Track Listing

1. Ether
2. Naturals Not In It
3. Not Great Men
4. Damaged Goods
5. Return The Gift
6. Guns Before Butter
7. I Found That Essence Rare
8. Glass
9. Contract
10. At Home He's A Tourist
11. 5.45
12. Love Like Anthrax
13. Outside The Trains Don't Run On Time
14. He'd Send In The Army
15. It's Her Factory

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4494 in Music
• Released on: 1995-01-23
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

White Funk???!
Is there a less appealing musical term than `white funk'? The phrase conjures up any number of appalling possibilities, but that's exactly what `Entertainment!' is. And it's a fantastic album - perhaps the definitive post-punk LP.

Musically, `Entertainment!' melds elements of punk, funk, rock, and dub. The bass sound is much more prominent than in most `white' albums of the time to create a curiously uptight, precisely-drilled form of punk/funk - a long way from the seemingly loose-limbed sound of Black America patented by James Brown.

Lyrically, the album is fascinating. Could any other album give a critique on the Marxist concept of alienated labour (as `Entertainment!' does in `Natural's Not In It') and remain so listenable? And songs like `Love Like Anthrax' and `Damaged Goods' reject commonly accepted opinions of love, romance, and marriage - describing it as `a contract in our mutual interest'. Not true, but interesting nonetheless.

And, if you should buy one album on CD rather than via download, make sure it's this one: the artwork highlights a number of social assumptions that the band wish to challenge (sample: `the police act impartially to defend the rights of a minority group'). They don't state that these assumptions are wrong; just that they should be questioned. If only more LPs would give such credit to the intelligence of the listener.

Evisceratingly innovative
Looking back a quarter of a century, it's obvious now that with the preceding "Damaged Goods" EP (on the independent Fast label) and this album The Gang of Four were the most incisive and complete of Britain's post-punk, highly politicised groups. Perhaps only The Au Pairs came close to matching them.

The Gang of Four at this time were a heady, dancing and shattering mix; trenchant political lyrics, funk or reggae basslines coupled with propulsive drum patterns and dissonant, shearing, tearing guitar. The themes of alienation, dehumanising consumerism and political manipulation running through the words merged perfectly with their insistent sonic assault, producing a fitting soundtrack to the times and one of the most accomplished debut albums ever. I was fortunate enough to catch them just before it was released and "Entertainment!" also captures the potency of their live performance.

Unfortunately, the situationist subversion they intended by signing to EMI instead seemed to neuter The Gang of Four; not much they did after this was as good. However, this album is, along with Joy Division's "Unknown Pleasures" and The Au Pairs' "Playing With A Different Sex", an indispensable document of music in late 70s/early 80s Britain. It is "Entertainment!".

Yes, Yes, Yes!!!!
You think the Sex Pistols were better than this lot? Get a grip. This is one hell of an album, including some great bass playing. Come on, buy it!!