Reviews (page 11 of 15)
This reminds me of a soundtrack for a movie like Blade; get repetitive with a driving beat. Listening to it on it's own is... Fine. Just a little boring. I'm sure these were bangers in the club, though. I can absolutely see some drunk AF guy finger blasting his high AF rando in the dance floor of Jive while Breathe plays in the background. Lesser known tracks>>>>Famous ones (minefields>breathe)
Some absolute bangers, albeit problematic. There are some hits, and with good reason. I probably won't revisit the deep cuts very often.
Payday 2 ahhh album
Starts off with 3 straight bangers, lets down a little before there’s bangers galore again. The beats hit hard, the songs are agressive and in your face, like a punk band. Not every song is top notch, but those who are, are so good that it's a solid 4.
I liked 3 songs: Smack My Bitch Up, Breathe, and Firestarter. These are songs that I grew up listening to. Especially during the MTV/Much Music era. I liked them back then. I remember thinking that this was weird music. It appealed to me. The electronic stuff was pretty crazy. I don't think this type of electronic dance really resonates with me... But there are some industrial esque parts that grab me in. Especially in Firestarter. The drum beats are pretty great in this.
crab guy :)))
First few tracks were ok and then it became obvious they are all the same. Didn't really resonate with me. Great album art though.
One of few albums in electronic music that I know of that forms a coherent experience. Classic. It does have a song with very questionable lyrics though
Not a fan of this genre. I gave it a chance, listened to entire thing, but it's just not for me. 2/5
Some great 90s electronic hits
Kyllä tällä on ihan paikka tässä maailmassa! Aika epätasainen levy biisien osalta, mutta hittiensä ja yleisen soundin suhteen varsin vankka ööö electro tai beat tai mikälie -levy tämä nyt onkaan. 4/5
Ihan jees, mutta ei kyl lemppari big beatiä. 3/5
Toisaalta isoja tanssihittejä, toisaalta aika tyhmiä biisejä kun koko levyn kuuntelee (minkä artistit toki itse ovat myöntäneet haastatteluissa). vähän samaan lapsellisen tuntuisten ysärilevyjen laariin menee kuin eminemit ym. menköön nyt kolmosella kumminkin, mut vois olla kakskin.
Enjoyed the breakcore elements but found the instrumentation too shrill at times. Favorite track: Firestarter
No skips. Electronica for alt-metal people.
I guess you had to be there cause to me right now this doesn’t stand out as anything special. Climbatize was pretty cool. The rest was ok, annoying at times, but not too bad over all.
Just strange music. Is it dance, new age, Rap, heavy metal? Got me. Not a fan.
Starts out strong. Then it falls off a cliff. Listening to this whole album is a chore. Also. It's better, IMO, to hear these songs in a dark, very loud club. Maybe on some drugs
After a few songs this all kind of sounds the same. I guess it would be good rave dance music but that seems about it. It was decent to run to as I didn’t have to think about the few words and little meaning. Crab picture was cool.
I am not sure what to take away
I really enjoyed this. Listened to it whilst studying for O chem (I think electronica stuff is what I appear to gravitate towards for study music which I find interesting). I liked that there was actual singing/rapping/whatever vocals and not just sampling of other people's vocals. Also I agree with Big Kev, the cover art is very swag, I really like the crab.
I don't mind 1 or 2 songs-they're great to workout to or get some work done to-BUT after that they all start to sound alike. and the lack of lyrics really starts to show (so much repetition)
not really my thing to sit and listen to this kind of music but if i heard this out at a club i'd be having a blast. every song sounds distinct and it's fun even tho im not in the mood.
90s electronica at its finest and “angstiest.” With some funky hip hop bass lines to boot. Some of the lyrics don’t hold up, as expected, but, still, sign me up. Again and again.
I did not really expect to like this as much as I did. I knew Smack My Bitch Up and Firestarter going in so I was a little hopeful for an album from a genre that I usually dislike. I think what works for me here is that these songs often feel like songs rather than beat collections. It's almost a little rock-ish in its approach. I love every time Keith Lee pops up (RIP) I even liked the 9 minute song. I groaned when I saw the run time but it ended up being one of my favorites. Yeah, some of it does get a bit repetitive and some of these songs maybe could've been trimmed down as I damn well get the freaking point after 3 or 4 minutes (or 1 sometimes) but I liked this a lot and will go back to it and probably other Prodigy albums too.
One of many soundtracks to my twenties - its bass-heavy beats make it necessary to play this album loud! Lost a point because the last couple of tracks seem pointless.
Easy 5 for me. I'm not into dance music but the punk ethos runs through this album. Love it.
IMO the best electronic album of the 90’s, fantastic and unique the whole way through.
Been a while but love this album. Listened 3x. 4.6
Pretty solid! The tracks are catchy.
Possibly the most stave dive-able dance music album ever?
There was only one song outside of the singles that really stood out as relistenable, Climbatize. Otherwise I thought it was all a bit poser-ish. They claim to be bringing Punk to electronic music, and then make an hour long album with only 10 tracks, most of which was mid tempo and boring, and on the few songs that had lyrics, was quite misogynistic. Sounds exactly like Punk to me!
I was having fun during the first few songs, but as the album wore on I got more and more tired of the music. Breathe is always a cool song, though!
Didn’t really think much of it
I just don't really get the appeal of The Prodigy. We get it pals, you've taken loads of drugs and you've gone mad. It's fairly generic music in the main, and is only really elevated when they lean way more into dance than drum and bass. Then you get something fairly interesting. Whichever one of them sings has a stinker of a voice too. Having said all that, Breathe is a nostalgic song to listen to and impossible not to enjoy on a fairly primal level.
