In this day and age where the musical landscape is littered with a bunch of posturing wanna-be's who are being given way too much attention, leeway, and, well, cash, it's good to know that a band like Gang Of Four can still manage to exist.
When GOF charged out of England with their abrasive, yet stunning debut effort, Entertainment, in 1979, little did they know that they'd be influencing bands like The Rapture and Franz Ferdinand some thirty years later. Like most pioneers, there was no trail for them to follow, not that they'd have taken it anyway, choosing instead to create an aural steamroller capable of mowing down an entire forest. Hence, while the band was widely lauded by music critics, they languished in commercial obscurity before eventually disbanding in the mid 80's.
Absence, of course, made the hearts of many grow fonder and the band's hipster cache grew significantly over the years. By the time the original line-up reunited for a 2004 world tour, there was a new generation of fans and bands hanging on their every note.
Of course, the idea that the band would ever record a new album was unthinkable. We fans were just happy to finally get a chance to hear the songs we'd come to know and love performed live by the same men who'd created them decades ago. Having said that, the fact that the band has indeed completed work on a new album is cause for celebration and much shouting from the rooftops.
The album, entitled Content, will arrive on January 25 via the good ship Yep Roc Records (who have been putting out some truly inspired albums as of late from the likes of Nick Lowe, Robyn Hitchcock, Paul Weller, and Bell XI, to name but a few).
Those interested in catching a sneak peek can head over to NPR, where the album is streaming in its entirety! (LINK)