Gang Of Four
Solid Gold

In 1981, still under contract with Emi, the Gang Of Four, a quartet from Leeds (UK), a highly politicized group (the name "Gang of Four" refers to the Chinese Cultural Revolution), released "Solid Gold," the second album of the Marxist band, another masterpiece following the great release of the first album "!Entertainment!". "Solid Gold" is the follow-up to the first, but this time the tracks are more refined and longer (10 tracks compared to around fifteen on the first). The album is certainly more Funky, while still maintaining the sound and obsessiveness of the first.

The thrill begins immediately with "Paralysed," an enticing track in which the bass and drums enchant the listener, who can no longer escape listening to this masterpiece. The singing part is an equally obsessive spoken word, refined by a splendid guitar that adds clean Fender-like harmonics here and there. The track seems several times to have ended but suddenly reattaches with its magical bass line. An angry but less shrill guitar opens the second track "What We All Want", tribal rhythms accompany this protest, this splendid protest, with the voice always pleading with the audience to follow and enter the whirlwind and sing, sing..."Could I be happy with something else"...this is the magic word! "If I Could Keep It For Myself" is entirely a bass delirium, as is the rest of the album. The spelling style of the title is supported by the solo voice that truly marries with the Bass (the capital letter honors the great bass), this masterpiece has one of the most beautiful rhythmic parts of the '80s, the track ends with a sharp chord. It continues with "Outside The Trains Don't Run On Time", the same formula: the track seems quieter but at the chorus, the Funky enters your legs, and you cannot stay still, you have to move that damned ass to the rhythm of an Oscar-worthy bass!!!"... It's expression pa pa pa!!!..." what a thing, listen to believe!!! "Why Theory" closes the first side: this song begins with an unusual synth and the usual offbeat hi-hat, a vocal duet characterizes this piece, the first voice speaks, the second makes a spectacular choir.

The second side opens with "Cheeseburger", the sandwich is also depicted inside the inner sleeve (on the other side of the sleeve there is the cover though in black and white), a less gloomy track, exchanges of phrases between bass and a nonchalant guitar dominate in this piece, a megaphoned voice is also heard in the interlude. "The Republic" this time has a very simple bass and the vocals in the forefront, much more melodic compared to the other tracks. "In The Ditch" is the gloomiest chapter of the album, a vibrant guitar and tribal drums dominate the piece until the chorus, where the drums almost disappear and make way for vocals and guitar; the end is beautiful with the interlude of just bass and a slight change of melody. "A Hole In The Wallet" is a carefree track, strangely singable and very Clash-like in the parts where it sings. The album closes with "He'd Send In The Army", out-of-tune singers characterize the track along with the bass, which rises and shortly after descends into the lower part of the keyboard, creating one of the best sounds ever found in a bass and concluding this album in the best way possible.

The album is certainly among the best albums in history (100), perhaps even better than "Entertainment!", but it requires infinite listens because it is complicated and not immediately catchy.