My mom’s least favorite 90s band on alt radio. Has some good beats, but they all sound pretty similar
3-4 big time hits on here. They don’t age super well but I still love em. I love the kool Kieth appearance, was a huge surprise for me
ah..trying to pry the nostalgia goggles from my eyes..tbh i think the singles off this album (and the amount of airtime the videos got on rage) helped get snobby punk baby me a bit more open to dance music. anyway. listening to whole thing now..it is so 90s, bless. does get repetitive tho, when ur not chewin on bikkies. its a couple bangers and a lot of "ok? ig i dont mind this?" (except narayan which is too fuckin long im sorry & i actively dislike fuel my fire) favs (predictable af): smack my bitch up breathe firestarter
crabcore
Interesante I guess
Wow, what an album! Almost all The Prodigy top hits are gathered in one place. It feels very 90s with the drum-n-bass like beats. Extremely unique style as well in my opinion. I'm sure there are other bands that does music in a similar way, but nothing that has reached this level of success as far as I know. The album is not flawless. Between the hits it's not always that interesting, and some of them also sound quite similar to each other, for example 'Smack My Bitch Up' and 'Funky Shit' which have very similar drum patterns. The reason I decide to go for 5 is that the good songs in 'Smack My Bitch Up', 'Firestarter', 'Breathe', and 'Mindfields', are just so good that they weigh up the other ones honestly. Regardless of whether this music caters to your palette I think everyone should hear it. Chances are you'll find something you like in it.
Great, aggressive beats. Feels fresh even though it's age. Just a classic drum-n-base album. "Breathe" is by far my favourite track on the album but nearly all of "The Prodigy's" hits make an appearance. For the negative it gets a bit too angsty 90:s at times and the vocals are not always great. So while there are some really good songs, there are some duds in between. All in all, a good listen and I also hadn't heard "Narayan" which was kind of cool song.
Not my type of music but not terrible
Enjoyable from start to finish. The album that thrust the band to superstardom that unfortunately was the start of the end.
Náði ekki að hlusta en örugglega jafn góð og hún var á ipodnum mínum 2010. Svoskemmtilegt þetta tímabil í breskri tónlist, hvernig breskt pönk/indí, house og teknó frá bandaríkjunum, jamaíka tónlist og hip hop blandaðist allt saman í einn graut og úr veður alveg ný bresk stefna. https://www.thewire.co.uk/in-writing/essays/the-wire-300_simon-reynolds-on-the-hardcore-continuum_introduction
Sturluð plata og mjög mikil nostalgía fyrir lítinn Sela. Man mjög vel þegar Prodigy spiluðu í Laugardalshöll í mars 1998.
Þetta er það sem maður myndi kalla sturluð plata. Þvílík keyrsla, platan í ræktinni fyrir þá sem hafa gaman af slíku.
I never listened to this album straight through but was certainly familiar with it due to my clubbing days back in the late 90's. "Narayan" and "Climbatize". were a couple of standouts besides the hits that I forgot about. Overall, it's an OK album for what it is but I would not listen to it all the was through again.
Good enough to start your car in the morning, but not enough to drive you to work everyday. The opener, Firestarter, and a few others are cheap thrills, but there’s not enough staying power. It’s adrenaline fueled house music, with little need or want for a muffle. And sometimes constraint goes a long way to preventing an album from just being a fib.
"The Fat of the Land" by The Prodigy is the audio equivalent of a bull in a china shop, if the bull was a DJ with a penchant for setting the china on fire. It's 1997, and music has just been given its marching orders: get wild or go home. From the opening salvo of "Smack My Bitch Up" to the last echoes of "Fuel My Fire," it's a relentless, unapologetic rave in a jewel case. Keith Flint and Maxim are not so much singers as they are the charismatic ringmasters of this circus, while Liam Howlett's production is the mad scientist turning knobs behind the curtain. "Firestarter" and "Breathe" aren’t just tracks; they're anthems for anyone who ever wanted to dance like nobody's watching and make sure everyone is. 5 stars? Absolutely. "The Fat of the Land" didn’t just capture the zeitgeist; it throttled it, gave it a new haircut, and pushed it out onto the dance floor. If your music collection were a party, this album would be the guest who spikes the punch, breaks a table, and leaves everyone talking for years.
If I was an angsty British teenager in the 90s who wanted to rebel against my parents but didn't want to do anything illegal or get my ass beat I would have blasted this album in my room 24/7. All the songs were 5-6 minutes which I found to be too long. My favourite was diesel power, but a lot of the songs sounded similar and it got repetitive. 2/5
bro i swear the artists discovered one (1) sound effect and just ran with it for an entire album. you know which one i'm talking about. i swear i'm about to have a stroke. each song indivudually is fine but the album just goes on and on and on and on and on. 2/5, it's pretty well produced but i just hated listening to it
Interesting and not my usual listening. I'm not at a 90s UK rave right now, and I probably won't be in the foreseeable future so I'm sure that also impacts my enjoyment of the album in some way. Songs I kind of liked were Breathe, Funky Shit, and Climbatize. 2, I cannot see myself listening to this ever again though one day I'll probably wake up and flip a switch and think this is the most incredible music ever produced
Intense, energetic and interesting. But for me this belongs in a club, and not on a Monday morning at the office.
essentially a dark techno album, and as any techno album, it is nauseatingly redundant. not for me.
Not my thing.
hammer
Really liked it.
Essential electronic album with many good grooves and tracks.
Some real bangers on this album. Love the high energy, made for a great morning commute. Some long tracks on this but I really enjoyed it. Favourite tracks are Mindfields and Breathe.
It was fine, not my favorite kind of noise.
A bit problematic, but still a bangin album. As far as I can tell the band hasn’t done anything shitty, so I feel better for liking the album.
Cool but repetitive. Not really my style.
This is where The Prodigy started to normalise and their output become diluted by the main stream. I liked everything they did up to this album. They were more original, more weird, more edgy and more dangerous then.
Talk about nostalgia. My very first school parties featured this album. Ah to be young again.
