The LP version of this release was called ALBUM. The cassette version was called CASSETTE.
Public Image Limited's eighth album takes no prisoners, opening with crunching chords and John Lydon's snarling in "FFF." Released in a generic blue-and-white sleeve--each format titled accordingly--this is arguably PIL's most consistently successful album. "Rise" is an amazing piece of work and a high point in the band's career. Lydon's lyrics about torture in South Africa afford him the opportunity to use all of his vocal tricks--from his patented warble to angry shouting. He even sings(!) on the great chorus. The musical backing highlights big-beat drumming, ringing guitar, and an agile, fluid bassline.
Production assistance from Bill Laswell does two important things for the band's sound. It gives weight to the rhythm section and also adds harshness to the guitars, making them more suited to Lydon's caustic vocals. "Ease" experiments with the drone of the didgeridoo. "Home" is a crashing rock song that, while proclaiming "Better days will never be," manages to suggest that righteous anger can be a force for change. This is a classic album by a band with a history of uniformly fine material.
Live Recording
Public Image Ltd. includes: John Lydon (vocals); Nicky Skopelitis (guitar); Bill Laswell (bass); Tony Williams (drums).
Lydon and vai ROCK Not only is this a freat album of lydon's music (rise et al) but also featuring the scorching guitar work of steve vai (uncredited)
you'll know it when you here it Submitted by jwljr (Boca raton Florida) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
80's alt rock Half this CD is very guitar heavy. "FFF", "Fishing" and "Bags" rock pretty hard. If you don't have a problem with Lydon's rather distinctive vocal style, then it's a great CD. It still holds up after 20 years. Submitted by Milt (Seattle, USA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
$9.45 The trail of Public Image Limited is littered with brilliant shards of song, and GREATEST HITS is the perfect introduction to the band's varied sounds. This collection covers PIL's early nods toward punk rock--in "Public Image," where singer John Lydon's snarls, "You never listen to a word that I said"--and several bite-sized chunks of SECOND EDITION's disturbing art-rock. The disc also features ...
$8.39 2 LPs on 1 CD. Originally issued on vinyl as THE METAL BOX in England (or 2ND EDITION in the U.S.).
METAL BOX, PIL's second album, arrived in stores in 1979, packaged in a metal can modeled after a film canister. The expensive album, slightly re-sequenced and refitted with a traditional sleeve, was re-released the following year as SECOND EDITION. The 11-minute "Albatross" opens the proceedings, centered upon powerful bass punctuated by spiky ...
$10.49 The plaintive voice-cracking wail of "Won't you miss me / won't you miss me at all?" in "Dark Globe" could just as easily have been directed at a departing lover or the fanbase that Syd was separating himself from at the time through chemical abuse and reclusive behavior. The most compelling song lyrics on MADCAP, however, were not even written by Barrett, but by fellow spiritual expatriate James Joyce. The unlikely collaboration "Golden Hair" ...
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