"Return the Gift" is a compilation album by the British post-punk band Gang of Four. Released in October 2005, the album features re-recordings of songs from the band's earlier albums.
Gang of Four officially formed in 1977 in Leeds, England. Their sound is a unique blend of punk and funk, and they're known for their edgy and socially aware lyrics. They played a major role in the development of post-punk music and have been influential to numerous bands and artists in a variety of genres. Members of the band during the recording of "Return the Gift" included Jon King, Andy Gill, Hugo Burnham, and Busta Jones.
"Return the Gift" isn't a typical ‘greatest hits’ collection. Instead, the band chose to re-record some of their most popular tracks from their early albums including "Entertainment!" and "Solid Gold". This decision was made in part because the band didn't feel the original recordings did the songs justice in terms of production quality. The songs were re-recorded as faithfully as possible to their original versions, but with improved technology for better sound quality.
The album consists of two discs: the first disc contains the re-recorded songs, while the second one is a remix set of the songs from the first disc. Some of the standout tracks on this album include "At Home He's A Tourist," "Damaged Goods," and "Natural's Not In It." The re-recordings served not just to present the songs in a cleaner, more polished format, but also to display the band's enduring relevance and vitality.
