Spin Doesn't Believe that the New PiL Album Is Good on Purpose

The headline Spin uses in its review of PiL's new album: "Public Image Ltd. Accidentally Make an Enjoyable Record With ‘What the World Needs Now…’" Rather than rant about this--"accidentally"?--I'll just give you some promising bits:

“The toilet’s f–king broken again / I repaired that, I told ya / Get the plumber in again and again and again” is no nostalgia trip; that’s age and decay all the way. More importantly, his band of whoevers — this time containing an ex-Spice Girls sideman and an ex-Neneh Cherry husband — plays rock, with permutations ranging from spy-surf-Goo licks under “Bettie Page” and ’70s boogie rock on the literal and qualitative centerpiece “The One,” which is a love song, brought home by an ersatz Edge guitar hook that should offend Pistols and PiL fans alike.

I like the sound of all this! But there's something even better:

The bending synths that underscore “Know Now” recreate the over-incanting title histrionics of the Sex Pistols’ “Liar?” Piece of cake. This whole record is, really, even the burbling, eight-minute “Big Blue Sky,” which flirts with reggae Peter Gabriel.

Spice Girls, boogie rock, offended fans, and reggae? Now that sounds like some classic Advancement to me.

I guess a lot of people, not just Spin, would be surprised that this would be good. But we know better.

PiL to Reform

It was inevitable:

Punk rock singer John Lydon, formerly known as Johnny Rotten, is re-forming his band Public Image Ltd -- or PiL -- after a 17 year hiatus with a five-date tour in December, according to media reports.

Lydon told Britain's Guardian newspaper that the influential band he created in 1978, a year after the disintegration of the Sex Pistols, and which lasted for 14 years, would reform with a new line-up.

He said the new-look PiL will not contain original band members Jah Wobble or former Clash guitarist Keith Levene but will feature guitarist Lu Edmonds, drummer Bruce Smith and a new arrival, multi-instrumentalist Scott Firth.

PiL, which had chart success with singles such as "Public Image" and "This Is Not a Love Song," will start its tour on December 15 in Birmingham. The band is also launching a new website (www.pilofficial.com).

Also in the article, Lydon complains, "Younger people at the moment are very mouthy and aggressive."