Public Image: First Issue

Talented but I’m not particularly interested in the music.

Eehhh...

Distorted guitars and reverberated weird vocals. Only liked the first song

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

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.

Just a rant. Not very interesting, annoying to try and decipher the inaudible singers.

Pretty fuckin ass

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.

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.

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.

Two decent songs at best. The rest is shite, a generous 2.

British people yelling again, this one was on the better side though generally

Forgettable.

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.

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.

Most post-punk is not for me and this was no exception.

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.

Guitar noise that would be better without John Lydon caterwauling over it. Not sure what it’s doing on the list.

This repetitive early 80s music just makes no sense to me at ALL

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.

Punk

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.

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.

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.

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

Sure man

Annoying at best. However, it’s still only annoying at worst. This is not great. Not for me. Nah. 2/5

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.”

Love John Lydon but this is tough to listen to

classic Rotten's bullshits

I liked 1978 and I like punk. I did not like this.

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.

I've heard worse, but it's been a while.

nothing hooked me offhand but not a bad punk album

Hassuttelua...

The bass lines were pretty good.

Silly

It's a little bit shit, isn't it.

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

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

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

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

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 '

So so

-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.

Not in the mood for this today.

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.

Started off interesting but grew very grating toward the end.

A more experimental album. If you haven't shown a hook in four tracks, I don't know what to say.

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

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)

No thanks. If Sex Pistols were sniveling in a good way, this is sniveling in a bad way.

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 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

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.

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.

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.

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 guess this is music! Last track is awful.

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.

Once again... why is post punk as shit as punk is good

I enjoyed the punk aesthetic, but this just doesn't go as hard as modern equivalents. Maybe that's just dated production. Felt a shared thread of heritage with modern bands like Sprints

meh

Not Johnny's best

Nothing that stood out to me

I didn't care for this album.

First couple tracks were painful, title track onward were okay. Even some of them were unpleasant though. I think one of those ones that was more influential than it was enjoyable

Sometimes an artist is called influential, not because they made good music, but because they had a good idea but were shit at executing it

It got messages, but awfull music

Interesting bridge between punk and whatever form post-punk would take. But they also lost that punk brevity - very long-winded.

There were a couple of redeeming tracks on here (Annalisa) but there was some real trash that I would like to never listen to again (Religion I & II, Fodderstompf). It gets up into 2 stars territory because some of it was reasonable listening and I appreciate the experimentation, and I recognize that I LOVED this kind of thing when it was coming from Nirvana and Soundgarden, so maybe there are folks out there who appreciated the post-punk post-Pistols version of that also.

Never really dug Johnny Rotten (Lydon) much outside of my teenage Sex Pistols phase. This took that vibe to experimental noise-punk. Not really my vibe.

I don't like rating albums like that because it lowers my post punk albums score.

I didn’t enjoy this album very much. A lot of the songs are 6 minutes plus and don’t do enough to warrant those lengths. I did enjoy Public Image and Lowlife mainly because they were 3 and half minute standard punk songs. Overall I’ve heard better punk and post punk albums and this has been the first time I’ve genuinely questioned “why is this album on the list?”

Utterly unmoving. There’s very little of interest and certainly nothing beautiful. Does it take talent to make something so unlovely? I have always felt Lydon was a poseur, just blowing with the wind and trying to provoke in whatever ways might get him noticed. His schtick – and that’s what it is – got old fast and has not improved with age.

meh

Many issues.

Was hoping for better since I love Sex Pistols - I found these to be long, boring tracks.

Too much for me. Not the worst but not my style. Would be one star but I like the inclusion of the interview on the backend. Kind of cool.

Altid dejligt når en kunstner ved at et album er lort, og de så ikke gør det for langt (modsat Mariah Carey). Og for det får de en stjerne mere.

I'm not really sure how to think about this album. It's weird. Fun at times. Fodderstompf is quite weird and interesting. I'll confess that I didn't listen to the entire one hour long interview at the end. Just not appealing enough.

