...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.

"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.

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.

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?