Gang of Four: What Happens Next (Shock)

 |   |  <1 min read

Gang of Four: First World Citizen
Gang of Four: What Happens Next (Shock)

Among the remarkable things about Britain's post-punk Gang of Four – aside from their excellent albums Entertainment! and Solid Gold (in 79 and 81) where they pulled pulled politics, sonic punch and aggressive dance into the same space – is that they are still here . . .

Albeit after various periods off-duty and now without founder member/singer Jon King whose style defined a large part of their sonic attack.

While this continues in the same tradition it certainly isn't quite as visceral as Content of four years ago, let alone those first two.

But when the alignment of politics and taut, menacing pop-rock – with new singer John Sterry – come together (First World Citizen which is like brittle Bowie-funk, England's in my Bones, the strident and almost shred-metal Broken Talk, the latter sung by guest Alison Mosshart of Kills/Dead Weather) they impress and sound angrily relevant.

With others guests (Gail Ann Dorsey, Japanese guitarist Tomayasu Hotei among them) mainman Andy Gill has resurrected the band as a continuation of its sometimes illustrious past but allowing it to push in new directions, as on the disturbing, bellicose and social observations of Obey the Ghost.

Original fans might find this a harder call than a new generation.

Share It

Your Comments

post a comment

More from this section   Music at Elsewhere articles index

Mecuzine: Cutting Strings (Aeroplane/mecuzine.com)

Mecuzine: Cutting Strings (Aeroplane/mecuzine.com)

There's no denying the collective talent that is contained within Auckland's Mecuzine – their bio namechecks former bands which include the Cure and Hello Sailor – or that singer and... > Read more

RECOMMENDED REISSUE: The Stones; Three Blind Mice (Flying Nun)

RECOMMENDED REISSUE: The Stones; Three Blind Mice (Flying Nun)

Of the four bands on the famous Flying Nun Dunedin Double EP – recorded in the front room of a Christchurch flat in '82 -- the Stones looked to be here for a good time but not a long time.... > Read more

Elsewhere at Elsewhere

EPs by Yasmin Brown

EPs by Yasmin Brown

With so many CDs commanding and demanding attention Elsewhere will run this occasional column by the informed and opinionated Yasmin Brown. She will scoop up some of those many EP releases, in... > Read more

GUEST ARTIST AND VISUAL EXPLORER DAVID TRUBRIDGE shines a light on some of his work

GUEST ARTIST AND VISUAL EXPLORER DAVID TRUBRIDGE shines a light on some of his work

Editor's note: Longtime Elsewhere subscriber David Trubridge is well-known in New Zealand for his range of lights and designs. But over recent years he and his company have produced a wide... > Read more