Reviews (page 5 of 8)
I swear, the way some reviews were trashing this one, I expected another version of The Birthday Party. This is not that at all. This is actually pretty good. Lots of classic punk, but still innovative and unserious. Definitely influential. I enjoyed this.
Real highs and lows. Mostly lows to be fair; but Religion II feels like such a big high it almost drags it to a three star rating. But mostly, it's Horrible John Lydon talking over fairly industrial and unpleasant music.
Instruments were cool. Vocals made it hard to get through
Not my doubd
I don’t wanna hear about how this album was a pioneering bastion for post-punk as a whole. If that’s the case, then the best thing I can say about First Issue is the quote from moneyball, “the first one through the wall always gets bloody”. Because this is a bloody mess at times. While the songs “Religion 1 & 2” are true to the spirit of punk music, it’s about as shallow of a criticism of organized religion as I can think of. So many songs have made more tactful, interesting criticisms than these ones. Even the rhyme scheme and delivery is clunky. The shouting toward the end of “Annalisa” isn’t raw or cool, it’s grading and doesn’t reward the listener for getting through a very humdrum track thats mostly comprised of one melodic loop. Is “Fodderstompf” a parody of more popular music of its time? I genuinely couldn’t tell or come up with another reason why the album ended that way. Hard to find anything good to say about this album other than I’m glad that post-punk developed into much more than the sounds of this project
Fácilmente me convencieron el gran bajo, la batería y lo demás
Wowee what a struggle. If I never have to listen to a single track of this album it'll be to soon. As I was suffering through the random screeching into the microphone that is the 1st track, I thought 'well it can only get better' Little did I know that by the end of it I'd be longing for the first track. Fodderstompf was particularly terrible, and I could not make it through. 0/5
pior q eu gosto de public image mas esse álbum é bem mid das ideia
bom definitivamente é post punk num eh ruim nao, tem umas barulheira boa. mas nada demais também
Yeah, just not the genre for me... oh well
cool but not cool enough for me to want to listen to unless im running an ultra hip bar or denim store to look down my nose at people with more mainstream taste than me.
2.5
Another album that sounds like all the other rubbish punk rock type sound. They're all the damned same. All rubbish. Why are they on this list?
Wilde een 2 geven, maar toen ik het laatste nummer hoorde was ik snel om
Repetitive and not in a pleasant listenable way
If you build your public image on being a nuisance, you might show some people, but you're still a nuisance.
It got better but not sure I enjoyed 4/10
Well, Theme didn’t start me off on the right listening foot. Religion sounds like a kid forced to make a presentation in front of the class but he really REALLY doesn’t want to. It’s almost as if The Clash and the Sex Pistols purposely disassembled and tried to create weird 80’s bands far removed from their original sound. The problem was, the Clash guy did it right with their band that I can’t think of the name. Johnny here just falls flat on his face. Choice cut: Fodderstompf
Alldeles för konstigt. Tvåa
Perhaps, the original negative reviews were correct....
Post-Punk. Truly awful pretentious crap, especially "Religion I", although "Annalisa" and the eponymous "Public Image" aren't too bad.
I'm 6 minutes into the first song (which is 9 minutes long) and I'm genuinely considering skipping through the whole thing. It's noisy and screechy and just not a good kind of music (for me)
This is #day231 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... it's 1978 outside, and the remnants of punk still linger in the air... Listening to Public Image: First Issue makes me wonder how, just a year earlier, Nevermind the Bollocks was released, and now John Lydon and his crew are shaping the future with this new sound. It's arguably the most punk post-punk record. I love the album's avant-garde nature: the dub-heavy bass, jagged guitars, and otherworldly drumming. It's unlike anything heard before (no wonder post-punk was dubbed "new musick" back in the day). Lydon's vocals are a key part of this soundscape: sneering, sardonic, and unsettling. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day232.
Fav: Low Life Least Fav: Fodderstompf For 3 songs, you’re reminded that John Lydon can create decent music, only for the final 2 songs to question whether you were right to believe that
I was previously not familiar with the artist or album. Overall this was an interesting listen. It has some elements that I do like, namely the first track sounds like it is way ahead of its time, but other elements that I don't like, especially the vocals in the last track. The instrumentation is interesting, but not enough to bring me back. I don't see coming back to this one.
Must have been quite something when it came out. Uncomfortable atmosphere. Completely intentional, probably. Very repetitive. I don't like it.
It was long and had a lot of noise in it.
Instrumentally it's fine, but the vocals range from uninteresting to annoying.
I didn't like it when it came out. I still don't like it. Self indulgent tuneless crap
I did not use a private session on Spotify for this one. Never cared for Rotten's voice, his poetry/lyrics weren't working for me either. I didn't have any trouble finishing this album, but I won't be going back for another listen.
I'm an atheist and I hated this. I see the incredible influence on post-punk, and for my money, noise, crust, sludge metal as well. But the problem.is this album sucks. The message is tired, the ideas don't develop amd there is no flow whatsoever
Didn’t finish not my vibe
early and eclectic building blocks and foundations of new wave punk music. experimental and dissonant, this album is a manifesto of sorts, abstract and incensed poems about self and society's worst. it's a slightly messy and shocking sound that many listeners might find absurd and a little demented, but i understand the concept that's being presented here. it's a good example of musical therapy, the album is fine by itself, but if you're REALLY going through it, you've got yourself a diamond in the rough. a true underdog of artistic rock music.
3/4
WHAT AN AWFUL THING THIS IS! It starts with a song in which he repeats "I wish I could die" a million times while sounding like he put a cloth over the microphone he's yelling into. Or like he's yelling into a megaphone instead of a microphone. And you die of boredom with him and you think that even though he wishes he could die, you'll die before him. And at the end of the song he says: "Terminal boredom" and it perfectly describes what just happened! This is radioactive shit, you can get cancer from it. TO BE AVOIDED BY ALL MEANS. The epitome of horror. If you want to know what horror sounds like - this is what!
This is the type of bad experimental I was talking about in the Atomizer review. I know it’s an important post-punk album, but there are other important post-punk albums with the distinction of actually being good - it’s like John Lyon is allergic to actually singing here. In his rant against religion, he mentions that God spelled backwards is dog. He really acts like he’s better than all the people in religions when he saying things like that. Shut up. (Also Metal Box is fine so I don’t see the reason this needed to be included in the first place)
Absolut inte en angenäm lyssnarupplevelse men ändå tillräckligt udda och omväxlande för att vara intressant. Mer känslor och poesi än musik men jag kan nog ändå tänka mig att lyssna på det igen.
