Reviews (page 9 of 15)
My favourite edm album yet I think. Soooo much fun. You feel so edgy and untouchable listening to this, I'd love to be at a party in the 90s playing this hahaha. Desperate to know why this is the album cover tho. Iconic, just confusing
A few good “hits”, but as a whole this album has not aged well.
Singles are pretty iconic and all, but much of the rest is filler at best.
Listened to on 1/22/25, I struggled to listen to this one. The fast moving beats and synthesizer were not to my taste. The only song I liked a little bit was Diesel Power, and that had some decent lyrics at best. Everything was also extremely repetitive. This one was basically a DNL for me. I would rate it 2/5, not to my taste but could be for clubs and discos.
жестко мимо я даже не смогла дослушать.
A true modern classic
If you like boom sha wow na wow music repeating the same 5 words, this is for you. I listened to this on hydrocodine and thought it was amazing. On a later listen, it was annoying. 1001 album worthy: Yes - 35/61
Lots of familiar songs
LOVED this when it came out, still love it now - don't even care if the tracks in between 1,2 and 8 aren't as epic, but they're good and this vibe and energy was just what the dr. ordered - I needed this today : )
I remember the Smack My bitch Up video...that took a surprising turn. I was already a fan of Breathe and Firestarter, but the rest of the album didn't hold up as much. It felt like a watered-down version of those top three songs.
Big beats. Silly lyrics. Toxic clown prince energy. That's all it took for rave culture to get a foothold in America. Certainly some tracks will get you moving but most go nowhere. And the ones that do “progress" follow the same exact structure. A time capsule - like Bud Fox on a cocaine bender - perhaps better left unopened.
I love the energy but most of the songs are too long and repetitive for me. Breathe and Smack My Bitch Up are both great tracks though.
There was something cool going on in every song. Too unrelenting for my non-rave lifestyle.
Great album, changed the landscape. Breathe is a personal favourite always gets the blood rushing.
This album has some hits with Breathe and Firestarter but it doesn't hit as well as Music for the Jilted Generation. The Prodigy are such a band of their time and the sound screams 90s. These two are good to have on the list but I doubt we need more Prodigy than that here.
Good for playing any racing game to. Ah Firestarter is a fun one. They have the ability to construct a decent song. They were probably one of the best at doing this when the people wanted this. They could trim the fat on a couple of these tracks. The second Prodigy album we've had. I'm not sure that there was a need for two. The vibe is similar.
Wiggling
🦀!! I was so happy to see that crab show up. Not only because this is one of my favorite album covers ever, but also because this album kicks ass. This album is pure adrenaline. Favorite track: Breathe, Smack My Bitch Up
Beautiful !
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Good workout music. I had this back in high school when it first came out but have not listened to it since then. I will revisit more often.
It did give me energy
Very good
Classic.
in the club straight up jorkin it kind of banger
Songs that I’ll jam to but will not actively replay. Smack my bitch up is nice
Lots of bangers, probably a 5 when you're high as fuck. That crab looks like it's having fun, and so did I when listening to this album.
Five stars all the way. Killer tracks from start to finish. The cover is super cool too. RIP Keith Flint.
ok
I can't really tell a lot of 90s EDM apart. It's ok, but not quite Chemical Brothers or Underworld.
Still good! Thought I'd be emberassed by it since this was my era, but I ended up feeling charged up.
90s!! This album is just a reminder wave of how lucky I was to have a cool older sister. I was listening to Firestarter in elementary school. I don't love every track on this album but I'd say it definitely holds up. Love the transitions. There's a total vibe over the whole thing that's way more than just effects and hooks. As far as I'm concerned this is top shelf techno pop. Some of the best album art ever btw. Lil bud's so hyped! 3.5
♥️
The repetitiveness of all of it means that the songs live or die on the strength of the main loops and beats. Fortunately, a lot of them are quite strong.
Hard, energetic and unapologetic. I remember when this came out. My cousin and I got it at HMV on CD and we blasted it, jumping around in her room. Just as good today. This albums Dan help you power through anything.
This album came out on my birthday, we’re the same age :) which one do YOU think has aged better? 😏 don’t answer that…
Edgy stuff! Fun to dance to
Very cool and in your face. Always liked this one as a kid, fun album to revisit!! Also fun to listen to today cuz im seeing kool keith tonight and hes sampled in the first track!!
This is an awesome album. So much energy and angst! Chocked full of bangers. Although I wasn't really into it when it first came out, its been on high rotation for perhaps the past 20 years?
Every year at the all girls school I went to the senior students would organise and supervise dances with our brother school, and at one memorable formal in '97 the only CD they had was the single for Breathe - so they just played it on repeat for 30 mins until someone finally rocked up with more music - lots of people complained, but I loved it! Pretty good for dancing to, probably a bit less good for dry humping to - which seemed to be mostly what we were trying to get up to at those dances! This was the beginning of high school and the blossoming of my eclectic music taste (and being eclectic in general?)! I loved watching the couple of music videos that were on Rage pretty regularly at the time - Breathe and Firestarter, they were just so different from the kind of things I'd seen before - RIP to Keith Flint, one of a kind I adore this whole album and its still on regular rotation nearly 30 years later! Big nostalgia! Too hard to pic a fave from this album, but my top three would be Minefields, Funky Shit and Fire Starter I'm a bit surprised by the global rating on this one!
Who chose this?
++: Funky Shit, Climbatize +: Breathe, Serial Thrilla, Firestarter, Fuel My Fire +-: Smack My Bitch Up, Mindfields, Narayan -: Diesel Power 6,1/10
Throwback to high school. Great psych up album.
It’s was okay, not for me this time of edm. I have heard the prodigy is a legend in this type of music but this style just didn’t grab me except for one song called “funky shit”
Electronic Big Beat with a punk attitude, The Fat of the Land by The Prodigy is propulsive and overwhelming. It's impossible to consider a state of stillness - of mind or body - while being immersed in this. Any technical genre description I could attach to this album would be lifted from a Google search rather than my own deep knowledge of rave culture or electronic music. It is easy to see why this album was so successful. It exudes swagger and mashes up genres. It is creative and a testament to the club as a generative locus for musical innovation. Sonically this is a powerhouse of beats, loops, and bass lines with exotic samples.The album is not without its problems, most notably in the latent misogyny of the opening track's title, oft-repeated throughout the song. The medium is not always the message, but not every message needs to be uncritically mediated.
Banging album
Enformigt men helt ok
very upbeat songs, probably a good album when practicing some exercise
Prodigy might be the one EM band I like :)
Firestarter is a banger, I'm not too into most of it though.
Ik zou het niet erg vinden als ik dit niet had gehoord
Love love love this album !!! Great part of my childhood :D
Would listen to again. I remember this album cover more than i remember the music
One of my favorite dance albums for sure. The hit songs off here are all incredibly hyped and the other tracks here do well to keep you engaged. May not be as raw as Music for the Jilted Generation but trades it for a shorter more engaging runtime and stronger overall enjoyment. Prodigy is great in turning harsh noises into something greatly melodic.
surprisingly decent electronic album. a bit repetitive at times, but i suppose that’s par for the course when it comes to this genre
When it comes to '90s electronic dance music, there are a couple albums that I think helped define the genre; there's Daft Punk's Homework, there's Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works 85-92, and then there's this one. A lot more punk-ish in its sound than those too, for sure, and the late Keith Flint sounds like he wouldn't be out of place in a British punk rock band from the 1970s. The difference is where you'd hear music like this; whereas a punk band would probably play shows in small venues with some mosh pits, you'd probably hear the Prodigy's music at a rave. Repetitive music, but that's how it goes with EDM. There's still enough variety in the sound so that this doesn't really get boring (for me, at least, taste is subjective after all). The three big singles ("Smack My Bitch Up", "Breathe" and "Firestarter") are obviously the big highlights of this album, though songs like "Serial Thrilla" and "Fuel My Fire" are songs that I feel can't go ignored, they're just as good as the big three. Could've used some shortening in some songs, but The Fat of the Land is an undeniable classic of '90s EDM. Favorite Tracks: "Smack My Bitch Up", "Breathe", "Serial Thrilla", "Firestarter", "Fuel My Fire" Least Favorite Tracks: "Narayan", "Climbatize"
The song Smack My Bitch Up is horrifically bad, both in terms of lyricism and sound. Scattered tracks throughout the remainder of the album are sonically good, but lyrically poor (and the rest are sonically and lyrically poor). They should've gone purely instrumental here to at least maintain some semblance of trying to make something decent-sounding. In addition, most of the tracks sound extremely similar, with Narayan perhaps being a standout for having lower energy and a thinner texture. I'll give it that it definitely influenced later electronic music. But think for a moment – is that really a good thing, given how frequently modern-day electronic music is criticised? 1/5 Key tracks: none
Just Breathe and give this Funky Shit a listen. It’s a Firestarter!