Nunca pensé que un disco de música electrónica me gustaría tanto. Es una bomba, desde el principio con "Smack My Bitch Up", "Breathe" y "Diesel Power" pasando por "Funky Shit", "Serial Thrilla" o "Mindfields" y haciendo cima en "Firestarter".
I did feel like I was in an action movie chase scene when I cycled home in the evening so I suppose that counts for something Could’ve done without the whole domestic violence is good motif tho
I listened to Breathe on repeat in middle school. The rest of the album was okay.
I gave up early on.
A little techno goes a long way.
I can’t listen to this.
This is so lame
This was an intense piece of trash
#2/1001 CRAB RAVE WAS MY VERY FIRST THOUGHT. I have very little experience with electronic music, so I don't have much to compare this to, but a lot of the songs sounded the same. Overall: It wasn't a horrible experience, some of them played and it was like "yeah I could headbang to this if it was blasting and bass-boosted at a dark club." but then others just dragged on. The whole album just wears on you after awhile, however, I think hearing these songs *separately* would be fine, just not all at once. This is not an album you sit and listen all the way through, yk? Favorites: Smack My Bitch Up Diesel Power Serial Thrilla Fuel My Fire
“You wouldn’t steal a car…”
Just not really my kind of thing. Probably not bad if you’re off your noggin in the mixer though. Simpsons: No
Other than their big songs, can't believe I've never properly listened to The Prodigy. This album was quality, and will definitely get played more. Would love to go see them live too. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This had all the songs I knew from the Prodigy, which is why I thought that it was alright, but they all sound the same and get repetitive.
I’ve listened to Jess music from Peep Show. I’ve listened to this. I can’t tell the difference. I did like it though, I did a park run in the rain to it and it got me through most of it. I know it was groundbreaking but it’s not for me.
Same as for the other Prodigy album we got. I enjoyed it much more than I would have thought before this project. Probably that's partially do to the music feeling like rock almost as much as like electronica. Still, my main criticism is that tracks often feel too repetitive within themselves. Might be good for dancing, but not as much for my office job. 3.5 rounded up.
A deranged, highly energetic and addictive rave/electro album from the late 1990s. The production of the album is top class. In small doses this record is entertaining, but as an almost 1-hour long album I've found it quite exhausting. Musically it is also quite repetitive.
Masters of repetitious, obnoxious digital noise. The Prodigy were royalty of the Techno scene, but I preferred the back alleys and lesser known bands.
Craaaaaab Album. Craaaaaab Album. Love the Prodigy for what the album represents for 90s electronic. Not an album I actively seek out but came across in several people’s Case Logic’s throughout the years.
I like this album- I owned it, in fact. I think somehow it perfectly encapsulates a lot of the atmosphere around being 21 and living in northern Florida in 1997. But more importantly, I feel vindicated about being confused for YEARS that this band’s name is actually “The Prodigy” (not just “Prodigy”), because quite obviously there is no “the” before their name on this cover, and that’s exactly what I remembered. So there!
at first i made the mistake of listening to this on the phone. This record really needs to be listened to in stereo at least, if not surround sound. At the same time though it does follow the 'car radio' rule of being recognizable played on a tin can. Just look at a song like Breathe. The first few chords of...its not really a bass line or a melody line. I would call it a blue man tube noise. Everything in that song is played in service to that one phrase so the song can basically be boiled down to one measure easily recognized even through humming. Maybe its just a Chicago thing, but I feel like after the disco demolition of 1979 the radio stations didn't really have an appetite for dance music for a long long time. Sure we played music we danced too and we did play Groove is in the Heart, but mostly that stuff is more pop than dance. the Prodigy was specifically dance music and they were a huge success for a few years in a row. Many people think dance is what Prodigy is all about, but those people are all wrong. The Prodigy is about one thing only and always: DIESEL POWER! ...after the record ended autoplay went to Songs for the Deaf and it was a perfectly seamless transition.
More than any nostalgia albums so far (will be true for RATM and NiN too), this me is far enough from now me but so embedded I can't really judge. Unsteady grating repetitive so good.
Appreciate what this album means to the time period, but got in a fist fight with a neighbor due to his instance on playing it at top volume at 2 am every night of the week.
some good stuff but generally didn’t like it. not the kind of techno i like
Repetitive by design. Classic.
Holds up more than I would have expected
Started the album but didn't enjoy it.
Not my style
Still slaps!
A classic
I was in high school when this came out and I remember very clearly "Breathe," "Firestarter," and to a lesser extent "Smack My Bitch Up" having regular radio and MTV airplay. I also remember generally enjoying the songs and style, but not really having any desire to seek out the album or other Prodigy material. Having listened to "Fat of the Land" in its entirety it turns out that was a prescient decision. The three singles still stand out and "Diesel Power" (feat. Kool Keith) is a sort of hidden gem, but this is otherwise filler. It's well done to be sure, and it all paints a vibrant scene in my mind of seedy, underground clubs and such, but much better suited to a background concentration soundtrack or VGM. I also never realized just how little anyone else really contributed to the songs beyond Liam Howlett, though without Keith Flint's grimy Cockney accent they tend to fall flat. I would listen to this again, but I wouldn't be paying very close attention.
I don't find myself reaching for this sound very often, but after listening to it again, I suppose this is what I'd reach for. "Narayan" => "Firestarter" is pretty great.
This is interesting. Not sure where to place it but I like it. Has some pretty industrial moments. Has some moments that feel PWEI-ish. A few songs could be a bit shorter, but I'd say a solid 3.75 stars.
A definite product of its time. While I have found memories of hearing this back in 1997, it no longer resonates or holds up for my tastes.
I really enjoyed probably every track except the first one, this album rules
Not a fan.
not the music I am used to
Electronic is not a genre I’m familiar with. I thought parts of this album were okay, but overall I thought it was fine. I appreciate it more knowing the context behind it.
Wholly enjoyable. Not quite the first 5/5 for me, I reckon. Needs something a bit more personally appealing for that.
