TheProdigy

purple squirrell wrote:



If I look at AONO as an album, a collection of music, I just don't see enough quality in the tracks. To me they're lazily written and produced, the vibe/flavour that runs through the album isn't one that I connect to.

Spitfire is a good tune, but it doesn't peak. The rest of the album is flat, I don't feel the energy, I don't see the craftmanship in it. I can't feel it. And tunes like Memphis Bells, Action Radar, Shootdown and Medusas Path are just unlistenable to me - they're crap. Phoenix? Utter shit. I don't take any enjoyment in saying that, I've been a Prodigy fan for 20 years, but too many tracks on AONO just don't cut the mustard. Under My Wheels is probably the other tune I'd say is okay, but it's never going to rank as a classic.

I think the temptation is to defend something because you respect and love that thing. But it does no one any good to try and paper over the truth.

The music of AONO is mostly awful

I propably agree on some level with w 30 on that "To me they're lazily written and produced, the vibe/flavour that runs through the album isn't one that I connect to". Some tracks feel like their production are left like in half-done phase BUT as a fan I am still proud Liam to make this kind of raw sounding album! This is my main explanation for it:

Firstly it was very ballsy thing Liam to do after MONSTROUS success of the Fat of the land! It would have been simple just to do whole bunch of "Fat-like" tunes to get more and more people to intrest what they are about..

I read somewhere that AONO is the MOST punk album Liam did, because he actually raised his middle-finger to every expectations the huge crowd have laid upon them. He had the guts to try somethin totally different - and YES in the end the AONO tracks every singel one sound exactly like The Prodigy. You just can't mistake them for someone else's doing! Am I right!? <!-- s:wink: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt="" title="Wink" /><!-- s:wink: -->

Liam did ONCE AGAIN something different this time!

As a link to this subject I'd really like Liam to drop out some of the "best hit" tunes away from their live sets, such as Firestarter, SMBU, Their Law, Voodoo People etc. and take a chance to fire again some of the rarely heard awesome tracks from their past and YES also from AONO of course! This would be totally punk rock move. More unexpected twists in their liveshows! In the end they are an electronic act - so it can't be TOO difficult to totally renew the live set occasionally. I bet Rob and the drummer would soon get the hang of it!

Also I am acctually bit worried is Liam able to suprise us in a possitive and in a different way with the new album after huge success of Invaders must die?!

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w30 wrote:

Fair enough, but it was needed at the time and did keep the ball rolling

Lasse wrote:



Maybe this could work in a small venue setting. remember it's not just the music that makes a live show these days from the production point of view, you gotta remember there's lighting and visuals that go along with the music, it's just not as easy to 'wing it' and still have a great light-show when Liam's gonna start introduccing new parts to the show when he feels like it.

NEOREV wrote:

Agreed it is a 50/50 album. Some are ok in the open like spitfire, girls even hotride can be a kick ass tune for live, and i don't think that the boys will keep it closed, they'll play some of this stuff live you'll see. What i'm trying to say is that AONO won't be forgotten you'll see something live from it i'm sure off it. Oh and yeah... GIVE US THOSE FUCKING EXPANDED EDITIONS FUCKING NOW. pretty pleaseeeeeeeeee

That is when the lads were going through a rough patch at the time,with people spreading rumours and making life difficult for Liam and Keef,whilst poor old Maxim watch the band rip itself apart.I agree with alot of you.They should bring back the likes of Spitfire,Girls,Under my Wheels etc etc.It was a good album,despite the ongoings.

I bought the album the day it came out and at the beginning was a huge disappointment, I (like most of people) was expecting TFOTL Part 2, when Memphis Bells was playing I was even wondering if there was an error at the pressing factory and I got the wrong cd, but after more spins it started to stick and I now see it as a good DJ album, something that Liam shouldn't have released under the Prodigy moniker, I think all the femenine vibe on the album was a desperate attempt to get away from the heaviness and darkness from Baby's Got a Temper, a good record indeed, but too alienated from the Prodigy "vibe"

Liam should have done a quick tour before actually releasing the album. Yes, I know a long time had already passed and the delays. But I think with a little more time, like we saw with the newer live reworkings, the tracks got better. I think Liam should have tested stuff live first and then we would have gotten a much more solid album with AONO.

For me Aono while not the best Prod album is one I am pleased is in their back catalogue. But although it took an unbearable 7 years to release it did feel rushed as Liam scrapped the original BGAT style version (a good move imo) and rewrote the album. I like the trashy sleazy sound and as I am not a fan of keef led vocal tracks, I was happy to hear on release it didnt feature him. I know without him the Prodigy would not exist as it was his idea to 'perform in front of Liam' and FS sent them global but I think he ( and Maxim) threw their toys out of the pram when Liam said he was doing it alone. Spitfire, Girls, MBells, GUGO,Hotride, Wake up call, TWII, and (yes)Shootdown I think are great tracks. It could have been made better with More Girls, the Their Law versions of Under my wheels and TWII and eliminating the 3 bad tracks ARadar, MPath and Phoenix. But Im glad it was made as it is less well known, different to the other albums and for me it separates the two Prodigys the live one with Keef and Maxim working a crowd and the record version which was (once) and still should be Liams music.

I agree that it does feel half finished, it's like a first draft or a work in progress, a collection of ideas rather than the complete album

in my opinion this is solo album from Liam, this isn't The Prodigy

For me aono was a great album .
Track "girls" canges my life.
track spitfire is unforgiven live track.U heard it live, you never forgot te power of sound.
rest of track...in time i like them. today i dont really listen to them.

purple squirrell wrote:


Having re visited the question and listened again, I would still agree it was needed as a prodigy album and was a good album, just not the expected one maybe for many.... It is fair to have a personal opinion, but for me it was well made just a bit different- which I liked and I played it to death from day one, sure I had to tune out of the fat, jilted and experience but it was new and fresh and made me happy I would love to hear girls live

as much as AONO ranks the lowest on my Prodigy album list...

"Girls" is still considered a classic track for me, one of my favorite tracks from them...
more so than Spitfire... the '05 edit is much better than the album version

and "Under My Wheels" on Their Law shits all over the album version
Back 2 Skool would have been a welcomed addition to the album... maybe right after Medusa's Path

I don't listen AONO very often, but when I play it I can't stop it and it runs usually twice I don't know why, and it must be played from begin to end.