The Fat of the Land was too repetitive to be enjoyed! An instance of a potential hook would pop up, only to delve back into the same repetitive nonsense. I suppose I should be grateful enough that The Prodigy created something that didn't demand my full attention like noise rock, but he also didn't make it easy for me. Sure hope somebody else enjoyed this album, 'cause it wasn't going to be me.
Kind of catchy, but very repetitive, like a lot of the techno from this era. The sheer repetitiveness of this definitely made things get boring fast. I understand that Prodigy and bands like them brought us to where we are today when it comes to a lot of electronic and techno music, but the 3+ minutes of pure repetition just doesn't tend to do it for me.
Spotify No headphones Didn't like it 2 star
I like their energetic beats especially on the hits "Breath" and "Firestarter". But for a whole album it's much too repetitive. 2,5
I've always found this album cover hilarious. Anyway, this is probably The Prodigy at their peak. That likely aligned with the big beat genre also being at its peak in Britain and most of the rest of the world. I mean, "Breathe" and "Firestarter" are stone cold classics from the genre and continue to go hard. The rest of the album doesn't quite stack up and stay that consistent, but the sampling here is unique and the breakbeats are hard and booming. I'd put this slightly above "Music for the Jilted Generation" in terms of overall quality.
First impression… this is not for me. Mix of hip-hop and industrial EDM. Sounds incredibly dated to me. I can see people who were into this kind of industrial music loving it in the same way I love Youngblood Brass Band because I like brass bands. Serial Thrilla sounds more like Beastie Boys but not good. Narayan sounds like it could be acceptable in the closing credits of a gross and unsatisfying horror movie. Mood: crabby. However this is a mix of almost every genre and sound I don’t like.
....not sure what to say about this one. I don't think I like it. I kind of enjoyed "Climbatize" but probably because it was the one track without any vocals.
Nope
Cool album, sounds perfect for like a chase scene in a movie. Very hard electronic almost dance music. Funky shit is my favorite song.
Absolute banger
Distilling this much HYPE into an album is just criminal. Love 'Climbatize' and of course all the famous tracks
Day 0003/1001 of One Album a Day Adore the first half of this but after that it starts to drag on for me personally. Firestarter does manage to provide an element of reinvigoration to the latter half of this but I found myself bored with some of the tracks towards the end of this. Still, solid album overall and not hard to see why its so iconic. Fav tracks: Smack My Bitch Up / Breath / Diesel Power / Climbatize Bad tracks: Mindfields
This seems like a great entry from a genre I really don't like. Electronic is just too repetitive for me, almost insanity-inducing. The famous songs on this are all memorable, but they all overstay their welcome for me. Better as 30-second snippets rather than 5+ minute-long opuses.
I’m listening to this album to give it a fair shake but I hated it when it came out and … same now.
Ich sehe den Impact des Albums, aber unfassbar schlechte Produktion
Certified banger if I have ever seen one. Na Wikipedii znalazłem fajny fragment dotyczący tego albumu, który wydaje mi się, że dobrze go podsumowuje. "Heavy metal-focused magazine Metal Hammer included it in their 2020 list of the top 10 1997 albums, citing it as <<the point at which rave culture collided with metal culture>>". The Prodigy po prostu ma kopa. Przy całym swoim rave'owym klimacie ta płyta jest też ciekawa muzycznie dla mnie. Plus jest w niej dla mnie coś bardzo brytyjskiego. Taka bloke music. Fajnie zobaczyć inną stronę brytyjskiej muzyki, niż czuli chłopcy z indie rockowych zespołów.
Is writing that those people are prodigies a good review? No. Becasue pun-based reviews are the opposite of art and the opposite of this album.
Jakoś na przełomie gimnazjum i liceum, pod koniec mojego pierwszego wyjazdu na Woodstock miałem w planie napierdalać z ziomkami pod sceną przy najwìekszej gwieździe tamtej edycji festiwalu - The Prodigy, jeszcze ze świętej pamięci panem "mam kolorowe rogi, skaczę po scenie i drę pizdę do mikrofonu", czy jak mu tam było [*]. Plany mogłem sobie wsadzić w dupę, bo wylądowałem w namiocie, wijący się w bólach, struty błotem z kąpieliska, nie mający nawet siły kazać stanowczo spierdalać jakiemuś randomowi lejącemu na moje schronienie (niepokojąco zresztą blisko mojej głowy). Przesłuchanie tej płyty uświadomiło mi dwie rzeczy: że jednak niczego nie straciłem, a poza tym moja agonia była na 100% podbita przez napierdalającą muzykę Prodidżejów. Nie jestem pewien, czy to się tak źle zestarzało, czy po prostu nigdy nie było dobre :S 2/5, bo jednak (1) to Brytyjczycy, (2) są jakąś ikoną swoich czasów, (3) udowodnili mi coś, co wydawało się niemożliwe - że można stworzyć elektroniczną napierdalankę, która jest tak nudna i powtarzalna, że można puścić ją spokojnie dziecku zamiast kołysanki. PS w przeciwieństwie do koncertu the Libertines, na the Prodigy mógłbym pewnie wyrwać co najwyżej ostatni włos z glacy nafuranego fana SmoCk Moi Beeech Op
Probably more fun than lying in your puke after eating mud while a stranger pisses on your tent.
One of my faves from the 90’s, brings me back to my first year out of high school
Yeah, that's a no for the first track. The rest of the album makes alright background noise if you need to kill a bunch of things in video games. Shoutout to Jimmy Eat World for having an awesome cover of "Firestarter" btw.
Despite being really familiar with the singles, I'd never listened to this record in full. The beats and production are great, but a lot of the vocals and rapping makes it trapped in that late 90s shtickiness.
Enjoyed this far more than I expected. Floored. I thought these stage rodents were trash. I enjoyed this album. 4 stars. 4!
Fire starter is a tuuuune but the rest of the songs aren’t up my street.
Abgebrochen, nicht meins.
This makes me feel like I could beat a lizard man in a street kung-fu tournament
Fascinating album. It is such a specific vibe. I don’t know if it is for me but I can acknowledge its purpose. This is some real pump-up shit. If I was doing the soundtrack for the Matrix, it would be this album.
This is some Funky Shit This is the music that plays during the really hard part of the level from that late 90s childhood video game. I’m not really sure who it’s for, nor do I really see any appeal in listening to this album raw like this. Maybe if I was a little fucked up at a rave or something I could give it a pass for the atmospheric vibe it creates, but it’s just not for me.
I don't know when I'm ever going to be in the mood to listen to this properly. Breathe is great though
Bad luck – Chemical Brothers had already ground me down this morning
goated album cover musikken ikke helt i min smak
Likte det bedre enn jeg trodde jeg skulle. Føles veldig tidlig 2000 / sen 90-tallet spionfilm soundtrack. Kanskje litt utdatert, kunne også trengt litt mer bass. Men synes det var bra, likte progresjonen på flere av sangene. Trenger flere listens, men veldig kult album i hvert fall.
This is a banger. I wasn't a huge fan at the time, but liked the 'hits'. Holds up very well.
YES! MASSIVE TUNES! Finns inget som pumpar upp mig bättre inför en fest eller utekväll som att fylla hela lägenheten med 'Smack My Bitch Up', 'Breathe', eller 'Firestarter'. Otroligt vilken energi som finns i Liam Howletts beats. Och i Keith Flint (rip). Visst kan Funky Shit -> Serial Thrilla -> Mindfields kännas som lite av en transportsträcka, men vad gör det när målet är Narayan? Och efter tidigare nämnda Firestarter, maffiga Climbatize. Önskar så starkt att jag var äldre och förnuftigare år 2014 och förstod att jag bara inte FÅR MISSA att se The Prodigy på Storsjöyran. Att chansen att se Keith Flint aldrig kommer komma mer. Den möjligheten är borta för alltid. Bästa låt: Dött lopp mellan Smack My Bitch Up, Breathe, och Firestarter. Narayan och Climbatize bubblare. Eller Diesel Power.