Very samey, and very 90's matrix. Got a bit bored half way through, Though the classics on this are still absolute bangers tbf
4/5. Good industrial late 90s jams
4 stars
4/5
Very intense. A little bit dated. From track 7 to 9 much more interesting. Maybe a grower. Perhaps good for working out
Not for me
The songs seemed repetitive and music sounded similar on all tracks. Lyrics were wanting.
I first listened to this album maybe two years ago, and I’ve been a pretty big fan of it since. As a husband and father of two daughters, “Smack My Bitch Up” is a disconcerting song title, but it’s a jam to be honest. Breathe, Seriel Thrilla, and of course Firestarter are all bangers and it’s solid in between.
its okay, starts off strong, plus i have listented to a couple of songs previously YNN
it was ok, a little too long and repetitive but had some cool songs
Very disco-y. Cool effects, musical direction? Not the type of music I'd usually listen to at all. I probably wouldn't put this on by choice. Some of the sounds just felt like they were on to annoy the listener.
Man I love high energy techno dance music. Not the christer kind. Love smack my bitch up and breathe. I love the samples they use
Beautiful
Always been a Prodigy fan
not bad pretty good beats
Every song sounds the same. Of course I listened to it twice.
It's a solid album, just not for me. I find that some songs outstay their welcome and/or get a bit too repetitive for my liking, but I really appreciate the ambition and uniqueness to it all. A few songs I feel would fit in a soundtrack like Jet Set Radio perfectly! So while I'm not a fan, it's something I respect. It's not afraid with what it's doing, it's confident and competent with the beats and techno direction!
kinda sucked, forgettable
So many sounds, every song is a trip
I have conflicting feelings listening to this. I think it’s very dynamic and powerful but no self-respecting person wants to listen to the words Smack my bitch up over and over. I know they were being controversial and the video was trying to challenge preconceptions but I can’t condone it even though the tune is great. And the rest of the album has the same feel. Great aggro jumping about music. Breathe and Firestarter are bangers and Prodigy’s only no. 1s - credit goes to larger than life Keith Flint. RIP Keith!
Terrific!
I'm almost at a 4-star on this one. As has been said of this genre, it's difficult for me to sink my teeth into it due to the repetitive nature of the compositions and the electronic-ness of the whole affair, but this was entertaining, and the various vocalists add a welcome element to the proceedings. Even the drum machine isn't an offense to this drummer, though the loops did start to beat my brain into a dull thud before the album finished. But this is a 3.5 for sure... do I go up or down from there... ?
did not care for this
This veers too industrial for my EDM liking. There's a darkness here that makes me uncomfortable. Way too much good EDM to waste time trying to groove to this.
The non-singles are pretty standard Prodigy fare; tracks 3-5 are kinda average in my opinion but they get better after that. Still, it’s the 3 monster hits that boost this album above the riff-raff and up to - or just beyond - the level of Music For The Jilted Generation.
Whatever this was, I didn't like it.
Despite some absolutely seismic songs - namely Firestarter and Breathe - this one has never chimed with me as much as the Prodigy’s earlier albums. The more aggressive sound is just not as appealing to me as the giddy fun of the first two records.
The YT Music link is broken. The new one is: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_l8N9VhE-C5aH8Cj0Lfn2nk3IJexBcN3EI
Fun album for sports
My first listen to this one. In 1997, I was listening to ska, swing revival, hip-hop, and various indie/alt bands, not big-beat rave music. In retrospect, I think I missed out on some fun raves and some fun music. This album is delightful. It is extremely danceable, with all kinds of samples, weirdness, and fun guests. This is an overlooked winner for me.
A classic
Crossover banger after crossover banger. Can still remember the impact of this record when it came out - probably among the few true punk records of the 90s. Only gripe is the first track which feels so dated in its heavy handed casual misogyny. Almost turned me off this otherwise excellent album.
Good but becomes background music
I'm not sure if I know any other songs from The Prodigy besides "Smack My Bitch Up"—at least not off this album. The opener is iconic, in large part because of all the controversy surrounding the lyrics and music video. I won't comment on that, but the song is decent (though long). "Breathe" is a cool song. That synth line is very EBM/dark wave, and the vocals and guitars are like a mix of punk (Sex Pistols) and Britpop (Blur). Then add the trip hop, and it's a great dance mix. "Funky Shit" sounds like an inferior version of the Mortal Kombat song, sorry. I could have also done without the weird vacuum and siren sounds at the end. "Fuel My Fire" is probably my favorite track on the album. It actually sounds like a real song and not just a collection of loops and sounds. A lot of the songs seem to follow a formula of one part trip hop, one part Brit pop, one part industrial. Sometimes the result is cool, and other times it starts to get repetitive. The "Oriental" synth line of "Minefields" stands out, as do the bagpipes in "Climbatize," but then both songs devolve into more of the same. Most of the lyrics are simple and repetitive in the same way—just something to fill the space rather than trying to say anything. My biggest complaint with this album is that the songs are too long. In the context of a rave that's fine, but it's not something I'd just listen to at home. There's not enough variation in the music to keep me interested that long. The album is fine. Very repetitive and forgettable.
Absolute dance classic... a solid part of my teenage years. Only better thing was seeing this album live!
I loved the energy of this album, and it was a fun listen. I'm not itching to get back to it, but I could definitely continue to enjoy some of the tracks here. +1 for the crab album cover. 8/10. Favorite Tracks: Breathe, Funky Shit, Mindfields No Least Favorites
4.5
OK, not really my thing but good enough to listen to
7/10 - 3/5 I liked how this album sounds, but the songs are longer than they need to be. It felt repetitive. I'd assume that's mostly because of the genre, which I'm not super familiar with.
Pretty cool but not my thing
This is crap! This is crap This is crap This is crap This is crap This is crap! This is crap This is crap This is crap This is crap This is crap! This is crap This is crap This is crap This is crap This is crap! This is crap This is crap This is crap This is crap This is crap! This is crap This is crap This is crap This is crap
One of those albums that contains almost everything I usually dislike in music and yet I love it
I remember when this came out, loved it then, it's ... okay now.