First 3rd of the album is pretentious garbage. How is Religion I even considered a song when Religion II is the same words set to music? The middle 3rd of the album contains what I consider to be minimally listenable tracks (Annalisa through Low life) and the last 3rd is experimental noise (seriously how do you even categorize Fodderstompf). I hope Metal Box (also on the 1001 list) has more than 1/3 listenable tracks.

I am at once of two minds. I told myself this is too experimental and I also told myself that the music is straight forward and boring. What I’m settling on is that this proto proto-punk album is not fully formed. It sounds fresh, but at the same time, the music is by and large a steady cadence of the same sound without variation. It’s odd. I appreciate that this was a seminal work on the proto-punk genre, but it’s not mature enough for me.

maybe i just don’t care for british punk 😔

after the sex pistols broke up following the tragic death of bassist sid vicious, john lydon (a.k.a. johnny rotten) looked for a new way to channel his antiestablishment and anti commercialism views. and while the sex pistols were admittedly deliberately not “for everyone”, lydon ratcheted that up a couple more notches… so much so that much of the debut album of public image limited, his new band, comes across as unlistenable noise. a couple of the tracks were pretty good, but most of the album was just not.

I love the Sex Pistols. I do not like Johnny’s solo stuff.

I can't say that I like this album. There is something though... something fascinating, but da fuck is up with all these long ass albums?!? Way too much and overindulgent.

Wow first post punk album? And UK? Wow. Though this sounds like punk so not sure about this post business unless they mean that it doesn’t sound as good as regular punk. A 9 minute track followed by a 1 minute track, both of which felt a little like nails on a chalk board. Another wasted slot. And don’t think we didn’t notice the attempt at mainstream with Public Image.

The opening track is a slog man. I mean, it's going for a particular scene and I get that, but it's not for me. Then you have a cringey spoken work poem about religion, subsequently added to music. Some of the songs in the middle did pick up a bit and my foot DID tap at times, but so much of it is just rubbish. I had to look this up, and found out that John Lydon was still very young when he made this. Which gives him more of a pass I guess, but it still feels completely juvenile.

As was to be expected most of the critique, dislike and obvious hate that forms the reviews for the album does not dive into its musical aspects but purely evolves around the lyrics. While there is much to discuss about the quality of those, responding to anger with overweening arrogance or the same level of venom does not serve the cause and leads to the same superficiality used as a reproach against Lydon. Conceptually, this album is an anti-establishment statement - both lyrically and musically. The establishment clearly includes punk, now having grown into another money making machine. Unfortunately, as is with most such statements, it is not a pleasurable listen. Repetitive, deliberately lacking any positivity, refrain from concepts that are deemed to involve the audience. While being an essential recording and the start of Post-Punk, and even while rightfully on the list, it has not aged well and given the missing relatability, I cannot give it more than...

Nope, not my thing. There were a few tracks that almost had a good punk sound and slightly reminded me of the Pixies. But most of the album was pretty abrasive.

Annalisa was okay but otherwise self-fellating nonsense.

If you want to be edgy and subversive it helps if your music actually sounds good.

Angsty and a bit annoying to me

Kind of a weird album. Figured I’d like it more since I like a lot of post-punk, but this one doesn’t do anything for me. Fodderstompf also really stinks.

Think there's a bit of Emperors nee clothes here. Often marked as a key post punk album. The single is good. Most of the rest is poor. You've been conned. (Metal Box is better)

I can respect this for being what is considered the start of post punk but it just doesn't seem like a cohesive concept yet. A 9 minute opener, a spoken word track, then put it to music for the third track. Just learned the singer was in the Sex Pistols, which makes sense, as I don't care for them either.

I mean, this album sounds like it was made to be discordant and upsetting, and indeed it was. Not a pleasant listen for me. John Lydon seems like an edgelord to me, but I'm >40 years out of context for this album. +1 star in benefit of the doubt for the value of the punk movement and this album's influence there.

Some definite moments on this. But I'm afraid to say that some of this is harder work than it needs to be.