Kind of cool but like in a your dad loved this in the 90s kind of way. Like, yeah sick beats bro but maybe don’t call your opening track “smack a bitch up”
After getting Music for the Jilted Generation as album #11 on my journey, I was curious about the follow-up, The Fat of the Land. After listening to it, I'd say they're about the same quality. There are notable differences between both albums. In the case of Fat of the Land, it's brighter in tone such that more of the songs are danceable in structure. From the get-go with "Smack My Bitch Up" into "Breathe" the rave party vibe is very much present. Adding to that atmosphere is a more varied vocal presence. Whereas before Jilted had the one song "Poison" with vocal contributions, now nearly every track has a notable performer behind the mic, with the big presences here being the returning Maxim Reality and Keith Flint. Both the vocals and the tone contribute to a more palatable experience for newcomers to the big beat scene, compared to the darker and manic nature of Jilted. That said, Fat of the Land is still longer than it should be. For sure, it's less than the runtime of Jilted, but the pacing bogs down toward the middle with the nine-minute "Narayan". That song tried to add ambiance with the drone and chants but was hampered by its drawn-out buildup and Crispian Mills' flimsy vocal presence. Also not helping matters is that this album ends on a cover song, in this case, a techno version of L7's "Fuel My Fire". It's not bad, but "Climbatize" felt like the proper ending in focusing on Liam Howlett's programming chops. Overall, I still had a good enough time with Fat of the Land. Between this and Jilted, The Prodigy cemented themselves in the pantheon of 90s electronic music, that much is evident.
Einzelne gute Stücke, in der Summe nervig
Much better than I would have expected before. Nothing I‘d listen often too but still a great album indeed.
Still great and reminds me of the good old days. It still works today but does not fascinate me like back then.
not my style of music
Legit giving me 90s techno. Some album you would slap on your mixtape to try and get featured on Thrasher magazine.
This was difficult to review. I had this album when it first dropped and played the hell out of it. The bass is fantastic and there's four incredible tracks that are all five star quality. However, there's also a lot of material here that's not as great. Some of it definitely feels more like filler than it should do. I feel four stars is harsh but fair in this situation.
Electro punk goodness. Holds up very well indeed.
Good lord this isn't for me. This sound has not aged well at all. Leave this one in the 90s.
I wasn’t familiar with this band or album but really enjoyed it. If I had known about this in my high school punk pop phase, I would have been all over it.
A couple of tracks in the middle were ok, but overall, no.
I loved this album (and the “Breathe” video, omg, I’d never seen anything like that) so much in junior high I distinctly remember asking my parents if we could fly to Australia for my birthday to see them in concert. You’ll be shocked to learn that was a no. After listening: still like it. A little long, a little repetitive, but solid.
Very good bass danceable but ultimately boring. I need songs not just beats. I do admit these are GOOD beats and every once in a while a trace of a melody shows up. 2.5 stars
My review, verbatim, from the other The Prodigy album on this list: “Some cool beats here. I could see this being a huge hit at a rave, and I would actually be into it there. But there’s no reason these songs (which most tracks barely qualify as) need to be this long.” Every word of that review still stands for this one. There’s no reason for there to be two The Prodigy albums on this list, although I’d give the edge to this one over Music for the Jilted Generation.
Delusional and repetitive electronic dance music that becomes noise pollution.
Not too shabby for one of my least favourite genres.
I got this right after John Lennon, so my opinion is slightly biased. What a kitsch but enjoyable ride. Firestarter defined a generation of wannabe badasses , but the whole album immerses you perfectly into the world of people stuck in a mediocre life at the turn of the millenium pretending to be characters in the Matrix. I much rather prefer this garish side of the nineties over the melodramatic pop
Excellent. One of my tops.
Liked the crab on the cover and that’s about it!
Fantastic album otherwise. Iconic cover as well. I remember my Dad buying this and only putting it on when Mum was out... Hard to put the misogyny of the lyrics aside, but on the other hand, it's hard to imagine anyone with a straight face arguing that this is some kind of incitement to domestic violence. It does seem a bit... dated nowadays, but I suppose it is coming on for 30 years old now, and every other part of the album still slaps as hard as it did in 1997.
Thought it was bad at first went between bad and good but some of the songs on it are straight bangers ngl
Loud for the sake of being loud, repetitive beats, too long. Some tracks and parts of tracks I enjoyed, like Mindfields and Climbatize. EDIT:- I think this album actually deserves a 4. I have to be in the right mood but when I am, I do enjoy this. Also great to run to.
3.9
Generally I don’t know how much I enjoy full length dance music albums, but the singles on this one are undeniably great
Mític
90s clubbing
Great album. More depth then I expected.
I went into this album expecting not to enjoy it. And I didn’t. But I didn’t expect how I felt about it. I thought I’d be giving it a 1/5 rating, but there’s something there, something I wasn’t anticipating. All the things I expected to dislike about the album—its aggressive tone, the snarled and sparse vocals, the repetitive nature of the songs (I actually accidentally listened to half of “Smack My Bitch Up” again because I hadn’t noticed the album starting over)—didn’t sit well with me. Until, at some point, I stopped trying to listen to it as an album. I thought dismissively, “This is the kind of music they play in movies when they want to disorientate the viewer,” and then something clicked. I began picturing chase scenes or futuristic video game levels, and suddenly the music made much more sense in that context. I’m still giving it a 2/5 because I can’t see myself revisiting it, but it’s surprising how much more I appreciated it once I changed my mindset. I honestly thought this album was destined for the 1/5 pile. Standout Track: Mindfield Score: 2/5
Had a lot of beeps and zeeps
In August 2016 the Chicago Cubs fired a DJ who played Smack My Bitch Up after reliever Aroldis Chapman left the mound during a game against the St Louis Cardinals. Chapman served a 29-game suspension to begin the season under MLB’s new domestic violence policy for allegedly pushing and choking his girlfriend.
Actually liked it much more than expected. Not my usual sorta thing but enjoyed it all the same.
So funnn !
achei MUITO ruim bicho pelo amor de deus serviu de aprendizado pelo menos pra saber que a primeira música do álbum (smack my bitch up) tocava o tempo todo quando eu era criancinha
trilha sonora para HACKER em filmes é, dá pra entender porque tá na lista. é bem único mesmo. parece clichê mas é porque já foi usado em todo lugar, mas pra época boto fé que era doideira demais. tem umas pedrada, é divertido. fiz planilha hypadão no trampo por conta desse album
This album does so much for me. First of all, it sounds amazing in my car. I listened to a lot of this in my dad’s car when I was a teenager so what a joy to come back to it and get that same buzz. The sheer noisiness is legendary.
Whish I was that crab. Fun beats, a bit long though
Incredible stuff, RIP Keith. This album is just none stop, punch you in the face, adrenaline filled noise and I'm here for it
This album garnered The Prodigy all of their fame that they had in the 90's. Smack My Bitch Up, Breathe, Firestarter... Lots of hits on this record. Typical 90's rave music. Similar to Primal Scream but better executed. At least this music has a pulse. Favourite songs: Breathe, Smack My Bitch Up, Firestarter, Funky Shit, Diesel Power, Fuel My Fire Least favourite songs: Climbatize 4/5
Fun vibes, unfortunately all vibes lasted for roughly an eternity. Probably better lengthwise when dancing to the tracks.
So good. Gets repetitive at times for my infantile attention span (which is probably why I don't listen to this kind of music much, all the songs are like 8 minutes long) but it's very, very good.
This album is a musical tightrope act, and while it may be shaky and a bit unstable at times, it never falls. It's repetitive, but always adds a new element or change just before it gets boring or annoying. It's lacking in lyrics, yet still manages to get some meaning across. It's edgy without feeling overly cringe. It's incredibly processed yet still manages to have something organic to it.
My god, The Fat Of The Land was such an awesome album. Never have i heard an electronic album be so of it's time and timeless and versatile at the same time. Not only that but every song was extraordinarily catchy, dark in all the right places while remaining so cool, and always interesting and just blowing me away with how unique every song here is. And did i mention that this album is so versatile as it can fit in so many situations from working out, to having a fun dance party, to even racing in cars. Even the long songs didn't bug me in the slightest as they were all still bangers. This is an absolutely incredible album that i have virtually zero complaints with. Best Song: Fuel My Fire Worst Song: Diesel Power Side note: If i were to make a racing game, Fuel My Fire would absolutely be in it's soundtrack (if i were to have the rights)
I liked this album. It was wayyyyyy better than "The Contino Sessions." I am normally not an electronic music fan but these beats were entertaining and I felt like these songs actually went somewhere and didn't just drone on. The lyrics were definitely questionable at times and not really a highlight of any songs. "Narayan" was wayyyy too long and "Serial Thrilla" was boring lol. I am not sure if I would return to this album, but it was entertaining. Liked Songs: "Smack My Bitch Up" (feels so wrong saying I liked this one, but the beat was so catchy) , "Breathe" , "Funky Shit" , "Firestarter" , "Fuel My Fire" (this was probably my favorite one)
90s electro/club music isn't really my thing. The songs are all about two minutes too long, which feels like an eternity when the drums are playing the exact same beat every measure. 1.5
Итс окэй. В юности я очень тащился по этой музыке. Сейчас мне кажется немного нелепой эта как будто бы фейк-агрессивная музыка, стерильная и ровная. Лучшая песня - Breathe.
