The Fat of the Land

iTunes Review

Though casual American listeners might be tempted to dismiss The Prodigy as rabblerousing one-hit wonders, those willing to explore beyond the boundaries of their infectious, agro-techno hit “Firestarter” will be pleasantly surprised by the riches that await them. “Firestarter’s” iconic video featuring Prodigy frontman Keith Flint shaking his raved-up Johnny Rotten coiffure in an appropriately post-apocalyptic sewerscape made Flint the group’s most recognizable member, but it's the behind the scenes technical savvy of producer and DJ Liam Howlett that's responsible for Fat of The Land’s bracing sonic backdrops. Howlett had staked out a signature sound for the Prodigy on their previous two albums, but the textured, acid derived sounds of Experience and Music For the Jilted Generation failed to have much of an impact outside of the somewhat insular English rave scene. Fat of The Land arrived as a conscious gesture at crossover success. Kool Keith, fresh from the artistic triumph of Octagynecolegyst draws in the hip-hop heads on “Diesel Power”, while the arena sized hook and the spacious, Trent Reznor derived soundscapes of “Smack My Bitch Up” and “Fuel My Fire” deliver definite mosh-pit appeal.