The Prodigy "No Tourists" (2018)

No Tourists
release date: Nov. 2, 2018
format: digital (10 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,35]
producer: Liam Howlett
label: Take Me to the Hospital - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Need Some1" - 2. "Light Up the Sky" - 6. "Timebomb Zone" - 7. "Champions of London" - 9. "Resonate"

7th studio album by The Prodigy, which is the continued band-project consisting of dancer Keith Flint on vocals, Maxim Reality (aka Keith Palmer) on vocals and Liam Howlett as the musical mastermind behind it all, as he has made the music with various samples, mixed and produced it all. Flint and Maxim are credited as co-writers on three of the songs and basically "only" contributes with vocals on three and four songs respectively. Aside from the three official band members, the album has been made with various guest musicians, including guitarist Olly Burden, who has co-written four of the songs - on which he's also credited as co-producer - with Howlett and who also plays guitar on three comopsitions.
As the predecessor The Day Is My Enemy from 2015, the album continues in a more aggressive "rave revival" or big beat known as hardcore breaks, which bonds nicely with the first three albums by the band.
The album is the band's 7th consecutive album to peak as #1 on the UK albums chart list (including the compilation album Their Law: The Singles 1990-2005 from 2005), which seems like some sort of record, although, the band hasn't released a No. 1 single since "Breathe" in 1996.
After some time, I have come to enjoy this album more and more - and without comparison, I see it as no less than their best album since The Fat of the Land from 1997.
No Tourists became the last to feature dancer and vocalist Keith Flint as he ended his life in Mar. 2019.
[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, Mojo 3 / 5, Uncut 3,5 / 5, The Observer, The Irish Times 4 / 5, NME 5 / 5 stars ]

The Prodigy "The Day Is My Enemy" (2015)

The Day Is My Enemy
release date: Mar. 30, 2015
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Liam Howlett, Neil McLellan
label: Take Me to the Hospital - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "The Day Is My Enemy" - 2. "Nasty" - 4. "Ibiza" (feat. Sleaford Mods)

6th studio album by The Prodigy was about 6 years in the making. Apparently, the album was a band effort, as contrary to the last two albums with Howlett in control of everything. According to Howlett the word 'violent' kept coming up when describing the album, and truth is, it's rather fitting. It's almost like an edited version of The Fat of the Land, from 97, only angrier.
I must confess that I haven't been a great fan of the band since the mid-90s, and have often been disappointed about their musical change into a more hip hop universe with heavy sampling and tribal, however, this is in a sense a return to form, although, I rejected it the first many times. It has a certain quality - it's quite good, but I don't really find it near great.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3 / 5, The Guardian 4 / 5, Drowned in Sound 2 / 5 stars ]

The Prodigy "The Added Fat EP" (2012) (ep)

The Added Fat EP, ep
release date: Dec. 3, 2012
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,46]
producer: Liam Howlett
label: XL Recordings - nationality: England, UK

A 6-track studio ep that was issued on a bonus disc edition of The Fat of the Land (2012). All tracks are just new mixes of hit singles from that album, and they are rather dreadful. It contains two different mixes of "Smack My Bitch Up", two versions of "Breathe", a mix of "Firestarter", and a mix of "Mindfields", none of which are worth... much.
It seems the tracks are only techno and / or industrial versions of some really fine songs, and the only argument here is: money. Look, something new from your favourite hardcore breakbeat heroes, and all you get is the emperor's new clothes.
This is another low release from The Prodigy.

The Prodigy "Lost Beats EP" (2009) (ep)

Lost Beats EP, ep
release date: Feb. 18, 2009
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: Liam Howlett
label: Take Me to the Hospital - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "The Big Gundown" - 2. "Black Smoke" - 3. "Wild West" - 4. "Fighter Beat" (2 / 5)

A 4-track studio ep, which came with a Deluxe Edition of Invaders Must Die. The music is very much the same style as the album, although, I think this is clearly better. The first track is a sampling of music by Ennio Morricone, and it's actually pretty nice. Also, track #2 is fine with its hardcore breakbeat instead of all the hip hop influence. All tracks are instrumental versions only. Track #3 has an intro with a sampling of a Dead Kennedys' track.
It's not really great but points in a better direction than some of their more recent releases.

