Customer Reviews

Songs of the Free (Reis)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

...from the reviewers that seem to only want to hear the Gang Of Four that recorded Entertainment! While that's definitely an awesome record, Gang Of Four took their angular, bass-driven and totally original sound to a more radio-friendly level on Songs Of The Free. And that's OK, people!

If The Human League had never tightened their chops to make Dare, if Nirvana had never hooked up with Butch Vig to create Nevermind, they'd still be remembered...but as beloved cult bands. And while Gand Of Four never reaped the hoped-for commercial success with Songs Of The Free, I believe it remains their best album. Check it out for yourself! But do get Entertainment, too. I bet you'll toss your Franz Ferdinand CD out the window.

For goodness sake, will someone get around to re-releasing this? This is the maturation of the angular thud that was Gang of Four and really their last great album. More pop friendly with a big nod to the dance floor styles of the day. Gone are Hugo Burnham's huge drums and the signature guitar is mixed down a bit from the face melting histrionics of Entertainment and Solid Gold.
Buy everything they produced up to and including this....if you can find it without having to take a second mortgage.

"Songs of the Free" was released after some harder-edged albums like Entertainment and Solid Gold. This still has the "Gang Of Four" sound, and does not degrade because it is a little richer and less minimalist. It certainly has an eighties flavor, however it also feels timeless. The hard-biting guitar is still there, as well as the excellent rhythm section with strong base lines and solid drum beats. Andy Gill's lyrics are as thick, powerful, and woundingly true as ever.
"I Love A Man In A Uniform" is a classic song, delving into the military mindset. "The History Of The World" cynically sums up not only our times, but all times past. "Muscle For Brains" is an anthem against all those who would act in the your interest in their interest of control. Every song on this album is great, and it is only a bonus that the dub version of "I Love A Man In A Uniform" is included.
The one negative about this particular version, is that it is a collectible, original release, at a large price because of it. However, it has since been re-released on "Infinite Zero Archive", and should be available used at a far depleted price in comparison to this version. Probably only used as well, but check out the Z-shops or elsewhere if "Infinite Zero" version is not available.

I have to write in to stick up for this album. As a fan of GOF since their Entertainment! days, I owned this album on vinyl back in the day (in fact, most of the tunes selected for their greatest hits compilation from this album were all on one side of the LP, which I played to death!). This album is slower and funkier than Entertainment! and a bit of Solid Gold, but the formula of King's anguished voice over Gill's creatively distorted and sustained guitar sounds over a funk-rock beats is still there, though the funk beats evoke a bit more of dance music than before. In fact, at times Gill's multiple guitars, which are less scratchy than the early recordings, are huger than ever. It's a good and frequently great album; the best of this album really holds up well. Last thought: this album was recorded after the death of punk, the death of disco, and during a general backlash toward "black music" (and a couple of years before Michael Jackson's barrier breaking "Thriller" album) and rise of new wave/MTV culture. It was also fully into the Reagan/Thatcher government years and accompanying tough economic times. Moving away from the punkier, edgier sounds and faster tempos of Entertainment! and toward the smooth, dark sounds of Songs of the Free made a lot of sense back then; it seemed like a natural evolution to keep the angst and hopelessness and powerlessness and the comfort of surrender set to a smooth and funky groove. Today, listening 25 years later (how the hell did THAT happen!), the best songs on this album are among my most favorite by GOF (along with a healthy dose of Entertainment!, select few from Solid Gold, and the two from the To Hell with Poverty EP). This was a great move by GOF that made sense then and sounds good now.

years ago i burned up my vinyl copy and wondered, in disbelief, why in the world the Gang never reissued this 10 star gem. Patience has paid off! tx guys

I first heard this album when I was a freshman in college, about a year after its original release. It so completely described my worldview at the time that I told complete strangers to get to know me by listening to it. Well, my attitude's changed (somewhat), or I'd be dead by now, but I still know no better expression of rage, depression and capitalist loathing than the songs contained on this disc. Unlike some people before, during and after my generation, I was never strictly wedded to the orthodoxies of punk, and I certainly never minded a dash of this or that thrown in for good measure. If this is pop music, dear God, give us more pop. Beneath the (slightly) mellowed musical presentation here is a blistering, violent, unyielding take on losing your soul to the excesses of commercial culture. Don't let a little tunefulness distract you from the mayhem lurking underneath. An essential recording, in my book.