Ei ihan lähtenyt tämä, vaikka sinänsä ihan voimakasta ilmaisua. 2/5

Post-punk tuntuu toisinaan vähän liian itsetietoiselta, ja täällä levyllä vähän kirpaisi se. 2/5

Pretty forgettable noise.

Mostly absolutely terrible, mix of creepy and incredibly annoying.

I had difficulties not to skip forward in some tracks. It was uncomfortable and sometimes boring to listen to.

много текста, мало всякого что меня впечатляет

So good in my angry teenage boy phase. That was a long time ago though.

Probably would have rated it a 3 but the last song Fodderstompf was horrible.

it was really bad actually but the theme was great i thoroughly enjoyed it.

Fine

I love the Sex Pistols and punk. I liked Johnny Rotten. I just couldn’t with this.

Really interesting, but not good I won't ever listen to this again, but I'm glad I heard it

Not a fan, but like the messages.

I liked it well enough; seems like a natural evolution from the Sex Pistols. Good of them to be so openly critical of the church at the time. It's not getting replayed, but I appreciate it.

Better than Metal Box. But still just not my thing

I liked this better than Metal Box, but still not something I'll listen to again

Let me sum this album up for anyone reading this: it's (mostly) serviceable, listenable music that's made much worse by vocals that sound more like whining than singing. Wah, wah, wah, whatever.

I’ve always like the song Public Image, but the rest is not great.

3.5/10 Not great, this Lydon’s voice is annoying, his lyrics are childish and embarrassing, his attitude is bad Religion & Fodderstompf are toe-curling bad Music is competent but not my style Production is good, bass is excellent and these bump it up a bit Couple of decent tunes when they actually try Another one that should be nowhere near a top 1000 Best: Annalisa

Þessi plata á nokkra góða spretti en þess á milli eru sprettirnir bara svo ömurlega leiðinlegir að ég hef ekki samviskuna í að gefa þeim meðaleinkunn. Þetta mun ég ekki hlusta á aftur en ég ætla samt ekki að segja að þetta sé hryllingur.

John Lydon other band, its weird. So it starts off very in your face kinda thrash punk for 9 mins which is too long and too thrashy, then he does a poem for 2 mins, the a song with the lyrics to the poem. All in all its not very good

I am sure this one has a point and was really revolutionary at the time, but it hurt my ears :( I want to appreciate it for its purpose and I am all about protesting and getting your message out there through art but I would just never listen to this again.

If you get it, you get it. I don't get it.

Honestly could've been a 3 under different circumstances. Like if Fodderstompf ceased to exist. The vocals were a little too muddled on most songs for me to get into it, but the musicianship was there. Contrary to popular belief, it does take talent to create a cacophony of sounds that mesh together for minutes at a time. Would I come back? Nah, but it was aight.

Not for me, but I did enjoy the best on Fodderstompf.

It’s ok. I’d rather listen to this than Radiohead, but not by much.

Well I wasn't in the mood for that. Skipped the first 3 tracks, track 4 better but then was glad to go back to work. There were some hints of good riffs but I've listened to Bollocks & I don't think I need anymore of Lydon's slightly out of tune whatever noise he makes. I was mostly thinking 'oh shut up'. So I made it shut up.

Interesting but not listenable

Can see why it may be influential but experimental doesn't make for easy listening.

Le doy dos estrellas solo por la performance y porque hay algunas cosas que musicalmente suenan bien

I wanted to like this more but I couldn’t. I find it jarring. Maybe that’s the point

I struggled with this album, not gonna lie. I like Sex Pistols to some extent, but this is more challenging. The back half of this is significantly better. Standout tracks: Public Image, Low Life 4 out of 10

We get it. You’re upset. Stop screaming.

Usually I love Public Image Ltd. but this album just left me cold.

not for me

Too noisy and too edgy. Even for punk standards.

¿Otro disco de PIL? creo que es el segundo o tercero de la lista. ¿Tan importantes son para la música? No lo creo. Se salva "Public Image" la canción.

No, I didn't like this at all. But again, are you supposed to "like" this sort of thing? Do people? "Let me just put this on while I do the dishes." I didn't find it as fascinating as Metal Box, so mostly I was just unhappy through most of this. It's very long and shouty. For that it's a one. But I did find myself somewhat interested in its place in the history of music and especially culture, so it gets a point for that.

