
What Evil Lurks
1991
The Prodigy's fourth and also the last album released under XL-recordings.
Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned is the fourth studio album by The Prodigy. The album was released in the United Kingdom on 23 August 2004 under XL Recordings, and in North America on 15 September 2004 by Mute Records and Maverick Records. It was the last album from the band to be distributed under the labels.
Recorded almost entirely using the Propellerhead Reason program, with the mastering being done on Pro Tools, the album contrasts with their previous releases, and features a larger use of vocals than the group's third album, The Fat of the Land (1997). The album title is a play on the name of the Walter Mosely novel Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned. It was produced entirely by Liam Howlett. Keith Flint's and Keith Palmer's (Maxim) vocals do not appear in this album. By this stage Leeroy Thornhill had left the group. In the boys place are a screamy natural born killers star Juliette Lewis as well as Siouxsie Sioux style vocals and clipped female samples.
The album is a mish mash of next level Chems, Beastie Boys electro voices, moody Gary Numan "Cars" style synths and Basement Jaxx esque Eastern noise clashes, plus stomping Zombie nation keyboards, Switch-style acid squelches and plenty of four bar guitar riffs a la Fatboy Slim and classic early 90's Prodigy.
The name comes from a famous novel "Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned". The album was originally going to be released in winter 2002 or spring 2003 but as usually it got postponed several times. Liam is well known to release the albums or tracks only when he feels it's finished, and no one can tell when that will be.
Mastering Engineer Emily Lazar, Liam Howlett and Neil McLellan celebrating after the album was mastered at The Lodge
'Spitfire' (featuring Juliette Lewis)
Massive opener and a statement of intent. "I wanted to start with WWIII".
'Hot Ride'
Borrows from Fifth Dimension's 'Up, up and away' (in my beautiful balloon). "The Prodigy have been too serious. This is quirky".
'Wake Up Call'
"A slap in the face to myself after BGAT. I needed to change or we were fucked".
'Phoenix'
Shocking Blue's 1969 track 'Love Buzz' (later covered by Nirvana).
'You'll Be Under My Wheels'
"It's just an album filler". Shocked
'The Way It Is'
Built on a re-created sample of Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'.
Shoot Down
"It's quite punk rock".
GET UP GET OFF
"All get up if you wanna get off" warns the bloke shouting over the top of an Eastern sounding female vocal. Its very Basement Jaxx with a male rapper over the top. (doesnt mention who!)
WAKE UP
If you still play Chems "Block rockin beats" on your pubs jukebox, this will please. A full on rocky bassline with pounding live kick drums throughout.
ICE
Garagey sounding beats but in the nicest possible way build up to a clangy melody, met with high pitched drum and bass style screeches. It makes a full throttle dub. RAW!
PHOENIX (ex Love Buzz / 1965)
A clangy guitar provides a four beat riff that runs throughout this bouncer before it gets played backwards. This sounds like Fatboy slim if he played lead guitar for the Kinks.
HOTRIDE
This is a stabby roller with the kind of heavy bass that would keep our unsightly neighbours at Kerrang happy. We'll put our money on this being the second single.
The new prodigy album is finished! We got 11 possibly 12 fist in the air traks. it sounds sinister, electronic, trashy, sexy and fresh to my ears. this album is about reminding people what the prodigy was always about---the beats and the music. the vocals on this record are mostly used as an extension of the sound rather than the main focal point.
Like Jilted, Keef and Maxim weren't involved musically and they are not on this album. ALL 3 of us will be together to do what we do and play this record live and rock it later in the year, we cant fukin wait! you will probably begin to hear stuff early summer and the new album will hit in august. yeah -- more news to follow soon.
Before album was actually released there were plenty of rumours going around about the possible collaborations:
Juliette Lewis
Juliette has collaborated with Liam Howlett of The Prodigy on three songs for the new Prodigy album. The songs, 'Twista', 'Hot Ride' and 'Spitfire' were recorded in England in January.
Source: her official website
Oasis
Liam Gallagher's long-rumoured guest appearance on the next Prodigy album has been confirmed. Also, his brother Noel plays bass on the song, which is called ’Shoot Down’.
Source: NME
Kool Keith
Kool Keith aka Dr. Octagon will guest on track ’Wake Up’.