Man, John sucks. His voice ruins this album. One of the good things about this process is turning from a hater into an educated hater. I was previously a hater, but now I know the music is actually pretty good and it's just John ruining it. Even on the last song after I had been warming up to the album, John shows up to sing like a grandma. That song had really interesting, pretty good music too. But it also had John
Angry music that was a little tough to listen to on a Monday morning. Aside from that, it was decent punk rock
Hot garbage.
O disco não surpreende, mas abriu caminhos para outros que de fato surpreende. Parece algo desconexo com a realidade daquele momento.
hmmm this is interesting...lets see what Wiki says about this album. Ha I think I'll like it. Talks shit on religion lol and post punk. Offended public morals and decency lol HAHA this was a good album. 4 stars.
Not so much Never Mind The Bollocks, this is bollocks!
Another surprise. Didn't think I would like this, but I do... a lot. I'm adding it to my Tidal library and giving it five stars, 'cos it's loads of fun to listen to.
Джон Лайдон выступает в моем селе с группой Public Image Ltd. где-то в этом году, и я испытываю трудные чувства по этому поводу, но скорее всего пойду, потому что этот и следующий альбомы группы - это полнейший разъеб. Лучшая песня - Public Image.
meh
голос необычен, но не в моем вкусе
Nope.
Grows on you after the first couple tracks.
1.5
First song is a good listen throughout. Long and repetitive but fun to listen to. Didn't enjoy 2-4 very much. Five is a good song, especially loved the guitar work. Overall, listening to it doesn't make me like Lydan's voice and presence. 6 is nice aswell. With the best vocals so far. 7,8, not much. 8 especially isn't great and doesn't seem like a good way to end the record. Underwhelming listen, I must say. Not much more than that. It's probably a 1.5 but I'll be generous because there are some vibes on it.
This album feels like a bunch of kids trying to be edgy. At the age of 13, my friends and I started playing instruments and got really into Nirvana. We ran high gain, chorus pedals, flangers, and the like. We sucked and sounded just like this album. I guess we were too late to make it big by being bad.
2.5 The more I read about and listen to sex pistols and co the more they seem contrived. I liked the song theme as a post punk offering
Talented but I’m not particularly interested in the music.
Eehhh...
Yeah, yeah, Johnny Rotten, we get it — protest rock and anti-rock albums with 9-minute opening tracks are very cool and anti-establishment, and all. Good for you, you helped pioneer post-rock! I actually really respect what Lydon was going for here and think the album isn’t half bad, compared to some of the reviews I’ve read here. It’s as much performance art as it is post-punk, and there’s something here that I can gel with.
If I am unfamiliar with an artist, I usually go in blind, not looking up anything, though the album art usually comes with. When writing this up, I occasionally go to the Wikipedia page, mostly to check the year a spelling, and that's when I learned this is a John Lydon project. My hate of the Sex Pistols is already documented here, so that surprised me quite a bit. This isn't too bad. It's doing some weird stuff, and I don't love it, but I never wanted to turn it off, and it was compelling at points. This just reinforces my opinion that Malcolm McLaren is the worst thing to happen to modern music.
John Lyon is a little heavy at times some aspects were great nice beat tight band but some was wailing. You had to be in the mood for a lot of it not bad
Distorted guitars and reverberated weird vocals. Only liked the first song
Theme is too long. Religion I isn’t strong enough to justify its inclusion given the presence of Religion II. The middle of the album is pretty good, although there is always the backdrop of Lydon’s “I’m being an asshole for the sake of being an asshole, but that’s my art” shtick, which like most pre-teen proclivities is occasionally clever, frequently cringeworthy, and nearly always tiresome.
I liked nothing about this album.
1. theme - 1 2. religion - 1.5 3. religion - 1 4. analiza - 1 5. public - 1.5 6. life - 1 7. attack - 1 8. fodder - 1
“Angry cat guitar” is how my son describes Levine’s guitar, and I hope he’d find funny this toddler’s foreshortening of this primeval, post-punk kernel. The album has more actual songs than I’d given it credit for - another owned for decades and mostly neglected - but only “Public Image” feels more notes for revolution. Ground’s broken here; I salute the band and manifesto before making my way out.
Gets a 3 from the 3 middle tracks alone - the rest is generously characterized as "experimental". Very creative perhaps but a half-finished sketch of the much better Metal Box to follow
i knew a girl who recited the “lyrics” of Religion as her (successful) audition to theater school; my sole contact with her now is to occasionally check her Facebook posts to see what cringey hyper-woke position she is taking today; this has taught me much about my friend, about PiL, about theater school, and about God; “Public Image” is a fucking banger, though
Ok
Great post-punk, but it really does pale in comparison to Metal Box, their next album. That thing is a post-punk masterpiece. The groundwork is set here, but they do sound like they're fucking around a bit too much for it to really be special.
1.5 I guess. It's not horrible but it's not for me. It'll get an official 2 but really it's 1.5.
Noped out about halfway through. This was probably very fun live, but very much not the vibe my Friday night needed. I guess I understand the term post-punk now, but I want to put this back into the punk bucket.
3 Stars (8/15)
If I wanted to be screamed at for 40 minutes I’d just call my mother.
He most unpleasant album that I've listened to so far. Makes me question why people would even want to listen to something like this.
Nopety nope nope nope
I kept wishing I could die while listening to this, so I feel you, John Lydon.
I love this, though sometimes I just.can't stand Johnny "singing", but it's more like a love-hate. 4/5.
