Enemies Like This
Numerous bands took inspiration from the Clash, P.I.L., and Gang of Four, and did something new and inspirational with that post-punk, herky-jerky rollercoaster anthemic style of funk bravado. Take Holland's the Ex, for example: over twenty years after starting as anarchist squatters railing against what sell-outs Gang of Four were, they're infusing their music with new textures borrowed from improvised and African music, and in many ways are more politically relevant than ever. On the other hand, New York-based Radio 4--whose name is borrowed from Public Image Limited and their sound a cleaned-up walk through of the greatest hits of the Clash and Gang of Four--fail to bring much that is new or interesting to their third album. It makes for decent-enough music to ogle pretty people in slanty haircuts out of the corner of your eyes to, while also trying to get the bartender's attention. But surely there are higher things to aspire to in music, especially when one rather clumsily apes music that was trying to make some sort of a difference.--Mike McGonigal