A staple
such a time capsule. lots of fun
I know you can say this for every genre. But specifically this kind of music, to me, all sounds the exact fucking same. Except climbatize I guess
Not my thing and most of the songs sound alike. Diesel Power was my favorite aka disliked the least.
The Fat of the Land is the third album from the Prodigy, a British electronic music group. This is their best selling album, and the work that propelled the group to international fame. The group's relentless touring had help the Prodigy gain popularity, moving them out of dance club and into larger venues. The Fat of the Land was successful enough to make festival headliners out of the Prodigy. This album includes some of the group's biggest hits, including "Firestarter" and "Smack my Bitch Up." These are energetic, danceable tracks, with hip hop timing and the brash confidence of punk, that helped push electronica into popular music circles.
Great music but can be a but repetitive at times
Let's goooo
This had some appeal to middle school me. That’s about as far as it goes.
Just sick. Lots of fun with this one.
1 star for the music but 5 stars for the crab rave album cover
As soon as Smack My Bitch Up kicks in you know this is bringing the aggression. The drum beat and big acid riff pounds into your brain. More excellent drum programming in Breathe. Simple intro melody before the vocal comes in with deep bass and the track really takes off. Funky Stuff brings the energy even higher, a hard driving mostly instrumental cut. Mindfields is another gem, sounding like proto dubstep to me. Narayan takes it deeper still with a trancey melody and tight breakbeat rhythm. Firestarter is the darkest and most frenetic sounding of the singles. Tucked near the end, Climbatize is one of the best tracks, a real floor filler with a driving bassline. Fuel My Fire is the closer, a hyperenergetic cover of a punk song. A late 90s crossover EDM classic that sounds just as good in 2024. Turn the bass up.
J’avais écrit une SUPER bonne review de l’album, mais le site à décider de crash et d’effacer tout ce que j’avais écrit au moment que j’ai appuyé sur send. Puisque j’ai la grosse flemme de tout réécrire, je vais juste écrire l’élément le plus important: Cet album ne contient pas le hit Crab Rave.
This kinda goes.
it's interesting going back-to-back with this album and Sound of Silver. two electronic albums with a punk edge, but with pretty different approaches and affects. The Prodigy is undeniably more aggressive, leaning more on frenetic breakbeats and howling synths than static house grooves and cold bleep-bloops. it definitely feels like I should either be listening to this in a club or, better yet, while soaring down slopes in SSX Tricky. I'd be very surprised if this wasn't an inspiration point for Joey Valence & Brae, one of my favorite recently-broken-out music acts. there's still a lot of repetition at play, but it's less about slow builds and more about subverting your expectations. just when you start itching for things to switch up, The Prodigy does it! sometimes it's in pretty obvious ways, like taking the drums in or out, or introducing a new vocal. but there's also plenty of tiny details and edits that jostle me and keep me attentive, and I appreciate those moments even more. the three big singles ("Smack My Bitch Up", "Breathe" and "Firestarter") are definitely the highlights, but I also came away with this album with a great Kool Keith track I had never heard ("Diesel Power") and the hype-as-hell closer ("Fuel My Fire")! if I could change anything, I'd just take a minute or two off of "Narayan". light 9/10.
Enjoyed the banging drums and dark thumping rhythms.
Fantastic. Firestarter was *the* song. The Prodigy produce some amazing music, and some really cool videos. Smack My Bitch Up is a video well worth checking out!
I love the Prodigy. I saw them live, they were fantastic and I have fond memories of listening to them throughout my teenage years. However, the elephant in the room needs to be addressed. This album starts with the song "Smack My Bitch Up" and there is no defending this awful piece of misogyny. Unlike Notorious B.I.G's album, where this vileness was a constant undercurrent, the rest of the tracks on The Fat Of The Land aren't so cretinous. If it wasn't for the opening track, I'd give this album five stars. It's a shame really.
A smattering of absolutely classic iconic singles, but there a couple of tracks that bring the whole thing down a bit for me. Growing up, we were introduced to The Prodigy through the "Their Law" signles collection, and I can kind of see why. While the collection misses a few of my favourite tracks, it runs better as a block of music than the original albums themselves. That's ok, they were breaking new ground and becoming iconic, but it does put this at a 4 rather than a 5 for me.
In isolation I’ve never taken to these songs. As a whole work of art I appreciate it much more.
I just can't with electronic stuff. I listened on YouTube and an ad popped up and I couldn't tell the difference. A bonus point for there being SOME lyrical content, but out of spite I'm giving my first 1 and if I could go back and give the other electronic bs a 1 I would
It's kinda fun. I don't like a lot but I do love the album cover. Will I listen to again: 10%
A bunch of samesy rave music that I remember enjoying as a kid and I just can't really get into it here. It's repetative, but not creative, which is essential for electronica for me. It's more rave than house and it simply sounds very dated in today's soundscapes. I liked Funky Shit and Fuel My Fire enough, but it couldn't save this album for me.
Loved dancing to prodigy at industrial clubs in the late 90's. It's a great album that reflects the anger and cynicism at that time. It's better in a dance club. Not really the kind of album you sit around listening to.
The Prodigy's best album in my opinion. That was when they reinvented rave music. Rock and breakbeat are a perfect combination. My favourite song here is "Diesel Power". I can't get enough of this album. 5 stars for "The Fat of the Land".
I don't even know what to say. Wow. What a fucking album. I love every sound, every texture, every hook, every sample. What an apt band name
If an electronic band made a punk record. Literally. Brilliant, exhilarating, mind-melting, and extreme. Amazing singles, and they’re arguably the worst songs on here, or at least the least interesting. Fits my tastes perfectly. Also, maybe the best gym record ever made.
I'm the FIRESTARTAH! Ez a szám nagy bop, ezt meghagyom nekik, de nem tudok én a mosógépzenével mit kezdeni 😁
I’ve not heard this album for ages and I didn’t think it traveled through time well. I remember the confrontation of it (And Keith Flint!) when it came out. A pioneering sound and a timeless character. Less sonic than I remember
I don't feel anything when I listen to music like this. Except that I don't want to hear a man (or anyone) talking about smacking his bitch up. 2.
I think this is one of the better examples of this genre. The songs sounded distinct and I appreciated none of them were 20 minutes long. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5
Fond memories of being 12 and stealing my brothers copy of this aside, I’m tempted to say this kick started my love of electronic music that’s led to 20+ years of DJing and making music. That’s probably a little true (though I’d blame The Chemical Brothers), but listening now it just didn’t hit the same. Maybe it’s the fact that the election was last night and I was emotionally exhausted. I didn’t so much have fun listening to The Prodigy’s “rave music you can understand as rock music” experience as much as it just felt good having Keith Flint just as mad as you at whatever. Long story short, the singles still hit hard. The rest is mixed and not every rock and rave mixture holds up well. 3/5
Musically this is simply a stunning record, and it definitely is more than one song repeating 10 times. If you don't believe, take you AI and let it do some analysis. And don't fall for the controversy around "Smack my bitch up", it is a slang reference to drug abuse and the video perfectly illustrates this, and in addition this is nothing about male sexual violence, but about drug abuse leading to violence in consequence (the main character in the video is female btw ..) Nothing to show kids on TV for sure and not a choice of expression that one must like.
Crab rave
Probably nothing like it at the time. A mix of dance, techno and rap. Definitely not going in my collection but makes sense to be on the list.
dude this is so 90s dnb in such a good way - with 3 genuinely timeless classics. makes sense why this is an essential one to listen too, earwormy as fuck tunes and certainly a vibe i can find myself enjoying in future shoutouts to funky shit, i've heard the adlib before without knowing it's in this song and shit's iconic as FUCK
Very much an album of its time, but the hits are still hits
Three iconic tracks and my favorites by the prodigy! Haven't heard the rest of the album before but they are still good to vibe to but the hits carry this album for me.
Пушка бомба альбом. Просто шедевр
Listened to this on a car trip after an emotional experience and it was perfect. I don't need a ton of albums from this genre in my life, but this one is perfect. My only real criticism is that the attempted rapping in a couple of songs detracted from the songs as a whole
I remember hearing this quite a bit when it was first released. To be honest I wasn’t looking forward to diving back in, but I liked this better than I remembered. It felt more diverse than many other albums in this genre, I didn’t get the usual all the songs sound the same feeling. I certainly remembered Fire Started and Smack My Bitch Up, but the other tracks hold up better than I thought.