Album - Public Image: First Issue Artist - Public Image Ltd. Release - 1978 Genre - Post-Punk Heard it before? - Y Heard OF it before? - Y Do you ever have a piece of media that you know is objectively bad but you can't help but enjoy? This is one of those. I'm a big character analysis guy, and this album is a great look into the decaying egotistical mind that is John Lyndon. Don't get this twisted, I don't actually like Lyndon or care about his high-school dropout level commentary of religion and the music industry, but I enjoy him from an analysis perspective. Kind of like how I think Motley Crue's "The Dirt" is a good book because it also shows you egotistical assholes still pretending like they matter (although admittedly, Crue are far worse actual people) but I would gladly punch one of or all of their dicks if given chance. But enough about Lyndon. The actual music varies in quality, but there are consistent elements across the whole. The droning chord progressions, reverb drumming and heavy bass make a sickening thrill of song. If you need to know about the music on this album, that's really all you need to know. It's bad. It's supposed to be bad. If "Bollocks" was John's life, this is his slow, slow death. He wants to be loved for being hated. He wants it so bad, he'll make an 8 minute dub song tacked onto the end about it ("Fodderstompf.") Well, bloody fine then John. Here's your fucking positive review. I'm not laughing with you, I'm laughing at you. 7/10
A great record full of abrasive hits. It sounds way more dangerous then sex pistols.
Classic album. A statement of intent.
Just a rant. Not very interesting, annoying to try and decipher the inaudible singers.
Pretty fuckin ass
nope
GTFO dude. I'm rattling my brain trying to figure out why we needed MULTIPLE Public Image albums on this list. This may be the first time in almost 700 albums I have two 1-stars in a row. Yeesh.
Dour, sour, 39 minutes but it feels like an hour.
⭐⭐ 3/10 It isn't the worst thing I've been gifted from the album generator gods. Public Image and Religion II are actually pretty good songs. But the album is just too strange to be considered good. Starts out with a weird 9 minute long song about the singer wanted to die, ends with a strange experimental song where the singer expesses it wants to be loved. Weird songs, but not in a good sense, wish it had more songs like Public Image
I'm convinced the opening track, Theme is a test. If you can handle the overbearing, annoying 9+ minute track of nonsense, you have the tolerance level to "listen" to the rest of First Issue by Public Image Ltd. The following song(s) (track 3 is the same song with music), Religion I & II, though I can't disagree with the lyrics, this again is testing the patience of the listener. I'm guessing this is the "clever" strategy of the former Johnny Rotten, who is distancing himself from his former past, even though Bollocks was only released a year earlier, with a set of music even more annoying than anything the Sex Pistols released (which isn't much). He has so much on his mind, which clearly clouds any real creativity he may possess by passing this rubbish as "art"? The interview at the end of the US reissue is telling and reveals his hatred of his former project and bandmates. Actually, besides the song, Public Image, the highlight is the awkward, strange interview and gave me the urge to spin an album from, The Professionals (ex-Pistols, Paul Cook and Steve Jones) or Rich Kids (pre-Pistols, Glen Matlock), a superior option of Sex Pistols-related spin-off bands.
Hmm.. kind of ok, but not fantastic
Maso
Fav song: Attack A bit of a load of bollocks for the most part really. Johnny was really lost in the sauce for this album.
fabulous album if you like the way that elmo sounds
Did not like this at all. Found it annoying actually.
Punk with a significant Dub/reggae influence, evolving into post-punk. Heavy, deep bass parts paired with noisy guitar improvisations and Johnny Rotten’s angrily rambling his frustrations with religion, society, etc. Extended, repetitive, slow tempo tracks can be trance inducing, or boring depending on the person and situation. Some songs are interesting, but are they good? I can see how this set the stage for many bands (particularly bass heavy post-punkers and some noise rock, both of which I enjoy), but is it actually a good album? I think it made some innovations that inspired others to take it in better and more interesting directions.
1 intolerable
Two decent songs at best. The rest is shite, a generous 2.
This stinks.
British people yelling again, this one was on the better side though generally
Forgettable.
one of those records where you can *hear* how influential it was, all these years later. blimey.
Really funny, not sure if intentional
When I saw the album length and number of songs I thought it was alright, could be worse. But I wasn’t happy to see one 1 minute song and one 9 minute song. Nothing really sounded that great either
this was lowk ass bro
3/10 - This was a bad album. The last song deservers to be up there with pekking O in the list of songs that are so bad they are entertaining.
Just not very good. Definitely prefer sex pistols to this
Other post-punk bands around this time did this style better, like Gang of Four and Wire. Very influential album, but even compared to its contemporaries it feels empty.
is this good? no
Weird, sounds experimental. It won't make my Top 100.
I don’t like this album.
Nope. Couldnt do it. Johnni Rotten wailing on the first track, couldnt get passed it.
A landmark release in the post-punk genre. I wanted to hate this - it's noisy, strange, and just all-around strange - but I just can't bring myself to, lol. Can't help but respect the weirdness and "no fucks given" aspect of the total sound. Also, I really want to know what kind of drugs they were using to come up with a song like "Fodderstompf" - like what the actual fuck lol.
While transformative for the adjacent music scene, beyond Religion 1 and 2 and Public Image, the rest of the tracks are a bit more discordant (Low Life gets credit for its punk hooks) than is my preference. However, on the strength of these 3 or 4 tracks and the auditory journey by Lydon, it makes it work.
I'm typically into post-punk and punk but the first half of this album is some serious work to get through. It isn't until the title track that things start feeling intentional. Production wise, this album is all over the place with some songs sounding like they were professionally recorded in a studio and some of them sounding like they were recorded in a leaky bunker at the bottom of the ocean. Even at a brief 40 minutes, this self-indulgent album feels like it goes on for a little too long.
No matter how much you might dislike this band, it’s impossible to deny their contributions to post-punk. That said, I totally get why some people aren’t fans—their music is as confrontational and abrasive as it gets, almost daring you to like it. Personally, I have to be in the right mood to really enjoy what they’re doing.
Ouch. Not sure why anybody would find this enjoyable. And it doesn’t even feel all that aggressive for angry types. Just annoying. The vocals on the last track did catch the attention of my cats. I think they thought one of their own had been injured.
1.3 - Really struggled with this. Having a sense of relief when it finished really sums it up
I felt this was definitely one of the better punk albums i've heard on the 1001. The punk energy feels more genuine, and musically interesting, quite aggressively experimental at points. Fave Tracks: Theme, Public Image, Low Life, Fodderstompf 3.6/5
A difficult first listen. It grew on me.
I'm sure it was important and did lots of clever things, but it just sounded like noise to me.
Really had to get through this
The Cure-ish
Actually totally fine to die without listening to this pretentious noise
Most post-punk is not for me and this was no exception.
Off to a bad start. This is such a boring album and I just can't enjoy it no matter how hard I try. Sex Pistols are better
As soon as I pressed play, I couldn't help but notice how much like Joy Division this sounds, and I LOVE Joy Division. But then, John Lydon starts screaming and rambling completely incoherently.
