Gotham!
2002 should be remembered as being a fine year for American groups bringing their British '80s influences bang up to date and relevant again. So while Liars captured the essence of Gang Of Four, Interpol tackled Joy Division and 2002's Jesus And Mary Chain were Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Radio 4 aim for The Clash's post-London Callingphase. It was an ambitious step to take and one which provided many pitfalls, but this recording was a brave and successful excursion. With vocals recalling the vitriol of Mick Jones and a sustained melodic intensityGotham!is another post-punk exemplar.Our Town,Dance To The UndergroundandSave Your Cityare driven, urgent anthems which sound a rallying cry for the disenfranchised. Perhaps even more satisfyingly,StruggleandPipe Bombsre-enact The Clash's experimental dubbing techniques. Purists may scoff that this music is unoriginal but it would be foolish to moan when some of this revivalist material has a level of consistency which surpasses the original work.