Rocktrospectiva: The Fantastic "Album" Turns 40

Released on 27 January 1986 "Album" was the 5t., studio album by the English rock band Public Image Ltd. In a departure from their previous releases, John Lydon was advised by trusted music producer Bill Laswell to take on an all-star cast of session and trusted musicians, including Steve Vai, Ginger Baker, Bernie Worrell, Tony Williams, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Malachi Favors of the Art Ensemble Of Chicago. The album spawned two singles "Rise" & "Home".

Most of the songs were written by Lydon with Mark Schulz and Jebin Bruni and registered in September and October 1985, such as "Round and Round (European Cars)", "Fairweather Friend", "Fishing", "Black Rubber Bag", and "Things in Ease". "Fairweather Friend" featured originally music written by Schulz and Bruni. An unrecorded Lydon/Schulz composition "Animal" was registered too. Schulz and PIL tour bassist Bret Helm had previously registered a further (presumably non-PIL, therefore unused) composition called "Cat Rap".

According to John Lydon: "Most of the songs on the 'Album', for instance, were written at home and put onto demonstration tapes. But I didn't think the 1984/85 touring] band were good enough or experienced enough really to, like, record the song properly. And that's why I use session people. And by using session musicians the songs obviously changed – their shape, and not their direction". "I had a live band before recording took place and a lot of material together before going into the studio. But the band was totally inexperienced, they would have put the budget up by an incredible amount. So we decided to use session people". 

The producer Bill Laswell said: "When we did PiL he had put a band together in California of some kids. And I had sort of decided to make a heavy group, so I invited Tony Williams, Ginger Baker, Steve Vai, and all these people came. We fired John's band and there were many nights of really harsh arguing in bars. When the smoke cleared, we made sort of a classic record, an unusual record for the time". 

The music on this record is driving and defiant as anything from PiL’s previous recorded output, and the heavy-rock sound blew plenty of minds on release. Songs are tightly structured, consistent and catchy, and new colours (Afro-Celtic, metal, oriental, there’s even a didgeridoo on the sublime intro to ‘Ease’) are splashed across fresh canvases to reveal another kind of genius.

Also, the production it's certainly of its time, but that doesn’t detract from the superb musicianship, and Lydon is in fine form lyrically and vocally; his trademark caterwauling propels the songs. In fact, the production, performances, and engineering are outstanding, while retaining an air of menace throughout.

Album was a breakthrough hit for PiL, peaking at No.14 in the UK charts and featured perhaps their most famous track of all:  "Rise", a song about South African Apartheid, torture, and Northern Ireland, which reached No.11 in the UK.

 

Album Track List: 

 

1. FFF

2. Rise

3. Fishing

4. Round

5. Bags

6. Home

7. Ease