Some days I almost dread what album is going to pop up next. At least with this one it was so repetitive that after two tracks I knew exactly what the rest of the album sounded like. Sounds like something I won’t ever be listening to again.
Not a huge electronic music / dance music fan. The “rapping” / spoken word stuff on this album is terrible but the beats are OK.
Classic.
A seminal album for me. The best electronic music has ever been
De esos discos que te hacen querer que tus audífonos pudieran escucharse a un volumen mucho mayor para sentir sus beats hasta el alma. Genial, divertido y súper prendedor.
I am rating this a bit higher because the singles are some of the best songs of the entire 90s. The rest is just okay. A
Favourite tracks: smack my bitch up; breathe; firestarter; fuel my fire; diesel power; funky shit
Noise Genre -- Have heard played at stadiums etc -- hype music
Fun album but definitely getting a bit repetitive towards the end. I wouldn't give it anything over a 3 Favorites - Firestarter, Smack my bitch up Least Favorites - mine fields
### **"The Fat of the Land" by The Prodigy: In-Depth Review** Released in 1997, *The Fat of the Land* by The Prodigy was a defining album for the big beat genre, fusing electronic music with punk elements. The album arrived in a cultural moment where electronic music was gaining mainstream traction, and *The Fat of the Land* catapulted The Prodigy to global recognition. The album's aggressive beats, innovative production, and controversial themes make it one of the most impactful electronic music records of the 1990s. This review delves into the lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence of the album, weighing its strengths and weaknesses. ### **Lyrics** While The Prodigy is predominantly known for their music and sound, the lyrics in *The Fat of the Land* carry a particular energy and attitude that enhances the record's overall feel. Keith Flint, the band's firebrand frontman, delivers the vocals on many tracks, bringing a raw intensity to the lyrics. His style is abrasive and punk-influenced, prioritizing aggression and attitude over lyrical sophistication. The songs often focus on rebellion, chaos, and hedonism, aligning with the high-energy, rave-oriented culture of the time. Tracks like "Firestarter" and "Breathe" are emblematic of this approach. "Firestarter" captures a spirit of anarchy, with lyrics like "I'm the trouble starter, punkin' instigator" reflecting a kind of anti-authoritarian mindset. The lyrics are repetitive but effective in driving the message home, and the minimalism serves to highlight the music's intensity. However, the album's lyrical content lacks depth in some areas. The repetition, while fitting for the style, sometimes leads to a sense of monotony. The provocative nature of the lyrics in tracks like "Smack My Bitch Up" sparked controversy, but the intended meaning—challenging conventional norms and pushing boundaries—was often overshadowed by the perceived misogyny. ### **Music** Musically, *The Fat of the Land* showcases The Prodigy's skill in blending different styles, primarily big beat, industrial, techno, and punk rock. The tracks are characterized by their aggressive rhythms, heavy basslines, and sharp samples, creating a sound that is both danceable and abrasive. Liam Howlett, the group's primary producer, masterfully integrates live instrumentation with electronic elements, creating a dynamic and layered soundscape. - **"Smack My Bitch Up"** opens the album with an explosive mix of breakbeats, distorted guitar riffs, and vocal samples. Its chaotic and relentless rhythm sets the tone for the album's high-energy nature. - **"Breathe"** features a driving bassline, rhythmic changes, and an interplay between Flint's gritty vocals and Maxim's calmer, ominous delivery. The track builds a sense of tension and release, making it one of the album's standout moments. - **"Diesel Power"** brings in a hip-hop influence, with rapper Kool Keith delivering the verses over a slow yet intense beat. This track deviates from the faster pace of other songs, adding variety while still fitting the album's dark atmosphere. - **"Firestarter"** is another highlight, featuring a blend of punk vocals and electronic beats. The track's catchy riff and energetic delivery made it an anthem for the band. The diversity of influences across the album keeps it engaging, even as it maintains a consistent sound. The musical aggression is balanced with moments that allow for breathing space, such as the atmospheric qualities in "Narayan," which features Kula Shaker’s Crispian Mills and showcases a more experimental side of the band. "Climbatize," with its extended buildup, adds to the album's variety without straying from its core identity. ### **Production** The production of *The Fat of the Land* is one of its most outstanding qualities. Liam Howlett’s skillful use of sampling, sequencing, and effects sets the album apart from contemporaries in the electronic music scene. Howlett samples a variety of sources, from hip-hop to rock, and merges them with synthesized sounds to create a densely layered sonic experience. The album's production values are high, with each track offering a meticulous balance between raw energy and polished sound. The drums and bass are particularly prominent, with their punchy quality creating a visceral listening experience. The mixing emphasizes the powerful low-end, keeping the beats tight and impactful. Effects such as distortion and reverb are used generously but tastefully, adding to the album’s aggressive aesthetic without overwhelming the mix. Despite the album’s strong production, some tracks can feel dated by today’s standards. The heavy reliance on big beat techniques, such as breakbeats and sampled loops, places it firmly in the late 1990s electronic music era. While this gives the album a nostalgic charm, it may not resonate as strongly with listeners unfamiliar with the genre's heyday. ### **Themes** Thematically, *The Fat of the Land* centers on rebellion, chaos, and hedonism. The album’s aggressive tone reflects the band's punk influences, especially in how it rejects the clean, polished image of mainstream pop music. There’s a consistent feeling of defiance throughout, evident in tracks like "Firestarter" and "Breathe," which exude a confrontational energy. "Smack My Bitch Up" embodies the album's provocative nature, with its title and lyrical content challenging societal norms. The song’s controversial title sparked debates about misogyny and the responsibilities of artists, but the band claimed it was meant to represent intensity and chaos rather than literal violence. The ambiguity of the track's meaning contributes to its enduring controversy and underscores The Prodigy's penchant for stirring the pot. In addition to rebellion, there is an undercurrent of darkness that runs through the album. Tracks like "Narayan" and "Climbatize" offer moments of introspection amidst the chaos, hinting at themes of spiritual searching and existential angst. The juxtaposition of aggression and introspection adds depth to the album, preventing it from being purely one-dimensional. ### **Influence** *The Fat of the Land* had a significant impact on both electronic music and popular culture. Its success brought the big beat genre into the mainstream, influencing a wide range of artists across different genres. The album demonstrated that electronic music could have the same raw power as rock or punk, and it paved the way for other electronic acts like The Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim, and Daft Punk to find mainstream success. The album also had a profound effect on the live music scene. By incorporating elements of rock performance into their shows, The Prodigy helped bridge the gap between electronic music and traditional band formats. Their use of live vocals, guitars, and an engaging stage presence changed how electronic music could be performed, influencing later artists in the genre to incorporate more live elements into their shows. However, *The Fat of the Land* also became synonymous with the late-90s big beat trend, which declined in popularity in the following decade. While the album remains a landmark of its time, its stylistic choices are distinctly tied to that era, which can limit its appeal to newer generations of listeners who may find its sound somewhat dated. ### **Pros and Cons** #### **Pros:** 1. **Innovative Production:** Liam Howlett’s production techniques stand out, with layered sampling and heavy beats creating a powerful, textured sound. 2. **Energy and Aggression:** The album captures a high level of intensity, making it ideal for both dance floors and live performances. The aggressive tone resonates with listeners looking for music that defies conventional norms. 3. **Genre-Blending:** *The Fat of the Land* combines electronic music with elements of punk and hip-hop, resulting in a diverse sound that appeals to fans of multiple genres. 4. **Influential Impact:** The album's success helped bring big beat to the mainstream and influenced how electronic music could be performed live, inspiring future artists. 5. **Memorable Tracks:** Songs like "Firestarter," "Breathe," and "Smack My Bitch Up" became anthems of the era and retain their impact due to their catchy riffs and distinctive style. #### **Cons:** 1. **Lyrical Depth:** While the album’s lyrics suit its aggressive style, they can be simplistic and repetitive, lacking the complexity found in other music genres. 2. **Controversy:** The provocative themes, especially in "Smack My Bitch Up," overshadowed some of the album's musical achievements, as debates around the lyrics led to bans and censorship. 3. **Dated Sound:** The heavy reliance on big beat techniques and stylistic choices from the 1990s means that some tracks may not resonate as well with listeners today, limiting the album's timelessness. 4. **Monotony:** The consistent intensity and aggression throughout the album may fatigue some listeners, as there are few moments of respite or contrast. ### **Conclusion** *The Fat of the Land* remains a seminal album in the history of electronic music. Its blend of genres, innovative production, and raw energy made it a defining record of the 1990s. The album’s rebellious spirit and punk ethos set it apart from the polished pop music of the time, establishing The Prodigy as pioneers in the electronic music scene. Despite some criticisms regarding lyrical depth, controversy, and its dated aspects, *The Fat of the Land* continues to be celebrated for its influence on the evolution of electronic music and its role in bringing the big beat genre to a wider audience. It stands as a testament to the band’s ability to push boundaries and challenge the status quo, making it an essential listen for fans of electronic music and anyone interested in the intersection of dance and punk culture.