If you skip the godawful opener and the unlistenable closer, you’re left with a rather decent album. Great guitaring and bassing. Unfortunately, almost half the album is left on the two aforementioned atrocities, so I won’t be shouting the its praise from the rooftops anytime soon.
Odd proto punk, didn't dislike
Guitar noise that would be better without John Lydon caterwauling over it. Not sure what it’s doing on the list.
Not too crazy about this one. Maybe I’ll enjoy Metal Box more. Fav: Public Image
Punk popish with some techno that sounds like filler
I listened to this the day after Christmas and found it refreshing. A nice vitriolic attack on hypocrisy and consumerism. The bass and drums sound good and I like the metallic guitar squalls over it.
I kinda like how confrontational this is (I think I've mentioned in a previous review that I have a high tolerance for nonsense). I can't quite give it higher than a 3 because, well, it's not really fun to listen to. But good on ya, John, you made my house-cleaning day feel cooler.
This repetitive early 80s music just makes no sense to me at ALL
Overall: 1/10 I'm usually open to experimental music but this is straight up garbage of the highest degree. Fav Song: N/A Least Fav Song: All of them quite honestly I can't even stand a second of this trash
Side A: "Theme" drops you screaming into a world of vomit and dusty trash on asphalt, swirling around it in a hazy journey through a world of not wanting to be alive any more but not seeing yourself as worth wasting a suicide attempt on. it's a hangover and a headache and it makes you say "wow, this album's gonna have such a developed sound and breadth of topic! Lydon's really goin for it!" the next three songs are about how the church blows, and they're reaaaaally boring. Side B: the title track feels like both a return to form and a huge shake-up at the same time -- the Sex Pistols were not capable of something so melodic, so fun, so much like soaring above the sky and flipping everyone below you off. but Public Image Ltd. are. and they're gonna make the most of their new sound. the next two songs are about how Malcolm McLaren is a sellout moron, and they're reaaaaally boring. "Fodderstompf" is funny though; i just never want to hear it ever again.
Oh Cliff / Sometimes it must be difficult not to feel as if / You really are a cliff / when fascists keep trying to push you over it / Are they the lemmings / Or are you, Cliff
not a standout record, but there are a couple decent tunes. i enjoyed "religion i & ii" sonically and, additionally, find that the amount of people who're angry or dismissive of these tracks only makes them better. a lot of the record is filled out with now-standard post-punk guitar-work that i always love, but with john lydon's "ain't i a stinker" style of vocal screeching over it. this shit wasn't charming in the sex pistols, and even less so now. i found this very similar to siouxsie sioux's debut record, which i listened to for this project two months ago and enjoyed significantly more. one of the benefits of this project is it has better enabled me to reflect on observations like this and develop a stronger framework for thoughts like "why do i find this album kinda mid"
Punk
I have a very low tolerance for the butter boy sell out that is John Lydon. As a result have not really delved into his PIL back catalogue - I do really like "Rise" despite John Lydon and I had therefore expected to enjoy this album despite my reservations. I am therefore a bit disappointed (but also pleased) to find that I thought the album was bullshit with no real redeeming songs/tunes/hooks.
The scariest thing about listening to this album is that I know they have another entry on the list... lurking in the shadows... waiting to strike the moment I let my guard down... and I'm going to force myself to listen to it all the way through.
God - what a dull album.
Iconic. Innovative. Possibly important... still unlistenable.
p406. 1978. 1 star. Puerile, angry 6th form lyrics offset by decent stripped down drum and bass. The only one worth listening to is the title track. And as for the 9+ minute opener - i's like punk never happened, eh John?
There's something in here now and then that I like but I can't place it. Sounds like it's been written by a lad who got kicked out of the bullingdon club for being too much of a rebel and turned punk just spouting a load of poetry he written when he was 7. Just about scrapes a low 2.
This isn’t completely without merit but it feels like it’s being all dissonant and difficult for the sake of it. Smacks of Jonny Rotten railing against the immediacy of the Sex Pistols to prove he’s such an artiste. Nowt wrong with sick riffs mate, chill out. When you’ve got a spoken word piece called ‘Religion I’, you’ve officially disappeared up your own arse. The only thing that saves this from scoring a 1 is the track PiL, which is actually decent and a good example of post-punk. The last track is so fucking shit. So bad in fact, it drags this back down to a 1 again. Fuck ‘em. Best tracks: PiL
I actually enjoyed this album much more than I thought I would given I think the Sex Pistols are well overrated and Lyndon is a tool. Fair play to him for creating something sounding like this at the time though. His full-on shill days would come later. Pretty horrible production on this but seems like it was at least a choice with the whole anti-punk/post-punk sound. Some of the lyrics are proper shite too. Religion I & II and Fodderstomp are unforgivable. Highlights: Annalisa (reminds me of The Fall) Public Image Low Life Lowlights: Religion I & II Fodderstompf. Shockingly bad. Would have been a 3 if it wasn't for those songs.
my second album from these guys. start was horrendous. it did turn into music a couple songs in. good bass lines, good guitar, but repetitive to the point of pain
I tried to listen, honest. But just no.
Nice scream at 6:50 into Theme. Kind of cool how the 2 Religion songs are spoken word then the same to music. Album kind of has Sonic Youth Daydream Nation vibes but blends together a bit; not much variation going on. The Sex Pistols singer here has some growls. Fodderstompf is weird and quite bad aside for the bass line. Decent album start to middle, overall kind of monotonous.
It is what it is
Like most post-punk records, this pretty much sucked.
cool record. you can definitely feel how it is like an evolution of the sex pistols. definitely still has that johnny rotten attitude, but it's a little more subdued and a lot more sleeker. i didn't know what to expect out of this one but was really surprised! definitely one i am going to revisit.
i've been walking around shouting "THIS IS RELIGION!" in a johnny rotten voice all day. my wife is annoyed, my cat worried. has got to be one of the worst songs ever recorded; the spoken word version doubly so. a real twat, this guy. the guitar on annalisa and public image is interesting enough to elevate the album to a 2, which really just means i'd take it over most 70s prog.
