CULTCHA Clash Outer National Record Review:

Public Image Ltd. - End Of The World

(2023 PiL Official)

Selecta J-Cut

Public Image Ltd. - End Of The World (PiL Official)

I had pre-ordered this album from MerchBar and waited for it's arrival for nearly a month after the release date before cancelling and ordering it from Discogs, so this time it's not all my fault that the review isn't posted in a timely manner...

Available from P.I.L.Official: https://www.pilofficial.com/#/

P.I.L. are a band that I will always buy a new album from, John Lydon has been sort of a hero of mine since I was 12 years old, when I got a copy of Never Mind The Bollocks Here's The Sex Pistols. The debut Public Image Ltd. album, First Issue, is the record in my collection that I have owned for the longest (hung on to the same copy since 1984). They fall into my top 10 bands list, without a doubt, and even the albums that aren't spectacular are at least "pretty good," to me.

This one is no exception. Pressed on double vinyl at 45 RPM for superior sound quality, the packaging is exceptional, including several variations of colored vinyl, a gatefold jacket, and artwork by Mr. Lydon, whose immediately identifiable lyrics and vocal delivery has been at the group’s forefront since its inception. The band consists of Bruce Smith on drums, who is also a founding member of another of my favorites, The Pop Group. Lu Edmonds, previously of The Damned, The Mekons, Shriekback and numerous other groups, is on guitar. Scott Firth plays bass, rounding out the groups diverse sound with a background in jazz and funk.

The albums opener, Penge is poignant in its bleak imagery and martial instrumentation. It sets the album off on a strong note and prepares the listener for the rough terrain that lies ahead.

End Of The World, the following track, is futuristic and nihilistic. Lu’s guitar sounds otherworldly, the group, in its current carnation, undoubtedly work well together.

Car Chase is one of my picks from the album. Exciting musically, dance-provoking and bass heavy without pretension, raw and purely energetic.

Being Stupid Again sets off side 2 of record one. Johnny will always say what’s on his mind and I always feel like what he says is from the heart, I always respect him (even when he puts on a silly red hat), but I’m not really into the vocals on this one… It seems to be some kind a reaction to “woke-ism” or cancel culture, or something. Ultimately, it sounds a bit like the rantings of an old man who’s watched too much Fox “News.” The track is hot, though! I would love to see what Dennis Bovell or Adrian Sherwood would make of the master tapes of this one, a dub version to make it a little bit less "Get off my lawn!" would be Fire!

Walls has the vintage P.I.L. Second Edition feel, instrumentally, with a little bit more of a melodic side of Lydon showing through.

Pretty Awful sounds a bit like eighties pop, it’s grown on me a bit after a few plays. That one sums up the first record of the set, So far it’s not my favorite P.I.L. Album, but I don’t regret the purchase.

Strange opens up record two. This one is really interesting, as are most of the tunes on side 3. Not too far off from some of what the group has done in the past but well written and produced.

Dirty Murky Delight if fun, quirky and goofy, a swinging jazz number with Lydon doing a lounge scat kind of thing.

The Do That is another fun one with a bouncy rhythm and a stream of consciousness kind of lyrical flow that is a little reminiscent of Lee “Scratch” Perry’s vocal rants.

LFCF (Liars, Fakes, Cheats & Frauds) is obviously aimed at Johnny’s former Sex Pistols mates over the beef from the recent Disney production about the band. Not quite the screed that Low Life came off as in 1978, but the bluesy backing track goes pretty hard.

North West Passage shows Lydon and company at their peak, undeniably P.I.L. While not trying to recreate anything from the past. Lyrics as introspective and honest as ever and a grinding, mid-tempo groove pushes on tirelessly.

Hawaii is the song that John wrote for his late wife, Nora, as he cared for her at the end of her life. The song was the groups entry to this year's Eurovision song contest. Maybe I'm just partial to the band, but I find this song to be beautiful and a fitting closure for the End Of The World.

On a final note, I would like to come back to the silly red hat... The P.I.L. website features a segment from Fox of their resident twat, Greg Gutfeld, comparing the defeated ex-president to the rest of the candidates that the GOP has to offer in terms of Johnny Rotten to the rest of The Sex Pistols, implying that Johnny was the main character, so to speak. I've also heard Johnny himself compare the media's treatment of the pathologically lying con-man, defeated ex-president to the treatment that he received from the press when the Pistols were in their heyday. The difference that I can't help but notice is that John Lydon / Rotten has always exercised honesty and integrity in his words and actions... the shock value may be similar, but that is where the similarities end, in my opinion.