World (?) 5 I Love a Man in a Uniform (?) 6 Paralysed (?) 7 Is It Love (05:16) 8 Damaged Goods (?) 9 At Home Hes a Tourist (?) 10 To Hell With Poverty! (?) |
| At the Palace : Allmusic album Review : Recorded in Hollywood, At the Palace documents a live performance recorded during Gang of Fours 1984 farewell tour, with only Jon King and Andy Gill remaining from the groups original lineup. Among the tracks: "At Home Hes a Tourist," "History Is Not Made by Great Men," "Paralysed" and "We Live as We Dream, Alone." | ||
 | Album: 8 of 22 Title: A Brief History of the Twentieth Century Released: 1990 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:16:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 At Home He’s a Tourist (03:32) 2 Damaged Goods (03:28) 3 Natural’s Not in It (03:06) 4 Not Great Men (03:06) 5 Anthrax (04:23) 6 Return the Gift (03:06) 7 It’s Her Factory (03:09) 8 What We All Want (live) (05:11) 9 Paralysed (03:22) 10 A Hole in the Wallet (03:24) 11 Cheeseburger (04:07) 12 To Hell With Poverty! (04:37) 13 Capital (It Fails Us Now) (04:03) 14 Call Me Up (03:36) 15 I Will Be a Good Boy (03:10) 16 The History of the World (04:39) 17 I Love a Man in a Uniform (04:07) 18 Is It Love (04:34) 19 Womantown (04:30) 20 We Live as We Dream, Alone (03:38) |
| A Brief History of the Twentieth Century : Allmusic album Review : Gang of Four emerged from the wreckage of punk rock in the early 80s with a sound all their own. Characterized by blatantly political lyrics that were chanted, sung, and yelled over spare, funky drumbeats and Andy Gills scratch-and-kill guitar, the Gangs particular brand of angular dance punk was as refreshing as ice water in the face, and as this collection shows, still holds up well almost 20 years later. Back when the members of Rage Against the Machine were still in grade school, Gang of Fours explicit politics were something of a curiosity; the desultory feminism of "Its Her Factory" and the pessimistic Marxist economic forecasting of "Capital (It Fails Us Now)" were not exactly common lyrical conceits in the immediate post-disco era. Those who know their Chinese history will recognize the bands name, though whether it was meant ironically or as a genuine tribute to the counterrevolutionist faction led by Lady Mao is unclear. This generous best-of recaps some of the Gangs finest moments, and will serve as a perfectly sufficient precis for all but completist fans. Half of the Gangs first full-length album (cheerfully titled Entertainment! as in "guerrilla war struggle is the new entertainment") is here, and so are some of the better tracks from their EPs. It also brings together some of the brighter moments from the bands protracted decline into synthesized dribble, such as the immortal "I Love a Man in a Uniform." There are occasional disappointments (the studio version of "To Hell With Poverty" was much better than the so-so live version included here), but overall this is an excellent collection. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 22 Title: The Peel Sessions Album Released: 1990 Tracks: 11 Duration: 39:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 I Found That Essence Rare (03:11) 2 Return the Gift (03:15) 3 5.45 (03:10) 4 At Home Hes a Tourist (03:43) 5 Naturals Not in It (03:19) 6 Not Great Men (03:26) 7 Ether (04:01) 8 Guns Before Butter (04:27) 9 Paralysed (03:20) 10 Historys Bunk (03:53) 11 To Hell With Poverty (03:37) |
 | Album: 10 of 22 Title: Mall Released: 1991 Tracks: 13 Duration: 48:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Cadillac (05:28) 2 Motel (03:34) 3 Satellite (03:58) 4 F.M.U.S.A. (05:01) 5 Don’t Fix What Ain’t Broke (04:01) 6 Impossible (00:54) 7 Money Talks (03:36) 8 Soul Rebel (04:04) 9 Hiromi & Stan Talk (00:43) 10 Colour From the Tube (03:45) 11 Hey Yeah (03:41) 12 Everybody Wants to Come (04:01) 13 World Falls Apart (06:08) |
