Gang of Four – Content (Yep Roc)

It’s a potentially dangerous proposition for a legendary band to make new music after a prolonged absence, doubly so when said band is as hugely respected and influential as Gang of Four. Now essentially the duo of Jon King and Andy Gill, the band also has its own duds working against it – its most recent records (1995’s Shrinkwrapped, 1991’s Mall, even 1983’s Hard) were generally considered to be disappointments.

Anybody expecting a return to the glories of the group’s early 80s existence may find his/her patience sorely tested by Content. But keep an open mind, as the album contains a great deal of remarkable music. The band has long blended singalong melodies with abrasive textures, and while the balance has tipped toward the former, that doesn’t mean the group has gone soft. Still seeing, as the Trouser Press Record Guide so memorably puts it, “interpersonal relationships as politics in microcosm,” King and Gill put the feelings of their couples through the ringer, either putting a sociopolitical spin on romance or, depending on one’s perspective, treating political debate as arguments between lovers. Either way the combo of stringent rhythm crackle with soaring melodies give “Who Am I,” “A Fruitfly in the Beehive” and “I Party All the Time” (most certainly NOT about college keg parties) spoonfuls of sugar to help the cultural medicine go down. “She Said” and “2nd Life” add more of the band’s classic punk/funk dissonance, but still favor melodicism over anarchy – to the tracks’ advantage. This ain’t your father’s Gang of Four, with enough abrasion and confrontational bile to deflect a charging bull. But even if the band has mellowed, it’s due more to maturity than to dilution.

It’s been nearly 30 years since GoF’s illustrious original catalog was released, and to think or desire that the band would simply ape its old self is unfair. (Admittedly, the temptation was probably there, given how many young bands pilfer GoF’s sounds and style these days.) Over time, Content may very well be considered part of Gang of Four’s decline – after all, it certainly doesn’t sound like Songs of the Free or Entertainment! But judged on its own considerable merits, it’s a strong record from a band that still has something to say.

http://www.gangoffour.co.uk
http://www.yeproc.com