For their third album, Gang of Four smoothed out their sound considerably. The abrasive, confrontational attitude has been toned down in favour of sarcasm and black humour. And Andy Gill's guitar playing is much more restrained, often washing in and out of the mix instead of brutally cutting through. Instead, the band incorporate dance, funk, and even pop influences, making the songs much more accessible than before. For such an uncompromisingly political band, the "sellout" jeers were inevitable.

But so what if 'Songs of the Free' is more commercial? It's still a great album. Really, being able to incorporate new musical influences and making your message more subtle should be seen as a strength, not a weakness. There are still some very cutting and political lyrics here, just dressed up in gallows humour and world-weariness ("Good, yes, you've done well, here is a small prize", "To have ambition was my ambition", "It's not so bad in the promised land", "Making money is making sense"). It's true that the more danceable, catchy rhythms may cause listeners to overlook their meaning, but the musical approach does suit the more restrained and ironic lyrics.

The highlights are the opening one-two punch of 'Call Me Up' and 'I Love A Man In A Uniform', plus 'We Live As We Dream Alone'. All three are the best incorporation of dance elements into the typical Gang Of Four sound. Other interesting diversions include the tribal 'Life It's A Shame', and 'Of The Instant', the closest they ever came to a pop ballad. The album is pretty consistent throughout, with the only real clunker being the boring 'I Will Be A Good Boy'.

It is hard not to miss the energy of their earlier work, and the direction of 'Songs Of The Free' did foreshadow the band's decline into mediocrity. But don't judge the album on what it led to, just judge it on what it is. 'Songs of the Free' is a very good album. Bitingly sarcastic political protests were never so danceable.

Gang Of Four whipped-out 2 violently intelligent LPs before embarking on an experiment which would send them astray forever. With the departure of David Allen (to later become apart of Shriekback) and relentless touring, the remaining members became wary of producing the same type of angular post-punk that they've been reknown for. The group wanted to try a different method for their songs, and although they obviously were not pleasing many old admirers, the change of quality into pop makes for an interesting statement of the group's pursuit.

Sure, they could have made another Solid Gold, but why? It could just have lessen the previous impact of the work. Instead the transition into pop appeared more of a challenge; to perfectly bridge the gap of pop and political awareness by giving in to a more accessible sound.

Granted, like many who heard the album at first, I was saddened and disinterested in what seemed like a major sell-out of creativity. Why did they change the great sound they had forged? Couldn't they have just split up or at least change the name of the band? My favorite group suddenly sucked.

I kept the record (probably for some completist reason) and tried to make sense of it. And with repeated listens, something start to click within the songs. I found the lyrics to be some of the most desperate, urgent and introspective ever for a band. The music had some jagged edge still, but it was mostly washed over by post-production. Despite this, the sound was not right in someway, as if it was almost one beat off or something, too dancey for Art Punk and too Art Punk to dance to. It was the sound of a group on the verge of selling-out to the public and at the same time like a group trying to retain their indentity. It was as if Gang Of Four searched for a middle ground.

Unfortunity, the investigation into pop became too obvious and produced 2 horrrible records (Hard and even worse, Mall). So, check out the first 2 recordings by the band before any others.

But Gang Of Four should always be remembered for trying to move forward, even if they stumbled.

I am always amused when I hear what others think are the best albums of a particular group, or the best tracks of a particular album.

I really liked "Entertainment" and "Solid Gold" when they were released, but "Songs of the Free" is in a whole other league. The sophistication of the sound is light years ahead of the other two albums, and the songs are at least as well developed, both lyrically and structurally. Listening to it today, the music doesn't sound dated at all, unlike the earlier albums. The inclusion of the two bonus tracks (tracks number 10 & 11) are unfortunate because they detract from the overall flow of the original release.

I freely admit that the albums following "Songs of the Free" are really bad. My cringing last memory of Gang of Four is seeing them at the Palace in Los Angeles after "Hard" was released, and seeing Andy Gill playing guitar while simultaneously holding a beer bottle and a pick, spraying the beer around while he played. How did they go from artists to rock star poseurs so quickly?

This is the story of a post punk hard edged band that turned into just another 80's dance band. I guess Mtv was too alluring for them. They weren't the only ones I mean PIL, Joy Division/New Order to name a few more to jump on that bandwagon. They had so much talent and they gave it up for predictable pop songs. You never saw American Hardcore, Metal or Grunge bands do this. I lived back then and to see this happening with all of the good British bands was very depressing.