High energy, gritty EDM that you can smash stuff too. No doubt that this is a 90s classic, but in hindsight, it probably would have benefitted from some slower beats, but what this album lacks in diversity it makes up for in consistency.
This is not for me.
Was reminded of the crab rave music video. One of few albums where I felt like the parts without vocals were better. Still fun.
didn't love, wouldn't listen to again.
Pretty cool soundscapes they created. Sounded good in my open back headphones. A bit out there, but not overly so, at least compared to some of the other albums on here. I enjoyed it. 7/10
6/10 - There was some cool and interesting parts but a lot of it was not the best. I think that it is very close to being a great album but i just have too many issues with some of the songs.
Pretty fun album
I actually quite liked this one??? Great trancey music for zoning out and daydreaming.
oh yeah, this is the 90s british electronic sound i've been waiting for. the other similar albums on this list just don't hit in the same way this one does. definitely keeping an eye out for more like this. favorites: smack my bitch up, breathe, mindfields, firestarter
I never got into this genre of music. It seems so brutal. Hard to listen to.
The hits on this one rip. I am excited to read about that one when I am back near my book :)
Electric masterpiece.
More like Prodi-F
I owned this CD in 6th grade and it was my favorite album, haven’t listened to it since. Holds up!
Weird but I enjoyed the sound
Bangers throughout, just happens to be longer than necessary
Couple good tracks, but mostly on the dumb, repetitive side of rave. 2.5 🌟
I come back to this album less and less as I get older, but I can't deny that it still makes me want to wreck stuff or dance til I puke.
There are some songs on this album that almost feels like cassics ny now. Listning to them today I get reminded why the Prodigy was a band I never got in to.
For some reason, I thought this was going to be a hard rock album. Like most of the albums on this list, there are some redeeming qualities. There aren't many on this.
Energy not matched with this group. Caught a bad rap with the one song...
Fat of the land is an underused phrase. I was born in the wrong century. I was meant to be a 1600’s peasant. Dying of old age at 27 type of shit. This first song is menu music to a snowboarding video game. The weird chanting is actually cool. Man. Will I like this??? I mean it’s background music for video games or maybe what’s playing in some 1999 hacker club in a movie. This is just the soundtrack for the Matrix isn’t it? I didn’t want to tip my hand but that’s what this was leading to. It’s kind of good. It’s pretty ferocious. Love the shouted vocals, the energy. It’s old as all hell, but this stuff has sort of come back anyway. Sounds fresh. This rap is a little mid. Yeah. Attack a whack pack a stack a black a Knickknack. Lame. Get outta here. Never has “funky shit” seemed so high stakes. I’m fucking shaking. Meh. I was hoping we’d stay with the more aggressive vibe of Breathe. This song is annoying. Weird end is cool, but that’s it. This is getting a little same-y. What was thrilling early, is becoming a little trite. Although this could easily be the opening to like an ECW show. Which would be cool. I wish I was watching ECW. If I can’t be a 1600s peasant, I need to at least be a fat guy knee deep in wrestling tapes. I’m 99% of the way there on that one. This song SUCKS. Cooler. More interesting beat changes and soundscapes. Singing. This thing started out so aggressive and driving and has fallen off a cliff. This is an 8 minute EDM song. Oh boy. What is this? Maybe it’s meant to be background music. It begs to be ignored. Oh now this is cooler. The whole appeal early on was the life and the energy. That has all but faded up until this point. Now, this isn’t great, but it’s a vast improvement. And it’s also bad. Yeah there’s too much repetition for me. I know that’s the idea for clubs or whatever, but I’m not in a club. This is supposed to be an album experience and it’s beginning to fail me. Please do something. I’m observing the details in the crab on the cover at this point. The horn ending on Climbatize is so good. That’s what I’m talking about. Different stuff. If it bores rave dorks, then I’ll probably like it. More punk-y vocals with a backing that has elicited a half hearted “meh” from me. Nice weird organ. This is what the half star should have been invented for. It’s just right in the middle of a two and three. What started as a andrenaline pumping experience that initially blew me away turned into a repetitive dumpster filled with off brand paintball and BMX game soundtracks. Not that I hate those things. The fat of the land was a little too much fat and not enough land. Whatever the hell that means. 2.5 HIGHLIGHTS: Breathe
Good punk vibes. angsty and cool singing
need them to play this at the club
Some obvious bangers but some filler too
81%
Better than I remembered, and first time I have listened all the way through that I know of
couple of belters and plenty of filler. Listened on a short road trip and my mates couldnt handle it. Had to listen to some Ray Lamontagne to chill the fuck out.
Brilliant. One of the greats.
I think what I love about The Prodigy and what sets them apart from other electronica is that to me their music has an angry and manic edge that others don’t. That’s honestly the only thing I can think of because based on my feelings about the genre, I really should hate them. But I just can’t, for whatever reason. I’d give this album 5 stars just for “Smack My Bitch Up,” which I always listen to when I’m angry and need to rage. And “Breathe” is still a banger. The whole album is great, though. There’s nothing better in this genre than 90s-era The Prodigy.
The convergence of rave culture and punk culture. What a masterpiece.
Could probably listen to this album a million times. Sooo many good tracks and was listening to these guys before I really knew what "electronic" music was. Big fan of electronic "bands" that incorporate both live instruments with the electronic sound. Smack My Bitch Up and Breathe both still get me so pumped. Then Firestarter is on it too? Get outta here! I hadn't listened to most of the rest of the songs but I enjoyed every one of them - especially Funky Shit and Narayan.
I still remember hearing Breathe for the first time as a naive 10yr old thanks to Big Shiny Tunes 2. It blew my mind. I wish I could say I've been a die hard Prodigy fan ever since but I never really followed up after being consumed by that track. Mostly due to difficulty accessing and buying music at that age. This album goes so hard and will definitely be added to the rotation.
Love this one.
This basically seems like 90s rave music... not ideal for a morning listen. I'm not a huge fan of EDM so it's tough to have a well informed opinion on this kind of stuff. I enjoy some of the rapping on a couple of the tunes. I have to admit it's growing on me a bit as it goes on, I don't hate it.
Smack My Bitch Up Breathe Firestarter
Very different and slightly appealing but not something I’d listen to often
This is what I imagine is playing in the background at a cocaine-fueled rave.
Never heard this before. Just okay. A soft 3 stars.
Until today I thought the lyrics to Smack My Bitch Up was “take my picture”. SMH. A little repetitive as most dance music is, but the nostalgia factor comes into play for me and this is more listenable to me than most other electronic dance music.
Misogyny aside, this goes pretty hard. 4/5
Would be a fun soundtrack for a video game session in my teens playing GTA in a friends basement. High energy, relentless electronic music.
I'd listened to this in the morning, as I usually do with my albums, but that's just not the correct setting for this album. After finishing my day quite a ways from home (like one hour), I decided to listen again. On the road, driving home at midnight. Honestly, perfect setting (also I might have been in a more receptive state of mind). I've bumped the main tracks to death in my youth, they were great for subwoofer beats. But the whole album is a banger. It's raw and explosive, like a thunderstorm you can’t escape. Each track feels like a wild rush of adrenaline, mixing aggression with infectious rhythms. The beats hit hard, and the energy never lets up. It’s chaotic but in the best way.
Techno. Not really my thing unless I revisited my 20s on the dance floor.
Pretty generic D&B music. Didn’t love the lyrics to the opening song, they weren’t great and I’m sure the sentiment has aged poorly. It makes for okay background music, but I wouldn’t actively seek it out to listen to.
This album felt way cooler the first time i heard it back in matrix times.
1/10/24 Classic album.
Woah back to back prodigy albums! This album is full of big fat juicy hooks and solid grooves. Diesel power is great. this album hits so fucking hard.
DNF
A little repetitive but a classic.
Not my cup of tea!
