Gang Of Four
Entertainment!

THE REVIEW

There have been few groups like Gang of Four that have bridged the gap between the historic new wave of English origin and the latest trends, especially those coming from New York, the city of Rapture, LCD Soundsystem, Radio 4, and Strokes. The Gang of Four hailed from Leeds and, amidst the punk cyclone, developed a style that retained the punk attitude but radicalized its content in terms of political commitment (they were openly Marxist), instilling massive doses of white funk into the already robust yet sparse musical fabric. Their uncompromising attitude led to significant issues even for concerts, given some very radical positions (including on abortion) by Dave Allen and Hugo Burnham.

After a masterful debut with a mini album in 1978, Gang of Four took the stage for a longer test following a spectacular performance at the Futurama Festival in Leeds in the summer of '79, which was considered by specialized critics the best edition of that festival: also on the bill were Public Image, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Joy Division, Bauhaus, and Cure (need more?). Entertainment! was immediately received as a masterpiece: there was an immediate sensation of encountering an album that would change English music and beyond. There was innovation but also a nod to the past (in Anthrax, a vaguely Hendrixian feedback echoes...), yet masterpieces also include "Damage Goods," "I Found That Essence Rare" with funk taking center stage and certain openings that even the Cure adopted for their debut album.

Unlike many New Wave albums of the era that aged prematurely (and in some cases, poorly...), the debut album of Gang of Four still retains, over the years, its status as a milestone.