- This album art is literally the crab rave, 5 stars - Disappointed the music is not the crab rave music - Honestly kinda hype, feels like the soundtrack to a chaotic night out
- I’m not sure what the was but I enjoyed it - loved the beats and distortion
I liked this way too much for something that sounds like the musical equivalent of JNCO jeans with lyrics that read like those memes your unhappy/unsuccessful friends post on Facebook. I’ll probably never listen to this again, but a Solid 3.
This album is fast and furious. If that's what you're into, you're gonna love it.
Good album. Too repetitive though. Not really my thing
I wasn't much a fan of this album when it was released--generally not a great fan of the Big Beat sound (Chemical Brothers et al). A little goes a long way. On the other hand, Prodigy isn't going to take a left turn halfway through the album and throw a slow song in. If you need a good workout album, this would probably suit your needs.
Breathe is good at least
The best punk rave album of the decade. Production is immaculate. Liam Howlett is a genius. One of the few 90s records that has aged incredibly well. I still listen to this album at least once a year, if not more. While I like their first album Experience, it is this one and the one that preceded it, Music For A Jilted Generation that defined this entire scene. No one quite sounded like them and EVERYBODY tried to sound more like them.
Liked it a lot more than expected. Especially when driving
Foundational 90s electronic record. I’m surprised by how familiar I was with it despite rarely listening to electronic music.
A real beast of a record
nice one. takes me back...
Every track was repetitive, but at least it felt a tiny bit more creative than I was expecting. Still mostly indistinguishable from any other electronica I've heard
I don’t think this cute little crab would like what it’s representing :(
Look, my most prolific internet presence is posting screenshots and video clips of PlayStation 1 & 2 games. You cannot play the amount of early PSX games that I do and still give this album an unbiased review.
Unholy alliance between hip-hop and electronic house music (both genres I do not like). This is the first album I found unlistenable -- it was like repetitive fingernails scraping across a chalkboard. After 4 tracks I sampled a couple more to make sure nothing changed and closed it down.
It's wild how even though I've never heard of Prodigy or this album, every song is so familiar. I don't know if I recognize the songs from movie soundtracks or what. Either way, I totally enjoy the vibes on this. Some old school electronica does not age well, this does in my opinion.
One of the best 90s EDM albums. While EDM isn't my particular cup of tea, I don't hate it.
Es buena fusión de electrónica y rock, pero se me hace un poco repetitivo. Lo admiro igualmente! 3
Gutted I got this Sunday morning and not a Friday night. Going to hold of reviewing this until the appropriate moment. Absolute classic dance album from the 90’s, not quite a masterpiece but really does stand out as a great album,
First time, getting a album I already owned. Good fast aggressive rave music. Loved it
1. zmack my bitch up - 1.5 2. breathe - 1.5 3. diezel pouuer - 1 4.funky zhit - 1 5. zeriah thrilla - 2 6. mind fieldz - 1 7. narayan - 1 8. fireztarter - 2.5 9. climbatize - 0 10. ful my fire - 0
Oh my God, that’s the funky shit!!
Not my thing. Language. However, so.e of the instrumentals were good.
This may be for some ..but definitely NOT for me….put in on to take my shower, normally a calming wake up experience turned into shrill, anxiety ridden followed by high agitation levels…This album is as bad as fingernails on a Chaulk board….Noise, not music…. you have to give 1 star to vote.. or I would have given a negative number….dimply awful, I feel as though my ears are bleeding..
Is there zero stars? Because I want to give zero stars. I looked at the other albums that came out in 1997 just to make sure I was talking through my gray hair. Radiohead. Limpbisket. Blur. Faith No More. The list is even longer. All these bands leaned into distorted music. But it was still music. And I listened to them so I can set aside my “get off my lawn” bias. Also, the title and lyrics of that first song and the denial by the lead noisemaker, saying he meant something entirely different? Come’on. Reminds me of a politician, talking through both sides of their asshole. Zero stars. Zero.
Don't know when I'd ever listen to this again when not on allot of drugs at a rave or something. Breathe and Firestarter are jams I guess
Remember buying this album in Canada
enjoyed this quite a bit, with the exception of the first song. good trance dance with a bit of the 80's spin me right round in there
Smack that bitch up. Huh.
Took me back to being 13 and taking my cash to the music store in the mall to purchase this from hearing 1 single on MTV. This album was a gateway to a lot of music I would have never considered giving a chance. Energetic, noisy, aggressive.
Every single song sounds like Smack My Bitch Up.
not my cup of tea. Managed about 3 songs.
Not an album or artist I had ever heard of before, but I did recognize some of the songs. I can appreciate when they're doing and I'm sure it was great for late 90s Euro techno, but it just isn't for me. Repetitive, grating at times, with corny lyrics. Some catchy beats though. 4/10 (2/5)
Ugly cover, ugly music.
Notable tracks: Breathe, Smack My Bitch Up, Firestarter
It was pretty alright.
There was probably 3 tracks that I enjoyed off of this album, but I could see how influential it was to the world of dance/ breakbeat music.
Pretty sure this became the soundtrack for every reality TV show for the next 2 decades.
Not my genre, will relisten while working out
It’s alright. The songs themselves aren’t bad, but to me they all sound the same. Background music at best.
That was a trip to revisit this album 26 years later. The singles still kick ass, but the rest is a bit bland. Except I found a new interest in Narayan. Overall this is a fun album, but a few single tracks only carry it so far. Not a great "album" imo.
This is the kind of 90s electronic that felt so edgy and fun at the time. Electronic music doesn't sound like this anymore. Repetitive overall, but enjoyable in the background. After a while I couldn't tell tracks were changing anymore. 3*. Highlights: smack my bitch up (lol), breathe (excellent groove)
Every song does the same: sets up an interesting groove but then doesn’t go anywhere. I could listen to these grooves but only in small doses.
