Music
All-Time High (And Low) Scores
Best of 2009
Best of 2008
Best of 2007
Best of 2006
Best of 2005
Best of 2004
Best of 2003
Best of 2002
Best of 2001
Best of 2000
Best of the Decade
Upcoming &
Recent Releases
75
2562
54
30 Seconds to Mars
62
50 Cent
71
AC/DC
70
The Album Leaf
52
Kris Allen
68
Tori Amos
66
Animal Collective
84
Animal Collective
77
Annie
57
Apse
63
Asobi Seksu
59
Bad Lieutenant
83
Julianna Barwick
82
Beach House
72
Beak>
72
Bibio
65
Justin Bieber
76
Biffy Clyro
74
Blakroc
75
Mary J. Blige
78
Blockhead
52
Bon Jovi
54
Susan Boyle
57
The Bravery
39
Chris Brown
64
V.V. Brown
70
Basia Bulat
79
Chew Lips
74
Citay
65
Clipse
66
Cold War Kids
75
The Cribs
58
Dashboard Confessional
81
Dave Rawlings Machine
70
Delphic
78
The Doors
58
Echo & The Bunnymen
73
Edan
59
Editors
69
Eels
80
Felt
74
First Aid Kit
69
Flyleaf
83
Four Tet
82
Ben Frost
82
Fucked Up
83
Charlotte Gainsbourg
63
The Gilded Palace Of Sin
68
Githead
65
Joe Goddard
58
Good Shoes
72
Gucci Mane
75
Holopaw
82
Jesca Hoop
79
Hot Chip
72
The Hot Rats
88
Ray Wylie Hubbard
54
Hurricane Chris
66
Allison Iraheta
59
Jay Sean
82
Freedy Johnston
57
Nick Jonas And The Administration
73
Norah Jones
49
Juvenile
58
Ke$ha
62
R. Kelly
66
Alicia Keys
68
Kid Sister
81
King Midas Sound
63
Lady Antebellum
76
Lady GaGa
71
Adam Lambert
78
Lawrence Arabia
61
Leona Lewis
74
Lightspeed Champion
36
Lil Wayne
82
Lindstrom & Christabelle
77
Lissie
78
Los Campesinos!
70
Lostprophets
73
Magnetic Fields
72
Massive Attack
64
John Mayer
71
Paul McCartney
58
Katherine McPhee
86
Memory Tapes
72
Midlake
88
Motion City Soundtrack
63
Mr. Hudson
53
Mudvayne
75
Oh No Ono
70
OK Go
72
Ola Podrida
61
OneRepublic
80
Owen Pallett
80
Pantha du Prince
90
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
80
Phantogram
60
Pit Er Pat
63
Priestess
70
Radian
79
Corinne Bailey Rae
54
Rakim
79
Real Estate
77
Retribution Gospel Choir
76
Rihanna
64
Rjd2
65
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
77
Sade
77
Gil Scott-Heron
72
Shakira
82
Shining
61
Snoop Dogg
62
Snow Patrol
71
The Soft Pack
80
Spoon
64
Ringo Starr
59
Stereophonics
76
Angie Stone
79
Surfer Blood
74
Switchfoot
75
Them Crooked Vultures
74
Robin Thicke
50
Timbaland
79
tUnE-YaRDs
80
Vampire Weekend
79
Laura Veirs
79
Tom Waits
78
Wale
65
The Watson Twins
66
Kanye West
76
The Whitefield Brothers
64
Robbie Williams
80
Yeasayer
62
Young Money
75
Neil Young
61
Rob Zombie
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
Return The Gift
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 20 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 5 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: V2
Release Date: 11 October 2005
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Alternative, Rock
Summary
It's nearly impossible to read an indie music review these days without seeing the words "Gang Of Four" pop up, but that influential band hasn't been around to take advantage of its newfound fame. Until now, that is, as the reunited Gang (in its original lineup for the first time since 1981) returns with newly re-recorded versions of 14 of its classic songs.