| Mall : Allmusic album Review : Seven years after Gang of Fours breakup, founding members Jon King and Andy Gill reteamed for Mall, a minor return to form that improves on 1983s abysmal Hard but fails to recapture the ferocity of the bands most stunning work. Slickly produced, with a heavy emphasis on synthesizers and ersatz funk rhythms, the lyrical focus returns the group to the political arena: as suggested by the title, Mall is laced with the usual examinations of consumerism and the economy, while the sample-heavy "F.M.U.S.A." is an essay on the Vietnam War. An odd cover of Bob Marleys "Soul Rebel" rounds out the set. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 22 Title: Shrinkwrapped Released: 1995 Tracks: 11 Duration: 39:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Tattoo (04:08) 2 Sleepwalker (03:29) 3 I Parade Myself (04:10) 4 Unburden (03:14) 5 Better Him Than Me (03:48) 6 Something 99 (02:49) 7 Showtime, Valentine (04:42) 8 Unburden Unbound (01:45) 9 The Dark Ride (03:34) 10 I Absolve You (04:04) 11 Shrinkwrapped (03:32) |
| Shrinkwrapped : Allmusic album Review : The completely unforeseen, sensational live show was one thing, but surely the reconstituted Gang of Four couldnt deliver a new LP as shockingly good. Surely Mall was the sort of dull, disillusioning disappointment we could expect from the 90s version. Wrong again. Singer Jon King and guitarist Andy Gill not only make up for that tepid album, but exorcise the lifeless ghost they left off with over a decade ago, Hard, and reclaim their spot as one of the most original, subtly bracing, innovative, and unique bands around. No past tense about it, and no nostalgia either. Rather than ridiculously attempt to revisit their classic Entertainment!, the pair, augmented by bassists Dean Garcia and Phil Butcher and drummers Monti and Dave Axford, retain only the use of harsh dance beats as the building block for Gills terse blasts of clipped, jagged, circular-saw guitar. Kings vocals are sweeter, kinder, and more soothing than the side-of-the-mouth style he once favored, and the melodies are more conventionally prominent, but he still conveys as much intent as any vintage moment on Solid Gold, and hes often all but buried in the mix, struggling to get out (signaling their uncompromising artistic intent, as if Albini was behind the board instead of Gill). The single "Tattoo" is the obvious starting place, but its more obtuse, patient, and unnerving stuff such as "I Parade Myself" (oh yes, the lyrics are as good as the title suggests; they do that well again too) and to a lesser extent "Showtime, Valentine" that forge their own new signature style. When bands come back from a decade of breakup, a passable LP is practically a victory. That Shrinkwrapped is a firecracker, and would be a firecracker no matter who made it, is cause for a goddamn party. That Andy Gill is a dangerous guitar player again is a particularly "stop the presses, prodigal returns" payoff. Pop a cork and put this one on for all your pals, and watch them come up and say, "Who is this?" They are officially back. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 22 Title: Solid Gold / Another Day/Another Dollar Released: 1995 Tracks: 15 Duration: 59:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Paralysed (03:22) 2 What We All Want (04:59) 3 Why Theory? (02:33) 4 If I Could Keep It for Myself (04:08) 5 Outside the Trains Dont Run on Time (03:19) 6 Cheeseburger (04:04) 7 The Republic (03:20) 8 In the Ditch (04:22) 9 A Hole in the Wallet (04:05) 10 He’d Send In the Army (04:27) 11 To Hell With Poverty (04:59) 12 Capital (It Fails Us Now) (04:04) 13 Historys Bunk! (03:01) 14 Cheeseburger (live) (03:40) 15 What We All Want (live) (05:24) |