The Prodigy "Invaders Must Die" (2009)

Invaders Must Die
release date: Feb. 18, 2009
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,14]
producer: Liam Howlett
label: Take Me to the Hospital - nationality: england, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Invaders Must Die" - 2. "Omen" - 4. "Colours" - 6. "Warriors Dance" - 7. "Run With the Wolves"

5th studio album by The Prodigy is released on the band's own label, Take Me to the Hospital (distributed by Cooking Vinyl). All tracks are produced by Liam Howlett with James Rushent credited for additional production on tracks #1-2. Howlett is normally credited as composer on nearly all tracks, but here is 'only' credited as co-composer of the music, and most tracks are Howlett's take with samples originally performed by Nirvana, Foo Fighters, The Breeders, and Manfred Mann.
The album peaked at number #1 in the UK and generally sold better than the 2004 album, and the two singles - tracks #2 and #6 both became top-10 singles in the UK.

Musically it follows close to the 2004 album, Always Outnumbered Never Outgunned and despite being clearly a better album it's never really great release when comparing to the band's first three albums. It's released five years following the last real studio album so expectations were not low. It feels like a better album, and the single tracks seem like more originally written but still has too much focus on original American techno, which I think, simply sounds outdated - we've been there, done that, but obviously, Liam Howlett hasn't been part of that movement, and unfortunately, he seems determined to go through his own techno evolution combining sampling and hardcore, industrial hip hop, breakbeat and hard rock with traditional techno. Strangely, "Stand Up" sounds like an attempt to make a Chemical Brothers track... and again, several tracks are samplings of old The Prodigy stuff, which is just sad when you hear bits of great old tracks cut up to new lesser songs. Best thing about it, is the comeback to both Keith Flint and Maxim on vocals.

The Prodigy "Always Outnumbered Never Outgunned" (2004)

Always Outnumbered Never Outgunned
release date: Aug. 23, 2004
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,68]
producer: Liam Howlett
label: XL Recordings - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Spitfire" (feat. Juliette Lewis) - 4. "Get Up Get Off" (feat. Twista) - 5. "Hotride" (feat. Juliette Lewis)

4th studio album by The Prodigy released nearly seven years after the huge success with Fat of the Land (1997). The tracks are primarily written by Howlett and several tracks are co-written with Neil McLellan who also mixes, does programming, and adds vocals to several tracks, although, he has not been adopted as an official member. Musically, this is a 'back to the basics' of techno (which has much of its origins in the US), but it's also a continued journey into sampling and with much hip hop-inspiration.
To me this was a rather disappointing release. It's put together and produced by Howlett as usual, and both Flint and Maxim's vocals are missing. However, the mix with more original techno simply ruins the 'clean' British breakbeat and big beat somewhat. Some of the tracks are mere samplings of former The Prodigy hits, i.e. track #6 "Wake Up Call" is simply too close to "Firestarter". The album had no real single hits but sold rather well. Both Q Magazine and Rolling Stone only gave it a two-stars review, and allmusic.com handed it 2,5 to this their so far lowest point, which I agree on is a mediocre output. The best tracks feature Juliette Lewis (from Juliette and the Licks) on vocal.

