Gang of Four - Content

Our review
Customer reviews
Press release

3...according to our Brian on Thu 20 Jan, 2011.

Jesus. What are we supposed to do with this? These old-timers don't seem to realise what it was that was so special & unique about their debut album because since the early 80s, they've continually, unopologetically urinated liberally on their own legacy. Like, this new album? I can hear an essence (rare as you like) of their original spirit in some of the vocals, the choppy, abrasive stripped-back guitar work & the sparseness of the songs, but it's regularly buried beneath some awful contemporary "rock" production & squalling pyrotechnics which just render many of the tunes lumpen, ugly & ear-gratingly tedious. I can kinda see what they're trying to do. They're attempting to modernise their sound. Problem with 'Content' is it sounds like it's trying to be an edgy, dynamic record but often comes across as dated & unweildly sounding. The rhythm section is more than competent yet seems very generic & dull. Beyond that, the odd moment of potential greatness is usually smothered in unneccasary effects or crap electro-funk touches. The new Wire album showcased a legendary post-punk band on pretty good form but aside from a couple of moderately decent foot tappers this GO4 return results in a rather unloveable album which I reckon will be heralded by few. I would love to be proved wrong? Frustrating!!

Gang Of Four, one of the most radical and radically important groups of the last thirty years, are set to release their first album of new songs for sixteen years.

Since their inception in 1978 with the legendary ‘Damaged Goods’ EP and debut album ‘Entertainment!’.

Gang Of Four have triumphantly defined their place on the musical landscape, influencing a wide range of bands including R.E.M., Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sonic Youth, Bloc Party, The Rapture and Franz Ferdinand.

‘Content’ is their first new studio album in 16 years, and is the
catalyst for a year long international marketing plan in 2011, driven primarily by massive press and online interest in the band, and supported by an aggressive live performance schedule and radio and TV exposure.

Available as an extremely limited edition Ultimate Content Can (500 copies), which contains six booklets: the new album on CD, a history art piece (a series of twenty drawings and montages), a book of lyrics, a book of Rotoscoped photographs of the band’s emotions, a book containing sachets of the band’s blood and a scratch and sniff booklet which reflects the key areas of human activity.

Also available on standard CD format, gatefold LP and digital
download.

The limited edition Can format and the vinyl format feature ‘2nd Life’ as a bonus track.

Tracklisting:

1. She Said ‘You Made A Thing Of Me’
2. You Don’t Have To Be Mad
3. Who Am I?
4. I Can’t Forget Your Lonely Face
5. You’ll Never Pay for The Farm
6. I Party All The Time
7. A Fruitfly In The Beehive
8. It Was Never Gonna Turn Out Too Good
9. Do As I Say I Can See From Far Away
10. 2nd Life *

(* = Bonus Track For The Vinyl & Limited Edition Can Formats)

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