| Solid Gold / Another Day/Another Dollar : Allmusic album Review : Gang of Fours existence had as much to do with Slave and Chic as it did the Sex Pistols and the Stooges, which is something Solid Gold demonstrates more than Entertainment! Any smartypants can point out the irony of a band on Warner Bros. railing against systematic tools of control disguised as entertainment media, but Gang of Four were more observational than condescending. True, Jon King and Andy Gill might have been hooting and hollering in a semiviolent and discordant fashion, but they were saying "think about it" more than "you lot are a bunch of mindless puppets." Abrasiveness was a means to grab the listener, and it worked. Reciting Solid Golds lyrics on a local neighborhood corner might get a couple interested souls to pay attention. It isnt poetry, and its no fun; most within earshot would just continue power-walking or tune out while buffing the SUV. Solid Gold has that unholy racket going on beneath the lyrics, an unlikely mutation of catchiness and atonality that made ears perk and (oddly) posteriors shake. With its slightly ironic title, Solid Gold is more rhythmically grounded than the fractured nature of Entertainment!, a politically charged, more Teutonic take on funk. Its a form of release for paranoid accountants. Financial concerns form the basis of the subject matter; the hilarious but realistic "Cheeseburger" is a highlight with its thinly veiled snipe at America: "No classes in the U.S.A./Improve yourself, the choice is yours/Work at your job and make good pay/Make friends, great/Buy them a beer!" This is a nickel less spectacular than the debut, but owning one and not the other would be criminal. [Solid Gold was reissued in 1995 on Warner subsidiary Infinite Zero/American, with Another Day/Another Dollar appended.] | ||
 | Album: 13 of 22 Title: Entertainment! & Yellow EP Released: 1995-08-08 Tracks: 16 Duration: 53:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Ether (03:50) 2 Natural’s Not in It (03:06) 3 Not Great Men (03:06) 4 Damaged Goods (03:26) 5 Return the Gift (03:06) 6 Guns Before Butter (03:45) 7 I Found That Essence Rare (03:13) 8 Glass (02:28) 9 Contract (02:39) 10 At Home He’s a Tourist (03:30) 11 5.45 (03:43) 12 Anthrax (04:23) 13 Outside the Trains Don’t Run on Time (03:16) 14 He’d Send in the Army (03:40) 15 It’s Her Factory (03:09) 16 Armalite Rifle (02:50) |
 | Album: 14 of 22 Title: 100 Flowers Bloom Released: 1998-11-03 Tracks: 40 Duration: 2:38:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Not Great Men (03:06) 2 I Parade Myself (Alan Moulder Catwalk Club mix) (05:33) 3 Paralysed (03:25) 4 To Hell With Poverty (7" single version) (03:28) 5 The History of the World (live, 1984) (04:55) 6 Return the Gift (03:06) 7 Naturals Not in It (03:09) 8 Capital (It Fails Us Now) (04:06) 9 Anthrax (live, 1980) (05:49) 10 Woman Town (05:20) 11 Unburden Unbound (01:45) 12 What We All Want (live, 1981) (05:29) 13 Cheeseburger (04:07) 14 If I Could Keep It for Myself (live, 1981) (04:00) 15 Everybody Wants to Come (04:01) 16 Shrinkwrapped (03:25) 17 Historys Bunk! (03:01) 18 A Hole in the Wallet (04:01) 19 Motel (03:34) 20 Damaged Goods (EMI version, 1979) (03:26) 1 At Home He’s a Tourist (03:30) 2 Why Theory? (02:33) 3 F.M.U.S.A. (Ben Grosse remix) (05:30) 4 Ether (03:50) 5 Tattoo (Paul Schroeder remix) (05:56) 6 I Love a Man in a Uniform (Steve Sinclair & Hugo Burnham remix) (05:37) 7 Contract (live, 1980) (03:04) 8 Hed Send In the Army (live, 1980) (03:52) 9 Better Him Than Me (03:49) 10 Call Me Up (live, 1984) (03:41) 11 Of the Instant (04:57) 12 Is It Love (live, 1984) (05:29) 13 I Will Be a Good Boy (demo) (04:14) 14 I Fled (03:53) 15 I Found That Essence Rare (03:13) 16 It Is Not Enough (03:27) 17 Life! Its a Shame (04:07) 18 Armalite Rifle (EMI demo, 1979) (03:03) 19 Its Her Factory (03:10) 20 Producer (02:34) |