Je vais être franc et sachant que je suis né en 1970 et biberonné au post-punk et à l'indie rock, aborder la frange la plus électronique de la liste des "1001 Albums" est toujours un exercice périlleux. Alors quand le grand livre m'impose un album de "techno", mes vieux réflexes de disquaire indé froncent le nez. Pourtant, je ne suis pas un ermite et les années 90, je les ai vécues aux premières loges, derrière le comptoir d'une boutique et les micros d'une radio. J'ai vu déferler la vague électronique, et j'ai su faire le tri. Il y a la soupe commerciale, la "dance" insipide et il y a les vrais artistes, ceux qui ont quelque chose dans le ventre comme Underworld, les Chemical Brothers, Daft Punk... ces noms-là, je les respecte. Ils ont une vision, une patte, une intégrité. Et puis, il y a The Prodigy et il y a ce putain d'album : "The Fat of the Land", sorti en 1997. En 1997, l'Angleterre est en pleine gueule de bois de la Britpop. Oasis et Blur se sont tiré la bourre jusqu'à l'épuisement, et la pop à guitares commence sérieusement à tourner en rond, à s'auto-parodier dans un brouillard de bière tiède et de suffisance. On avait besoin d'un électrochoc, d'une décharge de violence pure pour nettoyer l'air. Et c'est exactement ce que Liam Howlett, Keith Flint et Maxim Reality nous ont balancé à la gueule. "The Fat of the Land" n'est pas un album de techno, c'est un album de punk. Un putain de disque de punk joué avec des samplers, des synthés et une boîte à rythmes qui sonne comme un bombardement sur une usine de tôle. C'est l'album qui a fait le pont entre les raves illégales des débuts des années 90 et l'agressivité du rock industriel que j'affectionne tant. C'est le chaînon manquant entre le "Smiley" de l'acid house et le "Fuck you" des Sex Pistols. Dès les premières secondes, on sait qu'on n'est pas là pour enfiler des perles. La production est monstrueuse, conçue pour faire trembler les murs des plus grands festivals et les fondations de ton petit pavillon de banlieue. Le son est gras, saturé, chaque kick de batterie est un coup de poing dans le plexus. L'usage des infrabasses est tellement abusif qu'on a l'impression que nos organes internes se mettent à danser la gigue. C'est une expérience physique, viscérale, presque douloureuse mais incroyablement jouissive. Je me souviens de la sortie du single "Firestarter". Le choc... visuel d'abord, avec ce Keith Flint transformé en diable punk, regard de psychopathe et coiffure de tarentule sous acide. Et puis le son... Cette ligne de basse crasseuse, ce riff de guitare samplé qui tourne en boucle comme une scie circulaire, et la voix nasillarde et menaçante de Flint. Ce n'était plus de la musique de danse pour gentils clubbers. C'était une déclaration de guerre sonique. La BBC a d'ailleurs reçu des lettres de parents scandalisés, se plaignant que le clip faisait peur à leurs enfants. Et l'album enfonce le clou. "Breathe" suit, encore plus massive, encore plus hypnotique, avec son riff oriental samplé et le duo vocal entre un Maxim possédé et un Flint toujours aussi allumé. C'est un tube planétaire, mais un tube qui sent le soufre, la sueur et les entrepôts désaffectés. Puis vient le cas "Smack My Bitch Up". Le titre à lui seul a déclenché une polémique mondiale, des accusations de misogynie, des appels au boycott. Les ligues de vertu sont montées au créneau sans même chercher à comprendre la malice du truc. Et quand le clip de Jonas Åkerlund est sorti, filmé en caméra subjective et suivant une nuit de débauche totale (alcool, coke, baston, vomi, putes) pour révéler à la toute fin que le protagoniste est une femme... c'était un coup de génie. Une provocation ultime qui renvoyait tous les bien-pensants à leurs chères études. La musique elle-même est une tornade, un maelstrom de breakbeats frénétiques, de voix indiennes samplées et de synthés stridents. C'est le chaos organisé. Le reste de l'album n'est pas juste du remplissage. On y trouve des influences hip-hop subversives ("Diesel Power" avec Kool Keith), des moments plus "calmes" qui ressemblent quand même à une descente d'amphétamines ("Narayan"), et une reprise punk du groupe L7 ("Fuel My Fire"). Le tout forme un bloc monolithique, une oeuvre cohérente dans sa fureur et son désir d'en découdre. Alors, pourquoi un "gros 4 sur 5" et pas la note maximale ? Parce que, soyons honnêtes, c'est un album épuisant. C'est une heure de furie quasi ininterrompue. Brillant dans ce qu'il fait, mais manquant peut-être de la nuance ou de la profondeur émotionnelle que je suis en droit de demander. C'est une oeuvre coup-de-poing, pas une oeuvre qui s'insinue et grandit avec le temps. C'est un album que l'on sort pour une occasion spéciale : quand on a besoin de tout péter, de se vider la tête, de courir à 200 à l'heure sur l'autoroute. Ce n'est pas l'album que tu mets un dimanche après-midi pluvieux en lisant un bouquin. "The Fat of the Land" est une pièce maîtresse des années 90. C'est un monument de la musique électronique qui a osé regarder le rock droit dans les yeux, lui a piqué ses guitares saturées, son attitude punk, et lui a dit : "Maintenant, c'est moi qui mène la danse". Il a prouvé que la musique électronique pouvait être aussi brutale, pertinente et politiquement incorrecte que le rock le plus sauvage. Pour un vieux con comme moi, c'est une reconnaissance qui force le respect. Il a toute sa place dans ces 1001 albums, ne serait-ce que pour se souvenir qu'en 1997, la musique la plus violente et la plus excitante de la planète était faite par des Anglais cinglés armés de samplers. À écouter très, très fort. Sinon, ça ne sert à rien.
Not bad but not my genre
A whole new adventure in sounds.
I can appreciate what The Prodigy has done for the vast space that is electronic music. However, after listening through this whole album for the first time (of course I’ve heard the singles), I can say that I found it fairly boring. It doesn’t help that my electronic taste stretches into more IDM and experimental subgenres. But the songs on The Fat Of The Land tend to drag on longer than I’d like, leading to repetitive and predictable structures. I strongly believe this is meant to be experienced live, considering the members are known to dance during their shows.
I liked it. Sums up the late 90s. It is crazy they got away with smack my bitch up
Solid.
While it had some fun songs, it seemed a bit samey-sounding of other earlier artists. Which is fine, but I don't feel like any new ground was broken.
One Hit Wonder mit Firestarter. Rest meh.
-Smack my bitch up
русская народная группа. альбом целого поколения. больше, чем электроника. РАЗЪЕБАЛОВО )) СМЭК МАЙ БИЧ АП ПАУУУУУУУ
High octane, racy, feels like car-racing game music, but not in a bad way. Breathe will forever have one of the coolest bass lines of all time. The album is altogether kind of bad-ass and a bit scary. I'd enjoy this on the freeway. I imagine this would have been amazing to catch in clubs in the late nineties. I only really new Invaders Must Die, which isn't as a raw as this album, but it feels nice to explore an earlier side of this band. Favorite song: Firestarter
Certified banger. Mount Rushmore candidate for the rave scene. Heavy, lawless and atomic but never chaotic. Used to grow up with my Dad, a docile bird-watcher, gently head-banging to this in the car. My Mum told me it was "Smack My Picture" and I believed this for some time. 8.5 / 10 Best track/s: Narayan, Smack My Picture, Diesel Power
Not too bad. It does have Fire Starter on it, their biggest hit.
Nisam ga sad stigao preslušavat, al ofkors znam ovaj album, meni je top! :D 8/10 - volio bi još više bangera, al nadoknadim s njihovim prethodnim
Najbolji Breakbeat album svih vremena i meni definitivno najbolji album do sada, kad ga pustiš ide do kraja! Razlicit, originalan, zabavan, nabrijan!! 10/10
The one and only 🧡 Apsolutno zasluženo mjesto na listi i baš sam se razveselila. Nije mi, naravno, za preslušavati redovito, ali i dalje svako put kad čujem uživam. Bilo bi lijepo nekad se namazati i sjetiti se pustiti. Album sam prvi put čula na CDu kao svaka prava bakica današnjice 😁 Na stranu hitovi, album ima underrated pjesama. Mindfields & Narayan 🫶🏻 4/5 ili 8/10 od mene!