The Prodigy "Baby's Got a Temper" (2002) (single)

Baby's Got a Temper, single
release date: Jul. 1, 2002
format: digital
[single rate: 3 / 5] [3,22]
producer: Liam Howlett
label: XL Recordings - nationality: England. UK

Tracklist: 1. "Babys Got a Temper (Main Mix)" - 2. "Babys Got a Temper (Dub Mix)"

A single release by The Prodigy, which wasn't released on any of their studio albums. The track is written by vocalist Keith Flint for his side-project, Flint featuring on the album Device #1 (2003) as last uncredited (hidden) track "No Name No Number (NNNN)", but as usual it has been produced and mixed by Liam Howlett.
The reception of the single was mostly a negative one, as many saw this as a step backwards and / or in a more superficial direction. Also, the music video led to a lawsuit against the band due to its depiction of drug abuse and sale of cows milk with drug effect.

The Prodigy "The Fat of the Land" (1997)

The Fat of the Land
release date: Jun. 30, 1997
format: cd
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,26]
producer: Liam Howlett
label: XL Recordings - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Smack My Bitch Up" - 2. "Breathe" (4 / 5) - 3. "Diesel Power" (feat. K. Thornton) - 4. "Funky Shit" - 5. "Serial Thrilla" - 6. "Mindfields" (3,5 / 5) - 7. "Narayan" (3,5 / 5) - 8. "Firestarter" (5 / 5) - 9. "Climbatize" - 10. "Fuel My Fire"

3rd studio album by The Prodigy. If Music for the Jilted Generation was their musical high and their real international breakthrough, this one was their biggest commercial success, putting the album as number 1 not only nationally but world-wide. Actually, it entered the Guinness World Records in '99 for being the fastest selling UK album to date. The music has changed in respect to the previous release. It's still hardcore breakbeat and big beat but the presence of samples of others artists' works have become more dominant, and a "new" style has been adopted: industrial hip hop. Both "Breathe" and "Firestarter" were monster selling single tracks, and "Smack My Bitch Up" became more of an issue of sex debate as The National Organization for Women (NOW), among others, criticised the song for being offensive, to advocate for violence against women, and for depicting (the video) heroin sale in a positive way. The Swedish music director, Jonas Åkerlund, made the highly controversial music video that was banned in many countries including the UK (UTube link). The track "Serial Thrilla" features a sample of a riff from "Selling Jesus" by English alt. rock band Skunk Anansie. The album has been included on many official list of essential albums including "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die", Q Magazine's "100 Greatest British Albums Ever", Rolling Stone's "Essential Recordings of the 90s", I don't really agree, though. It's great but not on par with the predecessor, imho.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, Q Magazine, Sputnikmusic 5 / 5 stars ]

<  2012 cover >

2012 expanded reissue

BEST OF 1994:The Prodigy "Music for the Jilted Generation" (1994)

Music for the Jilted Generation
release date: Jul. 14, 1994
format: cd
[album rate: 5 / 5] [4,82]
producer: Liam Howlett, Neil McLellan
label: XL Recordings - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Intro" - 2. "Break & Enter" (5 / 5) - 3. "Their Law (feat. Pop Will Eat Itself)" - 4. "Full Throttle" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Voodoo People" (5 / 5) (org. video) - 6. "Speedway (Theme From Fastlane)" - 7. "The Heat (The Energy)" - 8. "Poison" - 9. "No Good (Start the Dance)" (org. video) - 10. "One Love (Edit)" (5 / 5) - 11. "The Narcotic Suite: 3 Kilos" - 12. "The Narcotic Suite: Skylined" - 13. "The Narcotic Suite: Claustrophobic Sting" (5 / 5)

2nd studio album by The Prodigy. The importance of this album can only be underestimated. When grunge rock was on its high with its focus on simplicity and with accepted 'normal' electrified instruments, programmed electronic music with breakbeat and big beat was the music for another huge fraction of music lovers. This is genius, and it's revolutionary. This was their first album to go to number #1 in the UK, as all their following albums have done, which is quite unique. The album is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com, Record Collector 5 / 5, Sputnikmusic 4,5 / 5, The Guardian, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

1994 Favourite releases: 1. The Prodigy Music for the Jilted Generation - 2. Everything but the Girl Amplified Heart - 3. C.V. Jørgensen Sjælland