 | Album: 15 of 22 Title: Hard / Solid Gold Released: 2003-01-21 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:15:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Is It Love (04:41) 2 I Fled (03:57) 3 Silver Lining (03:56) 4 Woman Town (05:18) 5 A Man With a Good Car (03:45) 6 It Dont Matter (03:54) 7 Arabic (03:34) 8 A Piece of My Heart (03:22) 9 Independence (04:06) 10 Paralysed (03:22) 11 What We All Want (04:56) 12 Why Theory? (02:34) 13 If I Could Keep It for Myself (04:08) 14 Outside the Trains Don’t Run on Time (03:16) 15 Cheeseburger (04:04) 16 The Republic (03:20) 17 In the Ditch (04:22) 18 A Hole in the Wallet (04:04) 19 He’d Send In the Army (04:27) |
| Hard / Solid Gold : Allmusic album Review : Gang of Fours debut album, Entertainment!, immediately made them a name to be reckoned with in post-punk circles after its release in 1979, and the groups third set, 1982s Songs of the Free, was their most popular, adding a bit of polish to their Spartan and metallic "neo-Marxist funk" and scoring a hit single in the process with the edgy-but-danceable "I Love a Man in a Uniform." This two-fer CD, then, features "the other two albums" (from the groups original run, that is), the ones that were never embraced with the same degree of enthusiasm by fans. Time has been very kind to 1981s Solid Gold; while its not as immediately compelling as Entertainment! -- most of the songs arent as hooky, and the production, while glossier than that on Entertainment!, doesnt flatter GoFs approach -- the material is intelligent and muscular, and the players attack the music with cool passion and understated rage, while "Paralyzed," "Cheeseburger," and "Hed Send in the Army" rank with the very best stuff they ever committed to tape. Sadly, the same can hardly be said of 1983s Hard; recorded after the departure of drummer Hugo Burnham (who on most tracks was replaced with a drum machine), Hard was an attempt to reach out to the R&B; market that had surprisingly embraced "I Love a Man in a Uniform." But the slick production (by Bee Gees vets Ron Albert and Howard Albert) wears away the sharp edges of Andy Gills guitar and Jon Kings vocals until neither sound like they can be bothered, and except for the menacing "Woman Town," the songs are strictly second-rate. Since Hard has never before been on compact disc, and the Infinite Zero reissue of Solid Gold is out of print, this disc is a good place for fans to fill out their collections, but since Hard gets the leadoff position, dont be surprised if you usually start this one at track ten. (Unfortunately, Wounded Birds packaging only lists the musicians credits from Hard, meaning no mention is made of Hugo Burnham and original bassist David Allen playing on the cuts from Solid Gold -- better luck next time, guys.) | ||
 | Album: 16 of 22 Title: Return the Gift Released: 2005-09-28 Tracks: 26 Duration: 1:42:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 To Hell With Poverty (03:58) 2 Damaged Goods (03:27) 3 Naturals Not in It (03:10) 4 Not Great Men (03:12) 5 Why Theory? (02:25) 6 Anthrax (04:11) 7 Paralysed (03:26) 8 What We All Want (04:56) 9 Ether (03:39) 10 Hed Send In the Army (04:14) 11 Capital (03:41) 12 I Love a Man in Uniform (03:41) 13 At Home Hes a Tourist (03:40) 14 We Live as We Dream, Alone (03:20) 1 To Hell With Poverty (Go Home Productions remix) (05:32) 2 Naturals Not in It (Ladytron Remodel) (04:17) 3 I Love a Man in a Uniform (Yeah Yeah Yeahs remix) (04:20) 4 Ether (Into the Ether Tony Kanal remix) (04:57) 5 At Home Hes a Tourist (The Others remix) (04:52) 6 Not Great Men (Phones extended version) (06:10) 7 Anthrax (Faultline remix) (04:09) 8 Damaged Goods (Hot Hot Heat remix) (02:30) 9 Why Theory? (Amusement Parks on Fire remix) (02:44) 10 Naturals Not in It (Repackaged by the Rakes) (03:32) 11 At Home Hes a Tourist (The Others alternate mix) (03:30) 12 What We All Want (Dandy Warhols remix) (04:53) |
