THE indelible mark that Britain’s late 70s post punk era has left upon today’s music industry in terms of both sound and ethos is indisputable, informing the manner in which many bands concoct their images not to mention having a direct hand in their output. One band whose years of toiling away whilst purveying brash and confrontational music has found them regularly cited as integral to a modern act’s inception is Gang Of Four.
A band that managed to attain popularity despite operating on the periphery of the mainstream; their angular riffs and passively antagonistic vocals have inspired everyone from Bloc Party to The Red Hot Chilli Peppers. 2015 sees the band return with their curiosity rousing new record What Happens Next; a true departure from their original sound.
A point of much derision among their far flung fanbase, this album sees guitarist Andy Gill appear as the only founding member of the original Leeds University members from the classic line-up.
With new member John ‘Gaoler’ Sterry taking over on lead vocals, the band’s new incarnation have delivered an album which both shimmers with the glory of their illustrious past whilst designed to venture into uncharted territory.
Beginning with a beat that could pass for a sparse take on Chromatics’ enveloping sound, ‘Where The Nightingale Sings’ soon descends into sinister and foreboding synth pop, elevated by the teasing manner in which Gill laces his unmistakable guitar licks throughout. Referencing ‘false history’ and ‘talk of racial purity’, its lyrics depict a dystopian world eerily similar to the society in which we currently live.
Raising the tempo in an almost jarring fashion, the Alison Mosshart featuring ‘Broken Talk’ is an enjoyable track that is led by a deep bass groove. Featuring swirling, effects laden guitar which veers erratically from low in the mix to its focal point; Gill’s distinctive playing style is established as the glue which enables the band to hold on to remnants of their former self.
However, this isn’t necessarily as much of a disadvantageous thing as it may appear at first glance. As indicated by the album’s title, this is the next evolution of a timeless band. Their remaining founding member isn’t content to merely pay homage to their stellar reputation and will undoubtedly be aware of the subsequent backlash that may occur; something which must be applauded in an era where many classic acts are willing to release homogenised rock and roll to appease as as opposed to innovate and inspire in the manner which they were once able to.
Delving into the often treacherous realm of industrial music on ‘Obey The Ghost’, GO4 manage to utilise the oft maligned genre to their advantage and create one of the album’s most subversive moments. The aforementioned track enables the listener to recall the rampant experimentation and refusal which made their original incarnation such a imposing force within the creative and expansive post punk landscape.
The second appearance of The Dead Weather vocalist Mosshart occurs on ‘England’s In My Bones’, a brash number punctuated by its funk indebted riff and excellent percussion; whilst the Herbert Gronemeyer featuring sees the band meld ambient textures with haunting, new wave vocals.
Squalling riffs and a great deal of distortion introduce ‘Isle Of Dogs’; one of the album’s more straightforward compositions that breaks very little new ground, an issue which resurfaces upon ‘Stranded.’
Featuring Robbie Furze of The Big Pink, ‘Graven Image‘s’ thunderous percussion, dense guitars and tangents of electronic wizardry set it apart from the bulk of the album; perhaps one of the few occasions in which the band’s initial concept played out as they had originally intended.
One of the record’s more frenetic moments, ‘First World Citizen’ features moments of profound lyricism remarking upon the fundamental flaws in the western world’s capitalist ideologies.
Bringing the album to its conclusion, the Hotei featuring ‘Dead Souls’ finds the band straying into heavier territory in terms of riffs and solos than can be found anywhere else throughout this diverse and ambitious record.
In summation, Gang Of Four have defied convention and released an album that they have clearly poured a great deal of thought into. Fans looking for rehashed versions of their classic tracks need not apply, but those looking to abandon their preconceived notions and allow the band to exhibit their latest form will find several moments of triumphs alongside tracks where they failed to strike the intended chord with their audience.