Classic
In common with the albums which were to follow I find this album is largely unlistenable apart from the single Public Image which is probably an insight into what the Sex Pistols may have become. The Religion tracks I find offensive. So anyone thinking that PIL have musical value and groundbrreaking are in my view delusional and have been taken in by John Lydon’s sneering remark and his nod to the truth when he said ‘Ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated? ” I think that this is his intention all along to see how much he can get away with and how gullible we all are. That said as the years have progressed I have warmed towards John who has become very much a national treasure. But this cannot take away from the fact that this album is an absolute disgrace and an abortion. 2 (only because of the Public Image Track)/5 28/11/24
Ah what a PIL. Good start for the former Rotten.
It’s an album, I enjoyed it, but I can’t imaging its everyone’s cup of tea
Much more fun than I thought, but that Religion hate song was a little too much. Still I had fun, strong 3
Sure man
I liked it better the second time.
Annoying at best. However, it’s still only annoying at worst. This is not great. Not for me. Nah. 2/5
The track "Public Image" is a 4/5 for me, but I just don't think anything else works. The rest of the album grates between grating sounds, egotism, and annoying whines. A pity, the album art is kind of cool.
Oof what a slog. made it 2/3 of the way through so 1 or 2 stars. I like this quote from a top review "I can fast forward through any song and wherever I stop sounds exactly the same as where I started."
Public Image - Public Image: First Issue by Public Image Ltd , 43/100. (Official Rating: 4.3/10) Posted on, “Album of the Year," "Rate Your Music" and “ MJ’s Album Reviews.” Official Ranking of the Year: Genre: Punk, Rock. Artist: Public Image ,Date: 11/19/24 “Overall, the feel, production and performance lacks and necessity for a stunning album is not presented. It had potential, buts it power is weak.”
The wailing in the first track is just the worst. I'll take Yoko over this. When the interview started in Apple Music I actually thought it was part of the album. Is this just more English crap? 1*
Not exactly my thing, but not objectionable. I like it when a new band has a concise 40 minute statement of their ideas.
Interesting
Love John Lydon but this is tough to listen to
classic Rotten's bullshits
Not a good public image.
First Issue Mixed feelings on Lydon, but I guess that’s kind of the point, he is an insufferable dickhead, but capable of producing some great music, some great ideas and some excellently pithy and provocative lines, among all the obvious contrarian and artless posturing. Obviously Sex Pistols had a big musical and cultural impact, but PiL are definitely a more interesting if more challenging listen. I’m not familiar with everything they have done, but I do like the bits I know. I do find myself attracted to their spiky conceptual auto didactic art school experimental ethos and I bought the re-issue of Metal Box on CD, mainly as the packaging is great, but it's a great listen, and I also like the album ‘album’, which has the brilliant ‘Rise’ on it. I love the cover on this album, the pastiche of the cover of a lifestyle magazine, with his neat hair and suit, poking at his image as the face of Sex Pistols/punk. I know the song Public Image, however I don’t think I’ve actually listened to this album in full before, or if I have I can’t remember it. Track 1 and 3 are a great indication of their approach - superb, prominent bass, abrasive guitar and hit and miss sloganeering. Annalisa is probably the first track that feels like a traditional song, it definitely has echoes of Sex Pistols, with its familiar sneering vocal, but with the bass, drums and wiry guitars it sounds much more modern and far more interesting. And then Public Image is a fantastic bit of agitated post punk, a superb track with its swirling and scratchy guitar and fantastic bass line. Love the Can/Neu style drums on Low Life and the bass as ever is excellen Attack is perhaps a little underpar, it doesn’t have the immediacy or sense of excitement or new ground that the other songs do. Fodderstompf is great though, superb dubby bass, minimal guitar, sprinkling of synth and some more nonsense from Lydon. This was released only one year after Never Mind the Bollocks, but it sounds worlds apart, like something from the future (of the early 80s), with its abrasive and wiry guitars, dubby bass and rhythmically interesting drums. You can really hear how influential this was; on where guitar music was going in the years after punk, as a conceptual art punk project, and then down the years on lots of great bands Conceptually I love it, I find it fascinating and musically I find it pretty addictive. Interesting albums don’t always intersect with good, but this one does. There’s some great ideas and some great music on here, feeling both futuristic and boundary pushing, but with a feeling that it could only be made at the end of the 70s in the immediate aftermath of punk. I love a MOR crafted pop album as much as anyone, but I also love this. You know what, I’m giving it 5. 💊💊💊💊💊 Playlist submission: Public Image
Post-punk, edgy and smart.
Here we are, the birth of post-punk, from an ex-Sex Pistol. I fully expected this to be abrasive, and it was. And I must admit, it's grown on me slightly. "Annalisa" has a pulsing beat, and this erratic, repeating guitar that suggests being possessed. "Public Image" is the only single off the album, probably because it's the only once that could be. It's the best song on it, and sums up not only the album, but the entire project as a band. It has this salty, arrogant optimism to it that's infectious. "Fodderstompf" is a song to chill and relax to. In a strait jacket. Absolutely insane. But hilarious. I know it's a stupid throwaway but I keep coming back to it. God help the next person who hands me the aux cord. Fav tracks: Annalisa, Public Image, Fodderstompf
Kova
I liked 1978 and I like punk. I did not like this.
Awful
John Lydon trying to prove his relevance after the dissolution of The Sex Pistols, but just providing a noisy, incoherent footnote.
I don’t like this - but I do respect it. It makes me nostalgic for a time I didn’t experience. When people took their frustrations with society out in music and art. I miss the passion. Now there’s just a void.
Not for me. Lyrics good but the music behind them is just too basic for my tastes
I've heard worse, but it's been a while.
It’s a perfectly fine post punk album that’s a little too up its own ass. Not nearly as bad as the reviews say but the religion songs are so lame
nothing hooked me offhand but not a bad punk album
3.5. Very interesting
Hassuttelua...
John Lydon is a talentless fuck and a waste of my time.
Too repetitive, even if that seems to be the ethos of post-punk.
There are some PIL songs that I've enjoyed in the past, but they aren't on this album. Listening to the first song "Theme" was a chore. The two songs about Religion, were ironically, admonishing and self righteous. Then the album picks up and I found it to be ok. I think I like Lydon's voice because it reminds me of my cat EightBall (R.I.P.), and as for the music, sometimes you need a dose of nihilism on a Thursday morning between work meetings.
Atonal, weird, caught up in the performers' local issues, and punk. Not as horrible as death metal, but did not enjoy.