Not my taste of music.
Some fun memories
Funkyyy
Was soooo excited when I saw this album pop up! I loved this album when it was released and am still super excited to listen to it again and again.
Easiest 5*s of the week
Ik heb t wel vaker bij nummers over bangers, maar dit zijn de echte bangers in de essentie van t woord
Dacht aan het begin pillen nodig te hebben, maar kwam er steeds meer in. De Staat heeft Firestarter gecovered leuk man
Weet niet zo goed wat ik hiermee moet. Smack My Bitch Up en Climbatize zijn goated tho.
Nice electro music
I bought this album when it first came out. I can’t remember the last time I listened to the entire album. I definitely took a trip back in time with this one. 4/5 for the nostalgia and being a great album to work out to.
Techno. Dos megahits. Un 4.
Not to my liking.
An intensely 90s album. Not really what I would choose to listen to most days, but I also get dance tracks are meant for, yknow, dancing, so I can live with how crazily long some of the songs are. Lots of cool bass and wobbles. Best song: Firestarter
wow that was sick favorite tracks: Smack My Bitch Up, Climbatize really great
There was a time I would’ve enjoyed this, but that time has long since passed.
Thoughts before listening: I never owned this album, but the hits were pretty ubiquitous for someone obsessed with music at the time. I was never a huge fan of the techno/electronic scene, but I did like the Prodigy's more rock approach to the genre. I'm sure I will recognize quite a few songs on here and that the nostalgic enjoyment will be strong. Review: Right out the gate I recognize "Smack My B Up"...this is a very memorable song and video. I believe I even may have seen the controversial video during its one time airing on MTV. Furthermore, I am well aware of "Breathe" and "Firestarter" which again were songs I enjoyed during high school without actually ever loving this band. All in all the album is fine. It wasn't something I gravitated to 25 years ago and it likewise isn't something that I find myself loving today. There are certainly some fun songs on here that I am happy to add to the playlist, but this is ultimately a 3-star album.
The Fat of the Land is seriously flabby around the middle. With the exception of Funky Shit, everything from Diesel Power through to Mindfields is pretty one dimensional and oddly boring, Narayan is wanky, as you'd expect from anything featuring Kula Shaker. It's also waaay longer than it needs to be. Besides the singles, which I've heard 64 millions times in clubs or everywhere (and I'm so bored of Breathe) I only really like Funky Shit and Climbatize. Climbatize is ace. It's probably the least Prodigy song the Prodigy ever made. I remember particularly enjoying sticking that song on the original PlayStation and watching the fractal generator. The different movements in the song worked particularly well with it as I'm sure you can imagine. Not getting into the debate over Smack My Bitch Up other than to acknowledge it, and say that song, if they were chanting Pack My Fridge Up instead, would still be fucking excellent, and the music has lost none of its power in the last 25-odd years. So yeah, obviously their biggest album, but the two prior to it were both far superior. There's an argument to be made that this is possibly actually the worst Prodigy album overall (although I've only heard the first 5 and have just this second learned there's two more after that). I'm only giving it 3 stars because of 2 absolute classic singles and 2-3 other good songs.
Me encanta The Prodigy, el vértigo y ritmo que imprimen sus sonidos son tre men dos. Claro que es clave estar en el mood para escucharlo, sino puede terminar siendo abrumador. Redondeo para arriba por los buenos momentos.
Astounding beats
Ein starkes Album, dass auch einige Single-Auskopplungen gehabt hat. Mir ist vorher aber noch nie aufgefallen, dass die Grundbeats doch teilweise etwas wiederholend von Song zu Song sind.
The songs on this album are big nostalgia from my teen years. I love it! That being said - it's been a while since I listened to the whole album all at once, and I didn't realize how... samey it sounds? Like it sounds like maybe two really long songs. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but I actually am finding I wasn't necessarily blown away by the album as a whole. Still a great listen though, and it made me remember what it was like to be a kid and wish I was a hacker.
I was one of those teenagers who became obsessed with these songs. They’re all still pretty great. It’s a dated sound, but amazing example of rave music in the late 90’s. I actually didn’t realize how many songs where on this album, packed with good stuff.
good one
Decent album, I like the prodigy. Not my go to though
Not my usual thing, but this was an enjoyable experience.
Awful everything. The worst of the 90s in its undiluted form. DNF after two songs.
Funky, great for a late night drive when you’re falling asleep
Album started somewhat strong, then fizzled off into generic 90 dance/techno territory. 3/5
90s Hip Hop descendants electronic music. Feels like songs you hear in The Matrix movies.
Horrid. Never listening again, sounds like a soundtrack from a shitty 90's action movie
Really really good. Not sure if it's better than Music for the Jilted Generation though.
Meh
good album but not really my vibe
Staying up late on the music channels (kerrang 363) just for a sniff of titty to this music vid. Good times. Damn good album.
Groundbreaking sound for its time
Revolting shit. Somebody should smack these bitches up.
duplicate
My first introduction to the genius, Kool Keith, and I didn't even know it for years to come! ... oh wait, this is a review for The Prodigy. I owned this CD. This album came out my senior year in high school and was EVERYONES jam. Saw The Prodigy play End Fest that summer. As much as I don't like a lot of the electronica of the day, this scratches an itch. Maybe just because there are so many memories associated
Different. Pretty good
mmmm
Smack my bitch up is echt een 10/10 eerste nummer, wat een opener voor het album zeg. Meteen daarna Breathe, eigenlijk weet je dan al dat dit een fantastisch album is. Het is hard, het is vet, ik ben hyped. Funky Shit heeft een lekker vuige acid lijn. Love 303s. Vind de transfer van en naar Serial Thrilla erg matig, had van mij niet zo gehoeven. Vind sowieso dat het na Funky Shit een beetje inkakt. De singles zijn ijzersterk met Smack My Bitch up, Breathe en Firestarter. Ook tussen de niet singles zitten naar mijn mening hele vette nummers als Narayan, maar daarnaast zijn er toch een paar meh nummers als Mindfields en Serial Thrilla. Het is dus zeker geen perfect album, maar wel gewoon een heel vet album. En dat is prima, dat mag allemaal. FAVO: Smack my bitch up, Breathe, Funky Shit, Narayan, Firestarter
Gritted my teeth through this one.
