The Prodigy
Invaders Must Die
Take me to the Hospital/Cooking Vinyl
I’m a firestarter/ twisted firestarter
Love it, or hate it – that song should bring boat loads of nostalgia to anyone old enough to remember 1996. Whether those memories are rainbow-colored in an ecstasy haze or not, The Prodigy’s streamlined take on electronica gave us all a taste of club culture.
Though sometimes vocalist Keith Flint, and his spiky no-hawk, quickly became the focal point of the band, the infectious break beats and dance inducing synthesizer driven melodies are the brain child of composer/keyboardist Liam Howlett. On Invaders Must Die, the band’s fifth studio effort, The Prodigy have unexpectedly swept the floor with modern day electronic acts and claimed command of the club floors once more.
Every bit as intoxicating as their hey day hits of “Smack My Bitch Up,” and “Breathe,” the top tracks on this 2009 edition of the band stand confidently beside those “classic” ones. Knocking one right out of the park on the opening number, the title track kicks in like the peak moment of a Saturday night, and then takes us all even further down the rabbit hole on the followup track, “Omen.” “Take Me To The Hospital” sounds like a pep rally in hell; “Run With Wolves” marries the hard-hitting hands of Dave Grohl with a devouring synth riff; “Colours” features guest vocals from Amanda Ghost –a singer/songwriter who has penned major hit songs for Beyonce, and James Blunt; and the closing track, “Stand Up,” brings in a slightly ska horn section sample that slowly plays out into a hypnotic siren sound that sits prettily atop of Grohl’s easy drumming. It’s an unexpectedly, subtle end to a convulsive album – like a cup of decaf coffee after a hard night of partying.
The Prodigy: http://www.theprodigy.com