The
bitter angry album without much of a musical context at all. I don't like it and I don't see how anyone else could either
The bass lines were pretty good.
I really don't understand why so many albums from PiL are on this list.... They're just not that good, and I couldn't even force myself to listen to this one all the way through.
Silly
As the debut from them I expected it to be more raw and it was. Was never drawn to the British punk scene.
The best Public Image Ltd. Album I have head. It was a pretty low bar, but this clear it. None of the songs are to long, or to repetitive. I probably won't listen to it again. But I wouldn't skip this, if it came up on a shuffle.
God, wat haaaaaaat ik punk muziek toch.. Het is gewoon schreeuwen over matige muziek. Dit album is ook nog eens een soort blauwdruk voor de meest 'edgy' shit die je maar kan bedenken. "Ik HAAAAAAAAAT DE WERELD IK HAAT RELIGIE FUCK ALLES blablabla" Ik haat punk. Echt gewoon niet mijn ding. Ook vervelend, nu al een paar nummers hier gehad waarbij ik oprecht benieuwd was, klonk de muziek best wel prima, maar dan begon die 'zanger' erover heen te janken alsof er iemand over zn voet heen was gereden. Enig voordeel: Punk albums zijn wel altijd lekker kort, kan ik weer iets beters met mn dag gaan doen.
It's a little bit shit, isn't it.
I dont even know what to cassify this album as. The messages in the songs seems very punk and the time period in britain seems right for it but the sound doesnt really match that energy for me. The album as a whole is way to stranger for me. Perhaps I needed to hear it when it came out or maybe I needed to live it.
Not for me.
More grating than I remembered, but worth a couple of listens
I don't hate this! It's a bit much to take in, especially if you don't usually listen to similar stuff. However, I can appreciate the artistry. favorite track: Annalisa
Mediocre. 1001 albums et comment cette bouse a pu passer?
2.5 Doesn't really deserve a 3 but whatever, at least it's better than "Metal box", and I kinda like the post-punk sound, grating as it is.
john lydon's shtick is as always very tiresome, but Fodderstompf deserves some recognition as perhaps the worst album closer of all time
Ikke fan af sex pistols, men det er virker ved dem er den gode energi. Synes jeg manglede ret meget her. Men altså, ikke dårligt
Cool! Får Sex Pistols til at lyde pænt tamt. Det sidste nummer (som vel er en fjerdedel af på pladens længde) var elendigt og trækker ret meget ned
This was a really fresh post punk album! Something felt familiar, but I only found out that it was Johnny Rotten singing way too late 😅
What an utterly dreadful album. Just have a cry alone mate, it's easier.
it was a fine, probably seminal in some way punk album
Stresssssful! I tried twice because I really want to have an open mind and try to understand what people love about PIL, I had tickets to see them live recently and couldn't go in the end so that's a shame as I would have liked to try seeing them perform live. I found this album full of stressful sounds. Sometimes a good barometer is how my cat reacts and this album really sent her wild haha! I think it does the same thing to my brain. One of the last songs sounded like a punk version of the muppets with all the strange voices and sounds. I just don't get it.
No idea what to make of this! Some of the songs truly horrendous and grated on me. fodderstomp made me very sad indeed. But you know I get that it would have been amazing live etc.
The opening was long and bad. But later on there were some pretty good songs. Low Life and Attack were good. But overall there weren't enough good songs for me to really enjoy this album.
Religion 1 is one of the worst things I've ever heard. This album is lucky that the drums and bass are good otherwise it's a 1.
Look at least it got better after track 3. Not that that's saying much. 2/5 because I can't choose 1.5
Never been a fan of the Pistols, so came into this not expecting much. Amateur move, as this is a delightful slab of post-punk indulgence. The whole thing sounds like it was recorded on your mate Colin's shitty 4 track in the garage, and it probably was, but the low-fi production totally suits this record down to the ground. Rotton's slurred ramblings are excellent. Favourite tracks: seems to me like a record that should just be played from start to finish, just like Grandma used to.
I heard these at Beautiful Days quite a few years ago. The people in the tent next door said they had never known what a drove was until they saw people leaving in them when this lot hit the stage. This album shows why. It's class one shite. 1 because there is nothing lower.
So desperately bad at the start that I nearly gave up but thankfully stuck it out until ‘Annalisa’ which was a banging track. Musically so much better with awesome bass guitar. The next couple of tracks were ok but as an overall album, absolutely dreadful.
I haven't listened to this in a lot of years. I would imagine the reason is because I never bought it, and consequently forgot about it. So not anywhere in my list of artists I would bother with. However, their debut single is great, I've played that a fair few times over the years, the rest is not bad. I have to be fair and give it a 2, rather than a 3
Enjoyed decently well
This is sick
I understand the low rating on this site but I kind of liked this. Yeah the lyrics are juvenile but the musicianship is rock solid. Will listen again.
Hope it's the last issue also.
good
Some interesting ideas on display. Quite liked Fodderstompf. Not a huge Johnny Rotten fan, and he is definitely pretty obnoxious on a couple tracks here. Not my favorite post punk, but still worth listening to
This was rough. I wanted to shut it off so many times. Slightly better than rap, but only slightly. 1.5/5
Post punk, in retrospect likely very offensive for the time. More adolescent whining and less work of art IMHO. Interesting to hear what the musicians would say now...likely 'pass the Geritol '
I imagine myself in a poor-lit bar, surrounded by teenagers smoking heavily and chugging one beer after another. Posters of bands like The Who or The Clash decorate all the walls in the venue. Lots of kids wearing black shirts and leather jackets. A girl wearing fish net tights and black lipstick. I would probably skip the rants about religion, those sound pretty dumb to be honest.
So so
This is awful. Sounds like an angry 15-year-old in their father's garage.
A long time ago I used to vibe off this band but I think I’m getting too old.
good stuff. foundational
I think this 1001 Challenge just made me found out that Post-Punk overthrowned East Coast Rap(Which mind you, was my fav since I was like 6) as my favorite genre ever lol. Love this record!
-I already listened to Metal Box and don’t remember much about it other than the repetitive guitar and cold vocals. This is… about the same, I guess, maybe a little less enjoyable. Some of the songs have some cool parts but overall it’s just kinda hard to listen to -Favorites are Annalisa and Public Image
while better than the sex pistols, i just can't stand john lyndon.
This album was a struggle. I'm pretty confident there was never any chord progressions or any dynamic harmonics in the entire thing. It's basically very, very aggressive drumming, combined with a half-screaming vocalist, and some overly repetitive guitar.
WE ONLY WANTED TO BE LOVED, WE ONLY WANTED TO BE LOVED, WE ONLY WANTED TO BE LOVED, WE ONLY WANTED TO BE LOVED, WE ONLY WANTED TO BE LOVED, WE ONLY WANTED TO BE LOVED, WE ONLY WANTED TO BE LOVED, WE ONLY WANTED TO BE LOVED, WE ONLY WANTED TO BE LOVED, WE ONLY WANTED TO BE LOVED, WE ONLY WANTED TO BE LOVED, WE ONLY WANTED TO BE LOVED.
Point deducted for thinking that the lyrics of Religion were so good that they warranted an additional recital.
I dont like Sex Pistols, but their songs at least doesnt go on and on, and on with no real purpose. Bookending your record with two of the most annoying tracks in this whole project so far doesnt help either.
I liked it. It's a bit chaotic, though, but I think that's the point of pretty much all post-punk, especially in its early days. Key tracks: Annalisa Public Image
What an odd yet somehow enthralling record. It totally sucks me in, and it's not what I expected Johnny Rotten to do after Sex Pistols. I quite liked both Religions and even the weird ending song is a fun listen. This is great
BAD BAD BAD This man got Elmo to come sing on the last song 1/5, sorry
Unlike the majority here, I actually like listening to this album, and I'm going to give it 4 despite the blatant filler (its combination of nihilism & sense of humour sometimes catches me in the mood). But I struggle to see why it is included in the 1001 Albums, when it adds so little above its successor Metal Box.
More post-punk?! Come on, give me something different already. I don't even dislike post-punk or anything, I'm just tired of it. I've gotten like three post-punk albums in the past 5 days. That's the same as the amount of hip-hop albums I've gotten in the past month. That's insane. On top of that, this album has John Lydon (formerly known as Johnny Rotten) on vocals, which is a problem because I just got the Sex Pistols less than two weeks ago! I'm not upset that this is here, I just think now was the worst time for me to get it. Anyways, at least the album's pretty solid. It has problems, sure. The first and last songs aren't my thing, largely because of how long they are. The last one in particular is not great in my opinion. The vocals on it sound like Carl Wheezer from Jimmy Neutron. The 6 songs in between are good though. "Public Image" is probably the best one. Aside from the last song, the vocals are pretty similar to the work on Never Mind the Bollocks, which means they could be more annoying. I miss the "r" rolling though. The writing is okay. It's vague, avant-garde post-punk writing. What do you want me to say? The sound is cool though. I don't have much else to say. I just want some more variety in what I get, even if what I'm getting now is pretty solid. High 3/5.
absolute garbage all the way through
Not in the mood for this today.
Theme, Annalisa (my favorite) Public Image and Low Life are the only worth while songs. The rest are 🍑🍑
It has its moments
I expected this to be up my alley, but it was a little too chaotic and too juvenile. Somewhere between a 2 and a 3.
Just dreadful. No reason to ever listen to this.
Immature ignorant ramblings screamed into the void. Trashy is the best I can come up with.
Public Image was the best track. The rest was fine. Except actually the bass is really good, I’ll bump it up a star just for that guy putting in work
Another excellent choice. More staying power than the Sex Pistols. Maybe just as influential? Love a lot of it, but not all of it.
Started off interesting but grew very grating toward the end.
I wasn't really digging this album, and then 'Fodderstompf' came on as the closer. FUCK that might be the single most annoying song I have ever had to sit through. I know that is the intention, but that doesn't make it more tolerable.
This was a “nope” even before “Fodderstompf”. Easily one of the worst songs on this list so far.
This was an incredible listen. I ended up really enjoying this.
A more experimental album. If you haven't shown a hook in four tracks, I don't know what to say.
If "Never Mind The Bollocks" was an intense close-up, this is a wide-shot, expanding the scope of Lydon's snarling lyrics into something more interesting and diverse.
This album straight up sucks. I wish I could unhear.
Do this band have any actual albums or are they all variations of "John Lydon yells at cloud"? I don't even disagree with the rants against religion on here, but it's not music just because there are backing instrumentals. I didn't start this book to listen to slam poetry
Most of it was pretty standard, I found the last song really grating though
If you take out whichever earphone has John Lydon in this is surprisingly listenable
Thoughts before listening: I really disliked the first PiL album on this list, so I'm not holding out much hope for this one. Review: Maybe I'm just a pop simpleton, but I don't like very much about this album. Overly long, atonal music with Johnny Rotten ranting over top isn't something I'm ever going to get excited about. There are 2 songs on here I can stomach: "Annalisa" and "Public Image" (although do they really need to be 6 minutes long?). I'm adding those songs to the playlist and will not be listening to this album again. 2-stars
I never quite took to this album back in the day and while I liked it listening again now I'm still not a big fan. I like some of the other PiL stuff better. I think it is the music that interests me more now, since I listen to more dub these days. I agree its probably before its time, even the precursor for a lot of music that has followed.
2.5/10
This band was started by Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon. They are known as the band that created the post punk genre I guess. Someone commented that in the song Fodderstompf, the singer sounds like Carl Wheezer from Jimmy Neutron, and now thats all I can hear. There is also a terrible moment at the start of Attack where someone feels the need to clear their nose before starting the song. Favourite songs: Attack Least favourite songs: Fodderstompf, Religion I 2/5 (woulda been 3/5, but Fodderstompf is fucking horrible. Fuck dub)
This album lays the groundwork for the far more experimental Metal Box, and in turn, also has those moments of pure creative, destructive, funky punk, where John Lydon and co. (especially Jah Wobble's bass) deconstruct punk rock to its amateurish, raw roots and ironically make something a bit disco. Because of this, the album has a lot of great, heart-racing moments with an actual pulse behind them and a reason to keep listening to the end. I think what leaves this one a tad bit lesser than its follow-up is that this album feels less haunting, less demented, and instead, juvenile. Does that fit the punk aesthetic more? Yes, but after the first track you're going to get something "lighter" in tone, and while just as quality musically, it isn't quite as memorable. However, still a great new step in the punk landscape, and if that new era wants to end with a goofy ass song, so be it.
BUNK.