6.5/10 Jebeno 🤘 Generalno nije loše, ovi hitovi koje svi znamo su mi baš lijepo sjeli, ali ostatak albuma je pomalo dosadnjikav. Ima mi dosta taj dnb ili jungle type of drum beat koji mi je malo naporan nakon druge treće pjesme Očekivao sam dosta više od ovoga, zato će biti trojčica
7.5/10 Agresivan, eklektican, plesan, jeben. The Prodigy su s ovim albumom bas jako visoko postavili ljestvicu u elektronskoj glazbi i sami sebe opet nadmasili s obzirom koliko se stvari sa albuma i danas cesto vrti svugdje. Prve dvije su apsolutni hitovi, kao i Firestarter (spot od Smack My Bitch Up mislim da sam jednom vidio necenzuriran u jako kasne sate kao klinac, u svakom slucaju iskustvo), a odlicna iznenadjenja su mi Diesel Power sa Kool Keithom, koji je zasluzan za sample u prethodnoj stvari i zadnja, Fuel My Fire koja me malo podsjeca na Come To Daddy Aphex Twina, izasla iste godine ali je zapravo cover od L7, jednom od znacajnijih girl alt-punk bendova 80ih i 90ih. Bez obzira na velicinu ovog albuma i cinjenicu da vise-manje volim The Prodigy, ocjena ne ide vislje jer mi je samo za pocastiti se u nekim rijetkim prilikama i sto mi je prethodni iz '94, Music for the Jilted Generation jos bolji.
First listen. Ok. Really not a big fan of this, apart from the two first tracks.
4/5 Yeah, go on little crab buddy, get those claws up. Because this shit slaps. It's not very interesting or special but it's pretty great. Smack My Bitch Up 3.5/5 Breathe 5/5 (FAV) Diesel Power 4/5 Funky Shit 3.5/5 Serial Thrilla 3/5 (LEAST FAV) Mindfields 4.5/5 Narayan 4.5/5 Firestarter 3.5/5 Climbatize 4.5/5 Fuel My Fire 4/5
4.6
This came out when I was 18 and it was an important moment in music at that time. Still holds up
pretty formulaic and kinda trashy admittedly but honestly its a fun formula and the beats and vocals are punchy and infectious, very fun listen i liked very much change my pitch up 🗣🗣 smack my bitch up 🗣🗣🔥‼️
Great album opener, and great hits that followed. I was shocked to notice I recognized multiple songs on this album. Perfect for any Matrix inspired fever dreams you concoct.
I remember Big Shiny Tunes 2 opened with Breathe followed by Song 2 and Semi Charmed Life and I just gotta say… that was an untouchable opening to another 5 star album
No
If you’re looking for hardcore misogyny that you can dance to you really can’t go past The Prodigy’s Smack My Bitch Up. Ah the 90’s - when ‘woke’ was nothing more than a past tense. Along with Breathe and Firestarter absolutely cracking tunes.
Exceptional, game changing album that works across genres.
La semana continúa con The Prodigy, banda que escuché hace tiempo y a la que siempre es bueno volver. De la época de The Chemical Brothers, es del tipo de electrónica que más me gusta: esa más oscura, experimental, que busca hacernos bailar y atravesar paisajes incómodos. El disco arranca con dos hitazos y luego sigue bien arriba de distintas formas. ¿Hay bandas así en la actualidad? Me encantaría conocerlas.
Didn’t listen
Not a big electronica fan but this album is an absolute masterpiece if not for just the major hits "Smack My Bitch Up", "Breathe", and "Firestarter". These songs made me think going to a rave would've been fun
I'm incredibly far from being a big beat fan but I gotta say that this album is an exception. It still gets tiring for my old ears after a while but I love the industrial vibe that comes with the crazy bass beats.
Crab People. Crab People. Taste like crab, talk like people.
One of the few Big Beat/Break album I can stand, and even enjoy a little. Still far from my musical taste, but still a great album with nice tracks.
Fed. Sjoveste albumcover vi har haft
Kæmpe banger! Kunne godt ha været lidt mere consistent, men det er da bare fordi de fedeste numre er så fede. Længe siden jeg har hørt hele pladen, bedre end jeg havde regnet med
Everything is awesome! I almost can't believe that this was released in '97. I think it's timeless. RIP Keith Flint
Really cool ambient music. I guess dance, but I don’t really dance, so it’s just spicy ambient to me. Either way, bops hard.
A little to techno for me
It was fine. Probably the most enjoyable electronic record I’ve heard. But still, there’s not much substance. There’s nothing to toe it all together and to form a cohesive album. It just doesn’t feel complete, and I have to deduct quite a bit for that. It also dragged on a while, which wouldn’t normally be too bad, but the songs just aren’t worthy of being so long when the styles are all so similar. I still can appreciate the mixing up however on some of these songs. Going from Breathe to Diesel Power was an experience for sure. Anyways, good electronic album, but still not good album as a whole.
fun beats, somewhat angry but energetic. Lots of repetition in lyrics and beats but not in a bad way
This album is another version of the soundtrack of the video game "Sonic Adventure". There was definitely some talent here, but the lyrics were often comically terrible, and almost every song sounds the same. Favorite Track: "Breathe".
Fantastic album.
Simply no other score is applicable.
Wonder why they added lyrics? They aren't helpful. This album contains all the songs used in any action movie, whether there are chase seems, spying stuff, detail thefts, or cover B-roll footage. Can be used in Rio, Russia, Europe, USA, and Caribbean Island locales. Really. Think \"Italian Fast and Furious Job with the Transporter and Ronin at a Las Vegas Ocean Eleven Caper"
This album sounds very 90's, like cool hacker 90's, and I think it pulls it off very well. Out of all of the Electronic albums I've had so far, I think that this one is my favorite. Fun beats, interesting soundscapes, and it is always shifting to never sound boring or repetitive. Low 5.
I unabashedly loved this album when it came out. My introduction to industrial electronica was Nine Inch Nails -- but this was more fun, and just as horny (although not quite as *good). It's an album that holds together song-to-song better than most, and there are no real skips here -- other than maybe Fuel My Fire. Great driving music. Unexpected bangers: Diesel Power, Mindfields, Climbatize
Surprisingly more diverse than I originally thought.
If you're in the mood to smack a bitch up or start a fire, this is the go-to. It holds up, but you really have to be in the right mood to jam out to this. I listened to it alone while making lesson plans, and it made me feel like an old piece of shit. So only 4 stars.
What a trip down memory lane with some of these jams. I enjoyed revisiting this album. There are some duds on the tracklist, but overall it's a fun listen.
I'll never forget the night I saw the Firestarter video for the first time. Dark, mysterious, confusing, and a little bit dangerous. There had never been anything like it. Unapologetically hardcore, it was electronic music not for geeks, but for hip hop heads, ravers, metal lovers and those with punk sensibilities and a perpetual Johnny Rotten sneer. In short, this album had it all. I think this stands the test of time. Diesel Power with the inimitable Kool Keith is a highlight, but songs like Breathe, Smack My Bitch Up, and the aforementioned Firestarter will go down in history as some of the most famous and influential electronic songs of all time.
SMACK MY BITCH UP
A perfect blend of danceable rhythms and aggressive energy. The Prodigy hits a lot of the same great points as The Chemical Brothers on Dig Your Own Hole, but The Fat Of The Land is distinctly more hardcore with it's occasional acid basslines and industrial influence. Starts strong and ends strong, with a strong middle to boot. Basically this is a strong album, nothing else can beat that damn crab.
Great production and timeless tracks despite being released in the 90s. This isn't a genre that I typically like, but this is a well put together album. Something also tells me that the Prodigy don't intend to Smack their Bitches Up, and they aren't, encouraging you to either
Coming back to this album after discarding it in high school, I rather enjoyed the electronic sounds and experimentation. Smack My Bitch Up is a weird track to re-hear in 2024, but I found myself enjoying every other track on the album. 4/5!
I expected to — wanted to — despise this album, based solely on the misogynistic title of the first track. Lyric aside, though, it was a pretty awesome track. Even added it to a “faves” list. And that continued throughout the album. Was unfamiliar with The Prosigy (I’m a DeadHead and classic rock person) and enjoyed this far more than expected.
Favorite Track: Serial Thrilla
Okay
Love it, I was so into them when this came out, amazing!
September 3, 2024 🦀🦀 $11 for Apple Music 🦀🦀 🦀🦀 uses it for a 2nd Prodigy album 🦀🦀 I saw the "Firestarter" video online as a kid for some reason* and it did absolutely nothing for me. Ultimately I didn't mind The Fat of the Land, even though I predicted I'd dislike it. Some of the vocals are obnoxious but most of the tracks are pretty fun. HL: "Climbatize", "Mindfields", "Smack My B*tch Up" *I remember now, it was to understand Weird Al's parody of the video ("I can't believe this haircut!")
Will revisit the next time I’m on a lot of drugs and bet my score will be higher.
I always have a little bit of a through the looking glass feeling when I listen to electronic shit like this because I don’t love it but know there’s a version of myself I could have been who absolutely would. I feel pretty lucky to have made it out of the 90s without getting swallowed up in the abyss of ravelife, but I’m glad to be able to take a peak over the precipice every now and then.