{"id":408,"date":"2013-10-02T15:53:01","date_gmt":"2013-10-02T15:53:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/batterymedia.com\/blog\/?p=408"},"modified":"2013-10-02T16:10:19","modified_gmt":"2013-10-02T16:10:19","slug":"rs-461-p-i-l-metal-box","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/batterymedia.com\/blog\/?p=408","title":{"rendered":"RS #461: P.I.L.- Metal Box"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"P.I.L.,
It doesn’t photograph well, but, man, is that a cool idea for packaging or what? METAL. BOX.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

#461<\/p>\n

P.I.L.,\u00a0Metal Box<\/em><\/h3>\n
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Release Date:<\/strong>\u00a01979
\nPreviously Owned:<\/strong>\u00a0No
\nFirst Time Listen:<\/strong> Yes<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Impressions: <\/strong>As a budding young graphic designer\/music fan, I loved the branding of Public Image Limited. The logo<\/a>, the\u00a0\u00a0generic “Album”\u00a0conceit<\/a>\u00a0and even the name all seemed to be vaguely underground, but not obviously punk with stereotypical ransom lettering (like the Sex Pistols.) A nice bonus was that I even enjoyed their music. P.I.L. was still aggressive but more textured than the straight-forward assault of the Sex Pistols. Metal Box<\/em> supposed to be especially “difficult.” Let’s play it…. “Albatross,” kicks off with droney, crazy\u00a0guitar from ex-Clash member Keith Levene with a vaguely\u00a0“Billy Jean” groove and John\u00a0Lydon doing that not-quite-singing-but-not-quite-spoken-word thing he does. This mix of elements sounds like a disaster on paper, but the dub-y yet grooving rhythm section of bassist Jah Wobble and a bunch of drummers\u00a0keeps the whole thing from falling apart. Other highlights include the circular, dreamy “Poptones” and the urgent synth-accented instrumental “Socialist.” They can even throw something like “Swan Lake” into their musical blender and somehow make it work with “Death Disco (Swan Lake.)” Great mood music if you need to get something done and you are a little pissed about it. Really warming up to this one, although I can see how this album would be poison for some people, especially if you aren’t a John Lydon fan. He sounds like he’s unraveling on songs like “Bad Baby” or “No Birds” but then he’ll hit on some great lyrics like “Drive to the forest in a Japanese car\/The smell of rubber on concrete tar\/Hindsight done me no good.”\u00a0Punk in attitude but not in sounds. Not to mention, even packaging the records inside a metal cannister<\/a>\u00a0is a masterstroke. Sometimes you can pick out some sounds like Wire, Can, or Joy Division with a more dub groove, but this album still is a completely original and even shocking listen. And ending the album with the soothing “Radio 4” decompresses you and gets you ready for being back in the real world.<\/p>\n

Starred Songs:<\/strong>“Poptones” “Memories”
\nSneaky Track: <\/strong>“Death Disco (Swan Lake)”
\nShould this album be on the\u00a0list?<\/strong>\u00a0Yes
\n<\/strong>Will you listen to this again?<\/strong>\u00a0Yes. When I’m on deadline.
\nVerdict: <\/strong>John Lydon’s wailing and Keith Levine’s abrasive guitar\u00a0are contrasted with deep, driving grooves in this one-of-a-kind post-punk classic. (“Post-punk classic?” Is that a contradiction in terms?)<\/p>\n

Rating:<\/strong>\u00a0 \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605
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