| Return the Gift : Allmusic album Review : Why let others reheat your back catalog when you can do it yourself? Maybe thats one of the questions Gang of Four asked themselves before recording Return the Gift, a self-tribute album involving re-recordings of their earliest and best work. While the reunion of the original members synched up with the popularity of several bands that were appropriating some of their ideas, one of the greater music-related motivators behind this release was...wait for it...correcting the drum sound. Drummer Hugo Burnham likened the drum sound on those releases to that of cardboard boxes, and some of the other members seemed to harp on it as well, in addition to regretting that the records never reflected their live sound, despite the nagging specters of greater imperfections in their past. To pick one imperfection out of thin air, the sound of 1991s Mall -- the entire thing, not just the drums or the awkward Bob Marley cover -- can be likened to a deflating whoopie cushion. More crucially, there has rarely been any dispute about the magnificence of the 1979-1982 releases, so its not as if thousands, or hundreds, or even dozens of Gang of Four freaks spent the past 20 years pining for something like Return the Gift. But here it is anyway, and its very loud, and it comes across like a mostly live album played in an empty meat locker. Like Wire (who re-recorded old material as well, but released it in a very limited form and then went on to make an album of new songs), the early-2000s version of Gang of Four is more caustic than ever. There are moments when the band seems as temperamental and charged as a downed power line. Burnhams drums do have greater presence, but that correction is evened out by some stiffness on everyones part. While Gang of Four once thrived on a form of willful stiffness, they remained supremely limber, which is something that doesnt translate as much here -- its not hard to imagine the band recording these versions in a cold room while wearing restrictive winter clothing. (Alright, being 25 years older might have something to do with the decreased agility.) One thing that remains unchanged, to no surprise whatsoever, is the enduring vitality of the material. The songs, concerning the politics of both self and societal interest, make as much sense today as they did when they were originally recorded and released. They also contain some of the most startling sounds you will ever hear. | ||
 | Album: 17 of 22 Title: Second Life Released: 2008-06-22 Tracks: 5 Duration: 20:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Second Life (03:45) 2 Second Life (Savile Robots remix) (04:29) 3 Second Life (The Horrors remix) (04:34) 4 Second Life (Whitey remix) (03:59) 5 Paralyzed (Tortoise remix) (03:26) |
 | Album: 18 of 22 Title: Free EP Released: 2010-11-18 Tracks: 3 Duration: 09:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Glass (re-recorded) (02:40) 2 Sleeper (recorded at rehearsal) (03:02) 3 I Party All the Time (fan remix) (03:59) |
 | Album: 19 of 22 Title: Content Released: 2011-01-24 Tracks: 21 Duration: 1:14:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 She Said ‘You Made a Thing of Me’ (03:49) 2 You Don’t Have to Be Mad (03:15) 3 Who Am I? (03:34) 4 I Can’t Forget Your Lonely Face (03:56) 5 You’ll Never Pay for the Farm (03:52) 6 I Party All the Time (03:42) 7 A Fruitfly in the Beehive (03:44) 8 It Was Never Gonna Turn Out Too Good (02:49) 9 Do as I Say (03:25) 10 I Can See From Far Away (02:58) 1 She Said You Made a Thing of Me (03:50) 2 You Dont Have to Be Mad (03:16) 3 Who Am I? (03:35) 4 I Cant Forget Your Lonely Face (03:57) 5 Youll Never Pay for the Farm (03:53) 6 I Party All the Time (03:43) 7 A Fruitfly in the Beehive (03:45) 8 It Was Never Gonna Turn Out Too Good (02:49) 9 Do as I Say (03:26) 10 I Can See From Far Away (02:59) 11 Second Life (03:45) |