I thought that I had composed some thoughts here earlier in the day when I finished listening…I guess not and now I have no specific recollections other than “nah”.

who would have thought that the first "solo" album by one of music's most notorious egomaniacs would be this excessive? oh, wait, everyone

#111. I suppose I can see why a thing like this would be on this list, but that doesn't mean I have to like it though. 2/5: too try hard

Annalisa, Public Image, and Low Life are interesting semi-listenable examples of early post-punk. The rest is overindulgent, irritating and cringe.

This really isn't my kind of music, it's just a bit shit

POST PUNK! I can fast forward through any song and wherever I stop sounds exactly the same as where I started.

This didn't really click for me at all. It sounds like a lot of half ideas that were kind of workshopped while they recorded them. Took me about three goes to actually listen to this as well, it's jarring and not really something I'd ever just want to sit and listen to. Oh and Johnny Butterseller is an absolute fanny.

I don't think the title track can carry the album these days which is a shame. Very much of a "what do you do after punk?" album.

Apart from the bass playing, I don’t think this has aged well.

The first song starts out pretty good but it goes down hill faaaaast

Really insightful and exciting.. for1978. Some are OK . "Religion" - sounds like rap without the catchy music

Crap! Childish shouty lyrics, what I would expect from a angsty teenager who would no doubt realize when they'd grown up, how immature they sounded. Musically poor and generally an unpleasant listen

Post punk. It's rather repetitive.

Still a disappointing experience. At least I knew what I was getting into after having one of their other albums already. Which, speaking of... HOW THE FUCK DO THEY HAVE 2 ALBUMS ON THIS LIST??? Jesus, 1001 albums and they have duplicates from THIS band?

Interview at end is fascinating

The opening track sucks ass and I quote "I wish I would die". The middle is where the album becomes more approachable. and then the last track is a stinker.

2/5 naaaah

no thanks. repetitive music and howling vocals, in most songs. this is clearly just for musicians to listen to. i liked the occasional guitar bits and the lyrics of religion I & II, feels like a more direct version of -hozier's 'take me to church'

2.2/5 listened 2x

You know, I actually went into this one with the expectation that I would probably enjoy it. I was wrong. I didn't really like much about this. I didn't like John Lydon's stupid face staring at me from the album cover, and I didn't like him whining about whatever he was whining about on songs that were often way too long. 2 stars.

I…don’t think I understand post punk

too crazy

Not a fan, couldn’t put my finger on it.

Ook deze plaat lijkt wat betreft de zang expres verkloot. Die punk-"zang" staat al veel te vaak in deze lijst. Als iedereen dat doet, dan zijn die punk-bands toch maar een stel meelopers allemaal. Toch biedt deze plaat wel iets interessants. Muzikaal is het vrij creatief. Ik had hem bijna naar een voldoende kunnen tillen. Maar dan komt het laatste nummer. Waarom toch? Dat gaan we niet belonen.

Not horrific like the other Public Image Ltd album we've had. But still not good.

For the most part, couldn't wait for this to end. Amounts to a steady hour of eight-notes. Extra credit for passion though.

Couple good tunes on here but seemed like a bunch of filler also. 2.5

kinda boring rock

wow, uh, how do i put this... this album was not good. i like other PIL songs and saw them live like a decade ago and enjoyed them, so I'm not sure what's happening here. my fiancee described the opening song, theme, as "if Jesus of Suburbia was really bad and only had one section" which i think is spot on. tracks 2 and 3 were just a high school atheist's anti-religion rant a capella and then set to weird music. at 2:45 or so, someone abruptly decides to start strumming what sounds like the high strings inside a piano or an autoharp or something. public image is actually a good, solid song, and it's a miracle they even gave us that. final shoutout to fodderstompf which is the 8-minute album closer and sounds like all four members of strong bad's teen girl squad singing at once. this album is weird (which i like), but it's not good (which i don't like). two stars because i won't lie awake thinking about it like a 1 star and i don't see myself ever coming back to it like a 3 star. it's just terribly forgettable. favorites: public image, low life

I listened to it, i liked it at first but then I forget about it.

