Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.With most of today's young rock bands, British and American, drawing on the musical legacy of spiky new-wave combos such as Wire, XTC, Talking Heads and themselves, the Gang of Four could hardly have chosen a better time to regroup. Frankly, it would be hard to find a period of political betrayal more deserving of their brand of lofty, scathing agit-pop. This 2CD pack, however, is more a stop-gap summation than a fresh broadside. One disc is re-recorded highlights from their heyday, the other is those same tracks remixed by a selection of bands and producers, including Paul Epworth, Ladytron, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Dandy Warhols. Once sampled, the latter is destined to remain nestled snugly in its sleeve; it is almost completely, unlistenably wrong-headed. Lost amid dub abstracts of the original riffs, the muttered commentaries on commodity culture leave the GO4 sounding like snobby student politicos. Which isn't the case on the band's own re-created versions, which have an infectious muscularity that overrides the caustic disdain of the lyrics. The rhythm section never sounded this fat, drummer Hugo Burnham and bassist Dave Allan laying tough funk grooves more capable of carrying Andy Gill's distinctive, serrated slashes of guitar.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments