490 - Gang of Four - Entertainment!

[csberry]

Entertainment! has one goal in mind: to agitate the listener into some sort of action. They hope you will be influenced by their political messages, but if you don't like the jittery sound of the album, you will certainly be moved to act...by turning the record off. The songs on the album combine staccato guitars (I only heard a handful of places where the guitar sustained a note for more than 3 seconds), spoken/shouted vocals, and a driving march by the rhythm section. The production is simple but the songs are not simplistic. This isn't a quiet album, but silence is an element in the songwriting.

There isn't a lot of variety here. If you love one song, you are likely to love them all. What speaks volumes about this band is how many varieties of bands that have this sound as their foundation. Many songs sound like Franz Ferdinand. Turn up the volume, throw in some metal, allow the guitars to wail...and you have Rage Against the Machine.

If you have a teenager that is trying to be an anarchist, give them this album as a present.

Songs I knew I liked: None

Songs I didn't know but now like: "Not Great Men," "Damaged Goods," and "At Home He's a Tourist"

Songs I can go the rest of my life without hearing again: There weren't any songs that I didn't like as much as I found myself worn down as the album progressed.