The Prodigy: Invaders Must Die Review

So only a little over 2 months into 2009 and I am already with 2 of my most anticipated releases.  The first being P.O.S.’s Never Better, which didn’t disappoint.  I don’t know that I can say the same about this one.  The Prodigy more or less made modern electronic music what it is today.  Their influence is undeniable, unless you are like 15 and don’t know who they are.  Their first disc, Experience was a quirky mix of jungle and drum and bass mixed in with some clever vocal samples.  There were some classic tracks on that album but the Prodigy really didn’t become The Prodigy until their second disc.  To this day I still think Music for a Jilted Generation is my favorite electronic release and I think I’ll go to my grave with that thought.  After that they had the mega hit with Fat of the Land which added a lot of vocals from Maxim and Keith, 2 guys who were largely relegated to be hype men at their concerts.  The first five tracks on that disc were as good as anything Prodigy had but the disc quickly faded after that.

Since The Fat of the Land it has all been downhill for the Prodigy.  While they have remained very popular in the UK their fame in the US has all but vanished.  Since the Fat of Landthere were mis-steps like Baby’s Got  A Temper and then an absolutely horrible LP follow up to Fat of the Land in Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned.  The disc was feature heavy with a whole lot of people the Prodigy shouldn’t have been working with.  Tracks with Twista were terrible, Kool Keith got a little but too much time as a guest and Juliette Lewis nailed it on one track and flopped on another.  All together their last disc was a disappointment to everyone except the most hardcore Prodigy fans.

Most Anticipated Music of 2009

I always enjoy entering a new year.  I get to think about all the things that I have to wait for.  In this post I am going to go over all of the music that I am looking forward to in the new year, and you should be looking forward to it as well.  This list isn’t in any particular order and I did my best to dig and scratch for release info.  Some releases I found an estimate, some the actual date and some with the unfortunate TBD.  Take a look at the list, see if you agree and add some of the ones you are looking for in ’09.

Imogen Heap – TBD:  This one is going to seem out of place when you read the rest of my list, but that’s OK, the girl’s got skills.  She got a little bit of radio play with Goodnight and Go, a song that was played on the then famous The O.C. on Fox.  Like all other talented female artists before her, the radio play was fleeting because everyone was wondering what Britney Spears was doing with her hair.  Imogen has had a pretty nice career for herself.  Two solo albums, a side project with Frou Frou and some wonderful guest appearances on various other albums (Check our her video with Urban Species below).  She’s hard to pigeon hole into one specific category, so I just say she’s one of the best female vocalists with a heavy electronic influence.  I guess it could be Trip-Hop but I just don’t know.  Either way, this is going to be a good release.  She has consistently gotten better throughout her career and I don’t plan on that stopping now.  Late in ’08 she released the single Not Now, But Soon.  The track may or may not be on her ’09 release.  Regardless the single is a great song and signs of good things to come.