All tracks are hits !
It was good. Not really what I would go for. Sounded like the soundtrack to those "you wouldn't steal a car, so why would you steal a movie" commercials.
Not a big fan of EDM, but seems to be a decent album for those that are.
It's okay. I like some of the songs. Bit repetitive for my tastes unless I'm in the mood for that sort of thing. Not into the lyrics of the first song but the beat slaps.
Smack my bitch up still slaps! The rest all blend together for me but remind me of gritty 90s underground films
This combines the punk rock spirit with the dance music of the day brilliantly. One of the few dance albums I bought at the time. It’s relentless, has touches of Eastern mysticism and is thoroughly politically incorrect throughout.
Life changing.
Already listened loved it especially Firestarter
I appreciate the significance of the album and the importance to electronic music, but it's not for me.
I tend to fall more in the Dance subgenre of Electronica, so this album was fun, and I didn't mind listening to it, but I'll probably only revisit it when I need some music to exercise with. It makes me want to *move*, but that's more the beat and melody than any of the lyrics.
Some of the singles are quite catchy in low doses, but everything overstays its welcome and becomes quite repetitive.
Three good, well known songs.
Never heard of this band. This should be interesting... I'm only on the first song and I find it incredibly repetitive. I hope not all of the songs are like this. So far I like the second song a little better. There's not a lot of vocals and when there are I can't really tell what they're saying. I wish they would switch up the drumbeats a little. It's kind of annoying. The third song is the best so far. Different drumbeat which is nice. But holy crap these songs are so loooooooooooooong. Cool transition between tracks 4 and 5. Track 5 is giving me low-key Deus Ex vibes with the alarm thing going off in the background. I don't hate it. Track 6 is a nice change of pace. Track 7 is 9 minutes long. Send help. Okay this song is semi-interesting but there's still like 7 minutes left. No thank you. 2 minutes left. I can do this. Aaaaaaand track 9 is 6 and a half minutes long. What is this for?? Thank goodness, it's the final track. 2/5. This wasn't for me. I prefer lyrics with my music. If I'm listening to mostly instrumental music, this isn't the type I would go for. I can see that appeal I think, but it just didn't work for me.
Didn't listen to the whole thing, but wasn't a fan of what I heard. Just not my style.
House music isn’t my jam.
I'd never really listened to this album all the way through before for some reason, despite loving 'Music for the Jilted Generation' as a kid. There's plenty of banging tracks outside of the big singles, although they don't all hit. In terms of quality and consistency I think someone like the Chemical Brothers were way better, but this is still decent and I'm pretty there for it. 3.5 rounded up.
So many songs to get pumped up to. Techno/bass/EDM perfection.
This really makes you feel like you're 1997.
What a banger of an album. Properly mad and cover is one of the hardest images ever. I mean, it start's with Smack my bitch up, enough said.
interesting but just seemed to be just instrumental and no vocal so wasn’t a big fan
Amazing album, not one bad song. Listened while drinking beers on the deck
fave- breathe, firestarter
I did not finish this. A very unimpressive effort that my dad enjoys. The insane promotion of domestic violence that the (also quite literally insane) singer, Kevin Flint, tried to claim was simply a metaphor for ‘being different’ or something stupid justifies one star, if nothing else does.
The music is funky and reminds me of a soundtrack to a dystopian future movie. I enjoyed a thorough listen The Fat Of The Land is not an album I feel I need to listen to again.
Generally enjoyable. Between a 3 and 4 for me.
Better than I expected.
The disgusting message of “Smack my bitch up” notwithstanding, this was a decent album; not my genre of choice and the concept of that first track is so warped that I wouldn’t choose to listen to it again.
Sounded like a rave backdrop. Pretty repetitive beats but some interesting lyrical choices (also repetitive within the song). Reminded me of chemical brothers? Would fit into the Matrix soundtrack
Firestarter and Breathe!!! What else is there to say? It is a worthy follow-up to Jilted Generation, a bit more aggressive, still, all titles are absolute bangers (minus the first title because of the title-giving sample, could've done with any other).
A bit faster than their previous album, much more my vibe
After the first couple songs, it all just started to blend together into one song. Probably just me, but I've never been a fan of the electronic/dance/rave kinda music. Had a headache by the end. Not for me. Interesting to start but was ready for it to end shortly after.... I'll go with 1.5, because it's no Suicide, but I can't get these guys to a 2. 1.5
3 I was a little apprehensive going into this one, but there’s definitely an enjoyable vibe to it. In fact, I found this to be much more accessible than a lot of other club-style electronica and was actually quite enjoying myself as the album kicked off with Smack My Bitch Up, a song that I’m sure has never attracted any kind of known controversy. Breathe was a similar, but excellent follow-up track (and probably my favorite of the album), as was Diesel Power and Funky Shit from there. But that’s really the problem with this album though - things never really change all that much from the same general sound. That wasn’t really a problem at first (once my coffee kicked in, I was plugging away at work to this like I was some sort of 80s sci-fi hacker), but the music - like the caffeine - started losing its hold on me about halfway through the album. After a certain point, I just found myself holding out for Firestarter, a track I’ve seen a lot of people name as the group’s best (and which also requires you to slog through the 9-minute Narayan), but… it just sounded like everything else here? Am I missing something? I mean it’s fine, but it’s nothing special, and it’s definitely no Stand Up, the actual best song by this group - give that a listen if you’re not familiar. It’s a totally different vibe, but much better in the sense that it makes you feel like a badass without feeling like you should also be tweaking on something. (On an opposite note, if you want to hear an abomination, check out Gene Simmons’ cover of Firestarter). If you’re into electronica, I can see why you’d be a fan of this album. As someone who isn’t particularly into the genre, I still would say I liked this more than I disliked it, though not by a ton - the charm of this kind of stuff runs thin quickly with me. Will keep in mind if I’m ever on coke or molly.
