Public Image: First Issue

Cassette Kids Uprising Reviews

Author

boombox-generation

A template for post-punk. The leap from Sex Pistols to this for Lydon is amazing, and this album has stood the test of time far better than either him or his first band. This translates the Punk energy into something far more open to possibility, bringing in influences like reggae and dub in a way that The Clash never quite managed. The fact that the follow-up was even more groundbreaking is astonishing. I love the stompy tracks here best: Annalise and Attack especially. One slight niggle - I'd have loved to hear the immense backing track that is Fodderstomp taken a bit more seriously, but I guess it's kind of punk in attitude, and also hinted at what was to come musically with Metal Box. Even better (and faster) than I remembered it.

5

Author

jason-cobb

There's an awful lot going on here: you can't ignore Lydon's cry for help - but even an instrumental version of this album would rate highly. Levene's guitar is like a dental drill; Wobble's bass sends you dizzy. Even the drums sound unlike what you would expect. There's something of a rock god feel to them, but somehow they still slot into the jigsaw. It's a fucked up picture, for sure. But that's how I like my music.

5