Oh joy. More angst shoutiness.

2.6

Some good songs in the middle of the album, however it was just ok overall. Might need to go back and give it a re listen at a later date

Thought it sounded very Sex Pistols then found it was John Lydon which makes sense but is disappointing. Everyone wants to be punk but nobody wants to be antiestablishment. Quite liked Religion I even if it was a bit on the nose. Meh

I get that this was pretty much the first post punk album, but it really wasnt that good. Their later stuff was much better. 2.5 maybe. Expected more from them

4/10. So, let's break this down: Track 1: 10 minutes of music that intentionally sounds like a hangover Track 2: Basically a spoken word Bo Burnham rap with less swearing Track 3: the 2nd song again, but with gaps between the lyrics so that it's thrice as long Track 4: finally something that sounds like a real song Track 5: you know, normally if you only have one hit on the album, it should probably be on the A-side Tracks 6&7: good news, the songs are starting to sound like songs more consistently on theB side. Bad news, they sound the same. Track 8: sounds like 6 and 7, but really long and with some screaming muppets for color.

There are some good songs on here despite Johnny Rotten. Still a better album than Yeezus

Yeah, this was definitely something.

Pretty Decent overall. Some songs were a major nightmare

Based on the cover, I thought this was going to be another British new wave album that I would hate. Turns out I was wrong. It's another British punk/new wave album that I hate. Mea culpa

Если честно, это было какое-то мучение. Всю вторую половину я пыталась найти какой-то философский смысл в словах, вроде местами даже что-то цеплялось, но всё равно тяжело

So dull: This album just slightly bored me to death. Legit nothing else to say other than that. There were absolutely no stand out tracks bc they were all just as dull as each other. I could fall asleep to this album and not in a good way.

Not very good.

Definitely not my thing.

not my vibe 4.5/10

Couldn't hear the music, some dude was screaming over it until the album ended. At least the last song was kinda funny

I dont know if I should be happy or sad. I expected some Gary Numan / LCD Sound System kind of mess based off of the album cover and the album/band name but when I turned it on I was yelled at. Though, regardless of it being different, it wasnt any better than any of those two artists

Honestly, reading the quotes about each song on this record from the band, why even bother? It seems like they have a grudge against their audience and fans. I was mostly fine with this record until the last song, which I'm torn about. The groove is nice, but the incessant wailing is annoying and just reminds you that this band seems to really hate you.

no es mi estilo, muy conceptual y mucho ruidoo... no recomiendo

I think you had to be there at the time. Doesn't really stand up as an album now outside of the obvious hits.

Well, this was rotten.

Heavy, repetitive, sometimes good and sometimes pretty boring. 4/10

By sheer coincidence, I went down the sex pistols wikipedia rabbit hole shortly after I saw I got this album and was shocked to find out that this was johnny rottens next thing after the sex pistols. Once I listened to the album I could immediately tell it was him even if I hadn't come in with that background knowledge but it added context to why this was even on the list. I didn't like it very much but it's one of the most literal post-punk albums I've gotten since it's the face of punk making an album after he leaves his punk band. It's also very post-punk just by being punk but slowed down and heavier since the lyrical content is just as edgy as ever. I didn't hate this but it wasn't super fun to listen to. Killing joke helped me appreciate this genre a little more but still pretty grating.

I’ve never heard anything like this, and wonder where it stands in the rock genre; is it doing something that’s been done before? The record is so different that I have a hard time being certain I don’t like it. It's never boring, but sometimes it's annoying and manic but in a spicy way. Fodderstompf might be the worst song I’ve heard yet, but it also feels like it has great potential to cause Stockholm Syndrome. 3/10

Best part was interview at end

ooh the original edge lord john having a pop at religion. it's just copying the thing that went well in the past but it's no longer original and not as good.

A different type of punk.

‘Allo?

