Public Image Ltd. – This is PiL (2012)

Horrible cover! Intentionally, I think, I know can not judge a book by its cover, didn’t lost my sense of humor, but still… On the other (bloody) hand, this is PiL!
John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten, and just for the kids, ex-Sex Pistols) never or rarely is mentioned as a genius, eventually a madman. Odd how people attach the genius label quite easily to guys (or gays?) like Rufus Wainwright, or considering morons like Dildo, sorry, Diplo as “influential music tastemakers”, while really valuable creations are constantly and totally marginalized by the almighty media. This is the Hell we’re in? Not really, not yet anyway, this is only a Lollipop Opera we’re living…. 😆
Their early work is often regarded as some of the most challenging and innovative music of the post-punk era. Their 1979 album “Metal Box” was ranked number 469 on Rolling Stone magazine’s 2003 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The NME described PiL as “arguably the first post-rock group”.
Formed in 1978 by vocalist Lydon, guitarist Keith Levene and bassist Jah Wobble, with frequent subsequent personnel changes, the list of PiL contributors include among many others names such as Martin Atkins, Bill Laswell – producer and bass guitarist (Album), Steve Vai – guitar (Album), Ginger Baker – drums (Album), L. Shankar – electric violin (Album), etc. “Album”, the fifth studio album was released in 1986 and Lydon said that Miles Davis came into the studio while the album was being recorded and commented that Lydon sang like Davis played the trumpet. Lydon later said it was “still the best thing anyone’s ever said to me.”

This is the band’s first studio album in twenty years came from chaos. “That What Is Not” was released on 24th February 1992.
In September 2009 it was announced that PiL would reform for five UK shows, their first live appearance in 17 years. The new line-up consisting of Lydon, earlier members Bruce Smith and Lu Edmonds, plus multi-instrumentalist Scott Firth also spawned a live album release, “ALiFE 2009”. In April 2010, PiL began an extensive North American tour, including a sub-headlining appearance at the Coachella Festival. The band played several European concerts in July 2010 and at the Summer Sonic Festival in Japan in August 2011.
PiL went to Tel Aviv to headline the Heineken Music Conference 2010 Festival in August 2010. The group met with criticism for breaking the artistic boycott of Israel by some British musicians, done in protest over Israeli policies towards Palestinians. Lydon said in response, “I really resent the presumption that I’m going there to play to right-wing Nazi jews. If Elvis-fucking-Costello wants to pull out of a gig in Israel because he’s suddenly got this compassion for Palestinians, then good on him. But I have absolutely one rule, right? Until I see an Arab country, a Muslim country, with a democracy, I won’t understand how anyone can have a problem with how they’re treated.”
On 30 November 2011, the band’s own label PIL Official Limited was registered as a private limited company in the UK and their first official release was the vinyl only EP “One Drop” on 21 April 2012. The new 12-track studio album “This is PiL” will be released on 28 May.
The 12 track album will be released on digi-pack CD, double vinyl LP, and download. There is also a very special limited edition deluxe hardback 2 disc set including a bonus DVD of the now legendary live performance at London, Heaven Nightclub, April 2nd 2012; along with expanded inner booklet. There is a PiL in Heaven… The DVD is also available internationally and is ‘region free’ (NTSC region 0) so will play on the majority of DVD players.

Tracklist:

01. This Is PiL
02. One Drop
03. Deeper Water
04. Terra-Gate
05. Human
06. I Must Be Dreaming
07. It Said That
08. The Room I Am In
09. Lollipop Opera
10. Fool
11. Reggie Song
12. Out of the Woods

Bonus DVD: There is a PIL in Heaven
(limited edition 2 disc set only) (region-free)

01. Deeper Water
02. This Is Not A Love Song
03. Albatross
04. Reggie Song
05. Disappointed
06. Warrior
07. Religion
08. USLS1
09. Death Disco
10. Flowers of Romance
11. Lollipop Opera
12. Bags / Chant
13. Out of the Woods
encore:
14. One Drop
15. Rise
16. Open Up

What it’s like “This is PiL”? Damn if I can tell you! Sounds like… PiL.
The “Lollipop Opera” is filled with wobbling basses, modern grooves, but still it’s not what people nowadays calling “Dubstep”, and it’s spinning around for almost 7 minutes. And the following “Fool” is a genuine Blues Rock trip floating around and hypnotize you. And PiL take us to Heaven and Hell, through and back, once again delivered an ageless and definitively genre-less, edge cutting album filled with ideas and not cliches. By the way, anybody make real shit anymore? Well, this is for real!
This is something to listen, leave it on repeat for hours, to came back to it after weeks, month or years. It will be still fresh.
This album was quite uncertain, as Lydon stated in November 2009 “they may re-enter the studio if they can raise enough money from their tour”. I’m glad they did. On the other hand I’m frightened how much money goes up in smoke every day on production and promotion of totally shitty and useless, plastic products, while real music is dying or at best staying buried deep underground. PiL is still a trademark, but otherwise this album as many other brilliant releases would passed unnoticed… Welcome to the PiL zone!

Public Image Ltd. – Official Site

Not from this new album, but bringing back some sweet memories….

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzNjmIWbns4&w=545&h=399]