Perry Farrell
Howlett told Q magazine that Perry Farrell of Janes Addiction will feature on one track on the record, which is taking a more "electronic" direction than he anticipated. He commented: "I thought it was gonna be really rocky but it's turning out quite electronic. I don't know what it's going to be like yet but I know it's not going to be all fake blood and stupid hairdos. I'm doing one track with Perry Farrell and Keith (Flint)'s playing guitar on the album too."
Tracks from Nekos interview with Liam
"Sandstorm"
"The Way It Is"
"Lovebuzz"
"Girls"
"Who You're Fooling"
"Action"
"Slang Technology"
"No Souvenirs"
"Wake Up"
"The Gun"
Tracks mentioned by NME, XFM from the XL-Recordings Conference
"Ice"
"1.9.6.5"
Later Maxim has explained in an interview why they felt the need to take such a long break after The Fat of The Land. ”On the whole, we just needed to take a break for a while and chill out. We’d been going for nine years without stopping and we needed to chill a bit. Instead of playing another Reading, another Glastonbury, with people getting fed up with us, we thought we should take a break and not exactly re-invent ourselves but find a different vibe we could use. If we were stupid and naive we could be playing now, but before we knew it we’d have damaged ourselves and become exhausted.”
"I've got 80 per cent of the album somewhere in my studio. I've just got to assemble it. The other 20 per cent is going to be collaborations and stuff. " - Liam
24 Nov 2015 | State Magazine
The Prodigy..”a bit of competition is always good”
31 Dec 2011 | Sabotage Times
The Prodigy Interviewed: “No more snorting cheap speed and banging pills up my arse”
19 Jun 2009 | Independent.ie
Fired up: Keith Flint
30 Mar 2009 | XLR8R
The Prodigy: Fire Starters
21 Mar 2009 | NME
I See A Darkness
01 Feb 2005 | Keyboard Magazine
Trim the Fat
29 Nov 2004 | Korg magazine
Never Outgunned: Liam Howlett
01 Oct 2004 | Sound On Sound
Liam Howlett: Recording Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned
01 Sep 2004 | Floor Net
Vol. 67
20 Aug 2004 | The Guardian
Prodigal son
13 Aug 2004 | Intro.de
The Prodigy - Die US-Postals des Punk
01 Aug 2004 | Remix
Behind the Curtain
01 Aug 2004 | Snoozer
Issue 045
01 Aug 2004 | Bounce
#256
01 Aug 2004 | Rockin' On
Japanise AONO article
19 Jul 2004 | Sonic State
Prodigy Dig The Mackie Sound
10 Jan 2004 | NME
Prodigy set to make sexy return!
30 Nov 2003 | BigYawn.net
Interview with Liam Howlett of the Prodigy
15 Dec 2003 | Propellerhead Software
The Prodigal Reasoner
10 Apr 2002 | The Rolling Stone
Prodigy Reload - Electronica innovators return with first album in five years
09 Mar 2002 | Sun's Bizarre
Liam's a rock Prodigy
25 Jan 2002 | The Age
Prodigious personalities
08 Nov 2001 | NME
Prodigy star confirms addiction rumours
23 Apr 2001 | DoctorMusic.com
The Prodigy, possible summer release
04 Apr 2000 | NME
Prodigy Dancer Takes Flight
What Evil Lurks
1991
Charly
1991
Everybody In The Place
1991
Fire
1992
Experience
1992
Out of Space
1992
WInd It Up
1993
One Love
1993
No Good (Start The Dance)
1994
Music For The Jilted Generation
1994
Voodoo People
1994
Poison
1995
Firestarter
1996
Breathe
1996
The Fat Of The Land
1997
Smack My Bitch Up
1997
Prodigy Present: The Dirtchamber Sessions Volume One
1999
The Prodigy Experience - Expanded: Remixes & B-sides
2001
Baby's Got A Temper
2002
Girls
2004
Hotride
2004
Spitfire
2005
Their Law: The Singles 1990–2005
2005
Voodoo People / Out Of Space
2005
Back To Mine
2006
More Music For The Jilted Generation
2008
Invaders Must Die
2009
Omen
2009
Warrior's Dance
2009
Take Me To The Hospital
2009
Invaders Must Die EP
2009
The Added Fat EP
2012
Nasty
2015
Wild Frontier
2015
The Day Is My Enemy
2015
Ibiza
2015
The Night Is My Friend EP
2015
Need Some1
2018
No Tourists
2018
Light Up The Sky
2018