Album

Description

Public Image Limiteds eighth album takes no prisoners, opening with crunching chords and John Lydons snarling in FFF. Released in a generic blue-and-white sleeveeach format titled accordinglythis is arguably PILs most consistently successful album. Rise is an amazing piece of work and a high point in the bands career. Lydons lyrics about torture in South Africa afford him the opportunity to use all of his vocal tricksfrom 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 bands sound. It gives weight to the rhythm section and also adds harshness to the guitars, making them more suited to Lydons 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.