The Prodigy "Experience" (1992)

Experience [debut]
release date: Sep. 21, 1992
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,82]
producer: Liam Howlett
label: XL Recordings - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Jericho" - 2. "Music Reach (1/2/3/4)" - 3. "Wind It Up" (4 / 5) (official video) - 4. "Your Love (Remix)" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Hyperspeed (G-Force Part 2)" - 6. "Charly (Trip Into Drum and Bass Version)" (4 / 5) (official video) - 7. "Out of Space" - 8. "Everybody in the Place (155 and Rising)" - 9. "Weather Experience" - 10. "Fire (Sunrise Version)" - 11. "Ruff in the Jungle Bizness" - 12. "Death of The Prodigy Dancers (Live)"

Studio debut album by The Prodigy. I only listened to the entire album after The Fat of the Land, and found it a difficult step back in time in 1997. I thought it was okay but didn't really like it a great deal for the first many years, and actually only in the late 2000s I have come to fancy this album as well. My initial verdict was 2,5 / 5 stars, I guess, whereas today, I think it's worth 4. "Jericho", "Wind It Up", "Your Love (Remix)", and "Charly" are great breakbeat tracks suited for a sweaty night at the disco.
After re-discovering the album, I am almost certain to have heard some of the tracks when watching a techno rave truck driving through a park at Copenhagen Carnival in the summer of 1992. The truck was full of young 'ravers' dancing away on the lorry while The Prodigy played at maximum volume. I recall being impressed by the music, which seemed to come from another planet.
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, Record Collector 4 / 5, Q Magazine 3 / 5 stars ]

The Prodigy "What Evil Lurks" (1991) (ep)

What Evil Lurks, ep
release date: Feb. 1991
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5]
producer: Liam Howlett
label: XL Recordings - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "What Evil Lurks" - 2. "We Gonna Rock" - 3. "Android" - 4. "Everybody in the Place"

Studio ep debut by The Prodigy, project name for producer and composer Liam Howlett who included Keith Flint and Maxim [aka Keith Palmer] on vocals, and as dancers when performing live. This is initial breakbeat hardcore or rave. The ep was released in only 7000 copies but reissued in 2004 as a 15th Anniversary edition celebrating XL Recordings.

The Prodigy

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The Prodigy: formed 1990 in Braintree, Essex, UK. Current members: Liam Howlett (synthesizers, drum machine, keyboards, programming), Keith Flint [aka Keef] (vocals, dancer), Maxim Reality [birthname: Keeti Palmer] (MC, backing vocals).

former members: Leeroy Thornhill (dancer; 1990-2000), Sharky (dancer, backing vocals; 1990–1991); live members: Leo Crabtree (drums, percussion; 2008-), Rob Holliday (guitar, bass; 2005–2006, 2008–present).

'Band' is really a difficult term when referring to The Prodigy. Basically, it's Liam Howlett who's in charge of making the music. He composes, programs, and he mixes everything. Keith Flint, Maxim, and Leeroy were the up front faces and performers for live concerts as well as for videos, and Keith has been the most used lead vocalist for the music by The Prodigy, whereas Maxim and Leeroy primarily shared roles as dancers with backing vocals. The Prodigy were among the pioneering artists of the big electronic dance explosion in Europe with the introduction of breakbeat, big beat and rave / hardcore rave (together with Fat Boy Slim and The Chemical Brothers) that took place in the early 1990s. The music has evolved a lot since the debut with hardcore breakbeat into more melodic breakbeat and big beat sound (when they were most popular) to progress in to industrial hip hop and techno house and dub. I came across the Prodigy in 1994 as they had just released Music for the Jilted Generation. The music totally blew my mind. I was so amazed, and of course listened to the album over and over again, and mostly at maximum volume, so I often had my neighbors banging on the wall. I still think that particular album is brilliant, it's a musical masterpiece that The Prodigy most likely will never equal.

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