| Content : Allmusic album Review : More than 30 years after their revered breakout and 16 years after their last studio effort, post-punk veterans Gang of Four returned with a new album, funded by fan donations. While the integral rhythm section of Dave Allen and Hugo Burnham have been out of the picture since the ‘80s (with the exception of some live shows and a re-recording session for Return the Gift), a new incarnation for 1995’s Shrinkwrapped showed that founding members Jon King (vocals) and Andy Gill (guitar) could keep the music aggressive and interesting. With bassist Thomas McNeice and drummer Mark Heaney on board for 2011’s Content, performances are generally middling, but a few songs show a glimmer of the band’s former jagged glory, particularly the opening “She Said You Made a Thing of Me," the upbeat "Who Am I?," and the caustic "I Cant Forget Your Lonely Face." | ||
 | Album: 20 of 22 Title: What Happens Next Released: 2015-02-24 Tracks: 10 Duration: 38:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Where the Nightingale Sings (04:03) 2 Broken Talk (04:22) 3 Isle of Dogs (03:48) 4 England’s in My Bones (03:12) 5 The Dying Rays (03:30) 6 Obey the Ghost (04:37) 7 First World Citizen (04:04) 8 Stranded (03:37) 9 Graven Image (04:05) 10 Dead Souls (03:23) |
| What Happens Next : Allmusic album Review : More than one wag has referred to 2015s What Happens Next as the work of "Gang of One," since guitarist Andy Gill is the only member of the original Gang of Four lineup who was still on board for these sessions, following the departure of vocalist Jon King in the wake of 2010s Content. Much of What Happens Next sounds like a careful effort to balance the thick but limber "neo-Marxist funk" of the bands first era with a more streamlined and contemporary electronic attack, and the result sounds a good bit less like Gang of Four than a 21st century solo set from Andy Gill, especially given the presence of several guest vocalists (including Alison Mosshart, Herbert Grönemeyer, and Robbie Furze) and a production thats less funky and muscular than the groups best and best-known work. Theres still a tough, dance-friendly core to these songs, and Gills guitar work remains thoughtful, incisive, and challenging, but this feels less like a bands work than an project created by Gill and some sidemen whose job is to play well and stay out of his way (and they do both skillfully). Adding to this is the albums lyrical tone; What Happens Next deals more with the the inner crises of the individual in the digital age than the witty but pithy assessments of how politics and economics impact us on the large and small scales. The wordplay here is intelligent and observant, but also severe and joyless; theres little if any wit and a lot of free-floating anxiety in these ten songs, and nothing here is ultimately as memorable or compelling as anything from GoFs first three albums. If it is unfair on some level to compare What Happens Next to the work Gang of Four released between 1979 and 1982, in a real way thats a consequence of Gill insisting on billing this band as Gang of Four; instead of standing on its own, its part of the legacy of a band whose history has become increasingly muddled, and while theres much here Gill can point to with pride, more than a few fans are likely to feel they didnt get what was advertised. | ||
 | Album: 21 of 22 Title: Complicit Released: 2018-04-20 Tracks: 4 Duration: 18:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Lucky (05:02) 2 Ivanka (Things You Can’t Have) (04:50) 3 I’m a Liar (04:38) 4 Lucky (10 O’Clock Chemical remix) (03:45) |
 | Album: 22 of 22 Title: Happy Now Released: 2019-04-19 Tracks: 10 Duration: 40:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Toreador (03:34) 2 Alpha Male (05:36) 3 One True Friend (04:24) 4 Ivanka: ‘My Name’s on It’ (03:52) 5 Don’t Ask Me (03:41) 6 Change the Locks (03:36) 7 I’m a Liar (04:09) 8 White Lies (03:43) 9 Paper Thin (03:38) 10 Lucky (04:40) |