Abrasive, innovative, and rebellious. An album I can appreciate and respect but I’ll hardly come back to.

no thanks

This album is the punk equivalent of mild cheddar. Lacks the punch of mature cheddar without providing an alternative. Oh, and I don’t like either.

This was okay. A lot of the 1990s rap albums are starting to blur together. They're all pretty good but a bit dated at this point.

- Like the punk vibes but I wouldn't go back to this really - Some of the songs sorta meander - 2.5

I know I've heard some music from Public Image Ltd. fromt he late 80s early 90s, but I couldn't name it. Everything from Public Image: First Issue was new to me and it was a bit of a slog to get through. ¿Do I give the album 2 stars because I could get through it? or ¿Do I give the album 1 star because I barely made it through? Somebody is angry at the world, and chose to make a record so that we can all know that they are angry. No other message, just "I'm upset". Bleh.

I liked the bass line to "Theme" very much, and also enjoyed "Religion II". The rest of it was just Lydon trying to remind everybody that he was, at one time, Johnny Rotten and they should all be afraid. Whatever. If you want a really excellent post-punk album that doesn't try too hard, then go listen to The Scream by Siouxsie & the Banshees.

It's alright

wtf

There was a guy at my school who who smoked rollies, went barefoot and was obsessed with the doors. For some reason this album reminded me of this dickhead lecturing people about society.

So edgy it can cut itself. When a boyband member strikes out on their own and feels they have to prove themselves. So overly happy with it's own lyrics it has a version with no music before repeating the same same song with the music included, just to be sure you *got it*. Title track is good, but rest is a bit rubbish. 2.3

Bit too weird and no musically enough

Contrairement à ce qui se dit sur les réseaux depuis hier, je ne me suis pas totalement endormi mais était plutôt plongé dans un état de somnolence très avancé pendant que j'écoutais cette nullerie. Ceci dit, j'étais parfaitement conscient pendant l'intro et l'outro, à mon grand regret.

Mais putain cassez vous Public Image personne ne vous aime personne ne vous écoute. Robert on va avoir une petite explication musclée toi et moi.

nul mais furtif

A couple interesting moments that would definitely be expanded on by other musicians, but an absolute crawl to get to those moments that sadly kills the spark this album does have.

Ah it's OK, bit shite. Not to mental or innovative going on innit. The lyrics are probably the most interesting thing.

The guitar was good sometimes but those vocals stole any joy i could have had listening to this album

It was fine. Music was interesting, but not a huge fan of the vocals

Snarling and biting lyrics against a backdrop of sometimes sprawling noise. Not an enjoyable listen.

I don't hate noise. I don't hate harshness. And I certainly don't hate sticking it to the man, but these are all things that can be very hit or miss with my enjoyment. You might be screaming "It's punk! It's supposed to be like this!" and well, good, if this sounds right up your alley I hope you'll take this as a recommendation and not be disappointed. I hesitated with my rating, and decided that even though I disliked this, I do think there's something worthwhile. There's heart in this, it just isn't heart that I quite understand.

Mon dieu, C,était assez bizarre et personnelllement ca m'agrassait un peu. Je n'ai pas aimé du tout, mais j'étais dans le traffic..... 2.5

Odd

I liked the music much more than the vocals.

Well... I have listened to the first song on this album "Theme" and I was instantly intrigued. Very unusual composition, long riffs and passages, very interesting melodies. Somehow a bit weird vocal work, but this song was really this good to overlook it. And then I listened to the rest of the album and I'm very disappointed. The vocalist is just unbearable, I'm feeling nauseous just from listening to his amazing vocal range of squealing pig, and the repetitive riffs quickly became terribly frustrating. I will give a undeserved 2 out of 5 rating for an interesting first song, but the rest of the album is definitely one of the worst I have heard on this list so far.

Ik twijfelde even hoe ik dit ging benaderen. Positief? De band wil er nog best iets leuks van maken. Met vlagen klinkt het als een soort hele vroege Nirvana. Maar de laatste track maakte duidelijk dat ik het gewoon negatief mag benaderen. In m'n hoofd geef ik de zanger de schuld van alles. Hij wilde te graag experimenteel en vervelend zijn. Prima, 2 sterren dan.