No thanks. If Sex Pistols were sniveling in a good way, this is sniveling in a bad way.
This is straight up garbage and John Lydon is a piece of shit.
JL sucks
I wasnt really feeling this. I've listened to later PIL, and liked that a lot. This one just never clicked for me. Especially Religion I. Album cover: A. Great photo of Johnny Rotten looking goofy, and very memorable design.
I haven't given a 1 out yet but it's finally time. That was truly fucking terrible. Whoever put it on this list... why???
I did not really enjoy the opening song, "Theme". I like "Religion II" more, it's got a nice guitar riff going on. Annalisa is making me feel like I'd enjoy them live a lot more. Listening to the record in my office chair is making me not love the vocals, but I think that live I'd be enjoying the instrumental too much to care. Fodderstomp is a funny song, it almost evokes the Gorillaz a little? That underlying funky bass line with a bunch of weird stuff on top sounds a lot like Damon Albarn. Overall this kind of music is a little too rough around the edges for me. I think I'd like it in a live setting with some drinks in me, but it's not suited for office listening. Punk is dead in my soul (from 9-5). 4/10
Everything about The Sex Pistols that is terrible without the (very) few redeeming qualities. Absolutely dreadful.
Oh wow, my first Public Image Ltd. album. I only know one song by these guys, "Rise," off of one of their albums from the eighties. It came up for me on Spotify shuffle one time, and it still pops up for me from time to time. It's a fine song, but it never really inspired me to check out more music from PiL. I don't think I ever knew that John Lyndon was involved in PiL until after I saw him on The Masked Singer. I got curious about him and glanced over his Wikipedia page and learned that he was in this band after The Sex Pistols. I also learned that he really likes Donald Trump, which, gross. His performance on The Masked Singer was dedicated to his wife who was very ill at the time, and I know she passed away due to that illness somewhat recently, which is really sad. Enough rambling. I really like a lot of post punk music, so despite this album's unfavorable reviews, I'm excited to formulate my own thoughts on it. I'm really torn on how I feel about this album. I certainly didn't love it, but I did appreciate that this album represents an incredibly important piece of post-punk music. I didn't mind the noisy lead-off track of "Theme," with its heavily distorted guitars, but I can't fault anyone who would be completely put-off by it. The "Religion" tracks were fine, but certainly not groundbreaking to me. I thought they were an interesting bridge from the songwriting and themes of The Sex Pistols' music, and for that reason, the heavy message of the lyrics didn't feel forced or fake. For my money, "Public Image" and "Low Life" were far and away the best songs on the album. I loved the guitar playing on both songs, and while the songs had a high energy to them, they had a lot more restraint than typical punk music. "Fodderstompf" was easily the worst part of the album though. I can't think of a single redeeming quality in that song, and I couldn't wait for it to end. Now that I've processed my thoughts on this album a bit more, I'd say I'm pretty lukewarm on this one. I didn't hate it, but I can't see myself listening to it again. The biggest thing this album has going for it is its place in music history as a major influence on post-punk music. It certainly pushed late seventies rock in a new direction, and having some familiarity with The Sex Pistols' music makes it more enjoyable and interesting to listen to.
This is not for me. DNF
Tough listen
Meh.
just noise and nonsense lyrics, and a long way short of Johnny's previous band. the (sort of) title track has about 20 times more plays than anything else, and is probably more like 50 times as good!
OK, at best. Some good songs, some just noises.
I did not care for this, like, at all.
Firstly - this album cover is the worst thing I've ever seen, and I was in 'Nam. Mostly rubbish, except for the title track and maybe Low Life. And no I do not dislike 'Post Punk', Mr Generator. I don't want to look at that stupid face anymore, so here are your two stars and into the soup you can disappear.
Not for me.
I did not like this at all. If I could give this 0 stars I would. I’m sorry.
Очень необычный альбом
There's some very creative writing on this one but some of the songs just don't work all that well. Fodderstompf loses this one a whole point for being 7 minutes long, and I have to take the British accent tax as well.
This is full of some super interesting ideas. Some of which I enjoyed more than others.Cool guitar noises and vocals that decided to ignore melodic sensibilities. Lyrics are good too. If Theme and Fodderstompf had both been shorter I would have enjoyed this more. Favorite songs were Religion II, Annalisa, Public Image, and Attack.
Such garbage
Absolutely great album.
Pretty trash noise rock
Hated it
Forgot that I listened to this and then had a refresher. Not a good album
Hated it on first listen but forgot to log. Upon re-listen, yup I still hate it. Not going to subject myself to listening to this entire album again
Prefer the sex pistols, this just doesn’t have the same impact for me, but it’s a similar mess. Not one I’d recommend
I found this album surprisingly interesting and engaging. There were some moments that were a little "too much Johnny Lyndon," but most of his vocals were interesting and played nicely with the music - in a much more interesting way than The Sex Pistols. Overall, I found it to be an interesting Post-Wave album that I definitely want to hear more of.
Not Lydons best. Public image the single is a fantastic track, nothing else matches it.
Not sure I get the appeal. Felt like subpar noise rock.
I guess this is music! Last track is awful.
Not in love with FFF as an opener, but I do really enjoy Rise. This one exists in kind of a weird place stylistically -- certain points remind me of 80s pop, but there is a jammy/freeness to certain sections. Digging the pure percussion groove opening Round. Closer Ease is fantastic. Love the wandering virtuouso guitar alongside the more "Eastern" sounding string accompaniment. I can certainly see where the vocals on this record could be polarizing, and understand the hate among the group as a result. That said, I think you are all wrong. This was an enjoyable and varied ride from start to finish without overstaying its welcome. At 41 minutes across 7 tracks, this album gives space for each of the songs to breath and let their atmospheric qualities permeate. Several songs borrow effectively from more "Eastern" traditions in terms of the instrumentation (Ease) and poly-rhythm / syncopation (Round), all while maintaining a punk-forward cruft. I enjoyed this even more than Metal Box (from memory) and will definitely be back again. Strong 4 / 5
This album was a variety show! Some good punk, some bad punk, some shreddy bits. Overall not my favorite listen, but had its moments.
So much noise in an absolutely terrible way. This is all of the same exact things I said about their album Metal Box only way worse.
I don't like this guy staring at me one bit. Feel like this is way more noise-rocky than the last one. I really do not like his singing. Low, low 2. Debated going 1.