Gang of Four play the Phoenix February 4. See listing. Rating: NN
Any time an influential band reunites, you’re forced to wonder if they really have something new to say or if they’re just back to pick up royalty cheques. It’s a question you’d rather not have to ask of Gang of Four, whose seminal 1979 debut was as notable for its strident left-wing politics as it was for laying down its essential post-punk blueprint. But as their anti-consumerist screeds now score Xbox commercials, the question is unavoidable.
Judging from their first album of new material in over 15 years, the answer is unclear. The band’s staccato riffs and funk-punk rhythms recall their pre-disco beginnings, but they’re delivered without the urgency that once defined the Leeds four-piece. Jon King’s vocals sound especially diminished, a reality underscored by the occasional electronic manipulation, while the cluttered mix overcompensates for repetitive songwriting. Without the vitality of youth, Gang of Four risk drowning in the sea of bands they inspired.
Top track: I Party All The Time