I've heard "Firestarter" and "Smack My Bitch Up" before, but this was my first time listening to an album by Prodigy. I wasn't terribly impressed with the first three tracks, but "Funky Shit" kicked off a string of songs that I really enjoyed, all the way through "Firestarter." Speaking of "Firestarter," the segue into it from "Narayan" was absolutely fantastic. At the expense of sounding like an absolute lunatic, I love a good segue from one song into another. "Climbatize" was great too, and I loved its use of a sample from The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again." I really liked the beats on this song from "Funky Shit" onward; the lyrics and vocals weren't really my jam, but it was easy to ignore them. This album isn't the type of thing I'd listen to just to listen to, but I can definitely fuck with this during a workout. Overall, this wound up being a great album, despite its rocky start.
amazing album. still loving the sound textures and sampling. it doesn't get old
Sehr ordentlich
Smack My Bitch Up - 8.5/10 Breathe - 7.5/10 Diesel Power - 7.5/10 Funky Shit - 7/10 Serial Thrilla - 7.5/10 Mindfields - 8/10 Narayan - 8/10 Firestarter - 7.5/10 Climbatize - 7.5/10 Fuel My Fire - 8/10 TOTAL - 71/100
Memories of youth.
At first, I liked the video gamey sound but then grew tired of it by the middle of the album
Pioneers of electronic music for years to come. Fuel My Fire was a standout from the album's deep cuts
Not my taste, couldn't get into it
Fun remembering these guys from my 90 mtv days. Some ok tracks but nothing really great.
Hits are really good. It gets a bit samey by the end.
Cult classic!
mom did not approve. she wants to listen to « her music ».
In hell YOU’RE THE VICTIM!!!
All sounded like the same song but I kinda liked the song
This is what crabs listen to
I thought this would be easiest 5 of my life, but It wasn't an easy as I expected, almost went 4. But there are only a couple of weaknesses, and the strengths that come with it are just unreal. So just tips into 5 for me.
An album the defines the sound of the UK in the 90s. An all time classic in its genre. Breathe, Firestarter and Smack My Bitch Up are among the most well known electronic songs of all time but the quality of this album runs much deep than its singles. Songs like Narayan and Fuel My Fire offer some slightly different sounds and vibes that create a complete and varied album that I would consider a must listen for all fans of music.
Pretty intense. I’m sure there are times for that but yesterday was not it for me
Eh, I don't really get down with the edge lord, industrial rave stuff. This one has merit, and I don't want to criticize it too hard. The Matrix is a good movie, but one of the things that dates it the most to me is the music, and more than one song off this record is on the soundtrack. It's very much of its time. I don't like using the word 'cringy' to describe anything really, but that's the main feeling I get with this record.
A big beat odyssey that tapped its era's youth culture zeitgeist by successfully fusing the techno rave with the punk rock pit, becoming a defining musical force of the late 90s in the process.
Overall a really solid electronic album, great instrumentals with aggressive effective lyrics. 8/10
I don't have too much to say about this album. I was decent enough and a bit nostalgic for me.
2 nicht alles gehört, einfach nicht so meins.
Nicht sonderlich mein Fall. "Firestarter" habe ich schonmal irgendwo davor gehört. Es ist nicht schlecht, aber nichts, was ich mir einfach so nochmal anhören würde. 3.2/10
Gets tiresome
One of my favourites!
First song lyrics and title are not good. Although it is high energy I fell asleep during it last night. Its not amazing but it was one of the first electronic albums so needs some respect.
Monday morning. Your oldest daughter is sick, younger has erupting teeth. You didn't sleep much whole weekend and right now have to get up and start a day. It's 5:20 in the morning, pitch black because of December. You try to do what you normally do, morning routine but energy is low as fuck. Opening 1001 app and writing review to yesterdays bullshit album that you had to grade thinking 'you better give me something good this time'. Bam. Prodigy. Bam. The Fat of The Land. Quickly pick up one headphone just to listen a little bit. When Smack My Bitch Up starts playing you know it's gonna be a good day. 5/5
This was more enjoyable than I thought it would be. I think I knew this record pretty well as a teenager but definitely did not listen to it in the intervening years. For me the big hits (Smack My Bitch Up, Firestarter, Breathe) were actually the lowest points of the record - the rest of it is actually pretty well put together and enjoyable.
I didn't enjoy this one at all.
Mind numbingly repetitive. I actually kind of liked Breathe, but nothing else
The Prodigy are beloved, and this album has rave reviews. So I feel bad to say that I've never been a fan. It's sorta fun, in that it sounds like the cheesy background music in a late 90's chase scene. But on that same note, it's just relentless and too noisy, and yeah, sounds like the soundtrack for a Fast and the Furious videogame for PS2. Electronic music, beyond going on way too long, tends to age like milk, and this sounds so much like a product of its time. I guess this is why I've never been invited to a rave. The crab on the cover is cool though.
Big fan of all they do but overall on this list I’m trying to figure out where this lands. It’s formative for the genre and one of the largest successes commercially but is it great? 3.5/5
Techno is usually repetitive and boring after only a few bars. Prodigy has never had this issue. Every repeated loop has something special. You are not allowed to be bored. The Music and lyrics are offensive and amazing. This record is not my type of music. And it's flawless.
Smack my 3 stars up.
This is a lot of heavy bass and electronic techno but for some reason a little bit of rapped mixed in. Not too sure why that was added in but the rhymes were pretty solid just felt really unnecessary. Overall this was boring to me. I just can’t do this kind of electronic music. 3.3/10