Even for punk this is kinda shit

Nope

Bargain bin 80s junk.

Ugh

Não percebi os elementos para ser considerado pós-punk. Apenas um disco com pegada punk sem me empolgar.

I have PiL's "album", which is a heck of a lot more accessible than this was. Those first few tracks were enough to make me second guess my feelings toward that album. But if one wants to be avant-garde, you have to accept the fact that people will love your work and others will think it's a bunch of pretentious crap. For example, "Religion" didn't feel any better once they set it to music in "Religion II". It felt way too out there. Jah Wobble said "PiL was the simple thing of four different people doing different drugs at different times." A number of the songs felt like that to me. It was interesting to hear the progression from Sex Pistols to this, but I doubt I will ever listen to this album again.

Ugh, that's tough to listen to. The old lady / high-pitched voice in Fodderstompf (and right at the beginning of Theme), the spoken word in Religion I, the lurching playing style and vocals in general - it all makes this unappealing. I get the boldness of the attitude and the lyrics - it was solid. But it felt like a far inferior version of the Sex Pistols. I'd heard the title track before and Rise off of Album. Those are songs worth listening to, but maybe too radio friendly to be the band's favorites. Still, only one of those songs is on this album and it's not enough to save it.

Public Image: First Issue is the debut album by English rock band Public Image Ltd. Released in 1978 to average critical reviews, it's now considered a pioneering album for the post-punk genre. Some listeners didn't care for the religious theme on the album and this affected its popularity. The title track single was/is the most successful song on the album. Public Image was decent for a post-punk, rock & roll album, but I thought the music was average and the religious theme did get a little old. If you're a fan of punk, rock, and/or post-punk then give this album a try, but otherwise I wouldn't fault you for skipping this album.

Blegh. It's here because if it's influence as early pop punk. But what a slog of a listen.

This guy needs help.

Too experimental for me.

Don't get me wrong I still didn't enjoy this much, but it wasn't as bad as yesterday's offering and did have some okay parts. The first song *not* included. I won't rush back but I am glad I've ticked this one off as a probable important part of music history listening goal. If that's a thing.

This is tedious. At least is sure started off that way. Didn't get much better throughout.

If this was the created as a high school music/poetry project I might be slightly impressed.

It just feels like John Lydon trying to shake off the Sex Pistols and stay relevant and edgy. And maybe it was for 1978, but to me it’s just not very interesting lyrically or musically.

Punk poco agradable.

I didn't like this at all. Very bland throughout, and Rotten's vocals seem all but phoned in.

I really thought that I would like this more than I did.

I really thought I’d like this but nope.one star for existing. One star for nice album cover.

Ahead of it's time but not very good.

This is fine one you get past the first track. My guess is that barrier has stopped a lot of listeners over the years. Unfortunately "fine" is all I can give to the rest. It's rather boring.

Meh… besides the title track most of this record reads dated and misses the mark with regards to poignancy. I guess the members and the band itself make it significant - but that doesn’t make it good.

Man, this is pretty bad. Similar attitude and, sadly, musicianship to the Sex Pistols. 1.5/5

Just a jumble of noise and yelling/screaming. Not a fan.

Post punk, lidt for mærkeligt

Meh

The songs on this album are like miniature templates for countless albums made thereafter. Most of the group is on a great vibe and it's a shame (to me anyhow) that Johnny couldn't resist the urge to stand out from it all. 'Annalisa' and 'Public Image' are the two tracks where it sounds like everyone is working together in the same direction, and they show just how good it can be.

It's very nice to know a little bit more about the post-punk movement, but it's a very strange and hard-to-follow album.

Pretentieus, weinig aan

Punk poco agradable

Some interesting Sex Pistols vibes in there, Johnny Rotten being equal to himself in terms of his singing. The album feels a bit all over the place though and lacks a direction. Im probably not going back to that one.

Spoken word poem, the exact same poem set to music, montone singing (if you can call it singing). Overall I did not enjoy this

This was a bit dull, honestly. I liked a couple of tracks, but that wasn't enough to save the rest of the album.