Also On The Web: Official Artist Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Alternative Press
This revisitation of the band's canon burns brighter than a thousand nuclear-rector accidents. [Nov 2005, p.218]
Entertainment Weekly
Shows the Gang still do it best. [28 Oct 2005, p.84]
Q Magazine
It shows a band building a new outpost atop the summit of their achievements. [Nov 2005, p.124]
Billboard
Time has not dulled the group's scarily tight musicianship. [15 Oct 2005]
Mojo
The best Gang Of Four tribute album... ever. [Nov 2005, p.96]
Under The Radar
Listening to the sharp separation of song and instrumentation elements that mark these recordings reveals the merit in Gang of Four reworking their own songs. [#11, p.107]
The Guardian
Return the Gift sees the foursome re-recording their original songs and, implausibly, making them better.
Read Full Review >Dusted Magazine
So yes, they've still got it. But that still begs the question; do you need re-recordings of tunes that changed the face of rock music? Not as badly as you need the originals, that's for sure.
Read Full Review >All Music Guide
One thing that remains unchanged, to no surprise whatsoever, is the enduring vitality of the material.
Read Full Review >Junkmedia
Does it replace the originals as the definitive Gang of Four collection? No way.
Read Full Review >Lost At Sea
The problem is simply that Gang of Four got Entertainment! right the first time, whether they like it or not.
Read Full Review >Pitchfork
Bottom line is that if you've got the old albums and you want to experience Gang of Four again, better to shell out for the actual show than for the disc that approximates it.
Read Full Review >Tiny Mix Tapes
I'm sure purists would prefer to snag the recently remastered originals as opposed to this Gift, even though those older fans would be able to appreciate this album most.
Read Full Review >Uncut
Neither embarrassing nor unenjoyable, then, but still an exercise bearing a cautionary sting. [Nov 2005, p.98]
Blender
It's the musical equivalent of George Lucas's tinkering with the Star Wars DVDs--some flaws are best left uncorrected. [Nov 2005, p.135]
New Musical Express
It's a little like a Crimewatch reconstruction: very well put together, all in a good cause, vaguely entertaining, but really they're just hoping it'll vaguely remind you of something that happened years ago. [1 Oct 2005, p.47]
Paste Magazine
It's disappointing to find Gang of Four recycling the past so bluntly, trafficking in a nostalgia industry they should be well above. [Dec 2005, p.122]
cokemachineglow
Though, technically, the production is much “improved” here, meaning that the album is louder and clearer, it’s still not a very enjoyable listen when the listener can’t shake the idea that something’s amiss.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 7.8 (out of 10) based on 5 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Brian S gave it a6:
I hadent heard much about Gang of Four until recently. Enterainment is a stunning album and near perfect, which is what makes this album seem more of a sell out, something im sure they will deny. If it makes introduces more people to GOF then great, but some new material would have been nice ( if they have any in them ) ;)
slawek k gave it an8:
sometimes uneven but the general opinion is definitely positive. i like their paranoic sound. the second song would be a number 1 on some alternative chart.
Volt Meter gave it a9:
Bummer that there's no new material here. But these guys are still amazingly tight. I saw them at every Boston venue with the original lineup. If anything, the new versions have a harder edge to them: Hugo pounds like a piledriver and Andy Gill shreds blistering funk feedback. I love this CD. But I just wish that they'd follow the cue of one of their touring mates from '79-'81 (Mission of Burma) and put forth some new material. I'd like to see what sonic mayhem the crew would make after 24 years (when Dave Allen left). Dave Allen's funk bass was in my humble opinion the cement of GOF. He and Hugo were one of the tightest rhythm sections I've ever seen. After he and Hugo left, Gang of Four became a rather boring affair. Pop won out over hard funk. But the past is...well, the past. I love the re-recordings. At least it might introduce GOF to a new audience. The kid who rang up my purchase had never heard GOF. And this was at a shop that prides itself in being the most progressive (small) chain of music stores. With all the rehashed "post punk" rip off bands out there, it would be nice to see the granddaddies of post punk get their due props.
Michael J gave it a10:
Assertive, confident, crisp, live, energetic, timeless. and tight.