Interesting early post-punk. Vocals are a bit grating if I'm being honest but I enjoy the themes of the album.

This must’ve been when being an edge lord was cool. Experimental, not a terrible album. We only wanted to be loved. I’d give 2.5 stars, but since I can only choose whole numbers I’ll give it a 2.

The interview is very informative.

I was ready to totally dismiss this as garbage but there are actually a few interesting musical things going on. But I can't say I actually enjoyed listening to it too much.

Adolescent cringe.

um.. for the first time i thought what the hell is this? the sex pistols are bad enough this somehow made that worse? 2/5

When you have a lot to say, you should say it in a way that makes people want to listen.

Like a not as interesting Throbbing Gristle.

Olipahan taas pläjäys. Jotain ensimmäisiä proge-punkkeja? Ei toimi, ei toimi niin ei toimi.

Meniks tää nyt kategoriaan punk? Jos meni, nii ihan liian pitkiä ökymöykkiä. En tykänny

Ahead of it's time record. Making some real noise in a post punk world.

This one had me for a little bit with 'Religion'. Love that cover and all the possibilities that lie therein. But this all felt pretty repetitive, not really taking me to a new and special place.

This was a ride. Really liked the opening tune a lot. But "Religion(s) I & II" felt so long that I'm pretty sure they're still being recorded. I kind of liked the spoken word take, but part two was *physically* hard to listen to. It was like watching some of Gaspar Noe's movies, where you feel fairly certain that the artist actively wants you to hate their art. The mix is just kind of unbearable, right? Intentionally so, I'm sure but still. In fact, I'm seeing now on the Wiki page for this record that Jah Wobble (best bassist name ever?) is quoted as saying he felt like the mix "tries a bit too hard." I'm with Wobble. Of course, the mix is only trying to keep up with the lyrics, which are - ironically - pretty damn preachy. But after those two and "Annalisa," (eh) I was right back on board with "Public Image" and "Low Life." Good stuff! And then right back out with the song where they scream like Monty Python old women for 25 minutes straight. Shit. Is. Wild. Anyway, if you want to put this all in context Google "John Lyon Masked Singer" and enjoy the rest of your weekend. And remember: I'm with Wobble.™

Bland

Maybe this was ahead of its time, but it feels tired and pointless today. The songs are too long and just not that interesting. If you said this pointed the way toward industrial music, would that be a feature or a bug? His later records would suggest that, born in another era, Lydon could’ve been a Borscht Belt comedian or vaudeville ventriloquist, such a poseur is he.

Weird, but not in a good way. If you're going to put your super-earnest protest poem on two consecutive tracks, maybe let somebody spruce it up so it doesn't sound like an eighth-grader with a failing grade in ELAR wrote it. Best track: Public Image

Much of this album just feels monotonous. It’s very boring, simply put. 3/10.

FT: Religion I Fodderstompf

Ehhh..... the first half sucked. Second half was better. But I guess they were trying to make a point that was lost on me. Maybe it made sense in 1978 but in 2022 it makes none. 1.5/5.

Ok.

I just don't like punk rock.

literally cant remember it

The first track and the last track are arduous and punishing to listen to and the rest of the album is mostly filler. Religion is juvenile and obvious, like Johnny was still being guided by Malcolm. The only standout is the title track. My takeaway is that Steve Jones made a huge contribution to the musicality of The Sex Pistols and without him they would have sounded, well, like this.

Oh boy, Johnny cleaned up real good for the album cover didn’t he. I’m not quite sure what message he’s trying to send, but there’s a message there for sure. Punk is dead perhaps? And the music is all Anti capitalism anti religion perhaps. It’s good that he moved away into post punk though because the Pistols burned out pretty fast. He explores some interesting tropes here but they’re not quite fully fleshed out. Interesting album but not my cuppa

Ironically this album is very preachy. Very in your face with its message, which I guess is an attribute of punk music, but personally, I like a little subtlety. At least the instrumentals are cool (if not repetitive). Favorite song: Low Life