Live from Metropolis Studios

Public Enemy

(Digital Download - Hip-O / Universal #75153)

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Recorded live in a studio in a suburb of London, Live from the Metropolis Studios appeared just a few months after Public Enemy's muscular 2015 studio effort Man Plans, God Laughs, so there's nothing from that album here. That said, this double-disc live album -- which is accompanied by a longer home video release, including a documentary -- isn't fixated on the past. To be sure, PE thread in their big hits -- "911 Is a Joke" and "Welcome to the Terrordome" come early, "Night of the Living Baseheads" and "Fight the Power" show up later -- but there are sharp selections from deep in the catalog (including the title track to Spike Lee's "He Got Game"), and the proceedings conclude with "Harder Than You Think," the 2007 single that became their biggest-ever hit in the U.K. What impresses is both the depth of the songbook plus the vigorous, sinewy attack. As they bear down on their 30th anniversary, Public Enemy may no longer sound like young men but they're canny, muscled survivors, a group intent to preach thegospel until they die with their boots on.

Track Listing

Title/Composer Performer Time Stream
1 Public Enemy feat: James Bomb / Pop Diesel S1W 00:49 SpotifyAmazon
2 Public Enemy feat: James Bomb / Pop Diesel S1W 00:47 SpotifyAmazon
3 Public Enemy feat: James Bomb / Pop Diesel S1W 03:07 SpotifyAmazon
4 Public Enemy feat: James Bomb / T-Bone Motta / Pop Diesel S1W 01:06 SpotifyAmazon
5 Public Enemy feat: James Bomb / Pop Diesel S1W 05:50 SpotifyAmazon
6 Public Enemy feat: James Bomb / Pop Diesel S1W 03:02 SpotifyAmazon
7 Public Enemy feat: James Bomb / Pop Diesel S1W 05:23 SpotifyAmazon
8 Public Enemy feat: James Bomb / Pop Diesel S1W 02:22 SpotifyAmazon
9 Public Enemy feat: James Bomb / Pop Diesel S1W 09:04 SpotifyAmazon
10 Public Enemy feat: James Bomb / Pop Diesel S1W 01:28 SpotifyAmazon
11 Public Enemy feat: James Bomb / Pop Diesel S1W 04:42 SpotifyAmazon
12 Public Enemy feat: James Bomb / Pop Diesel S1W 05:54 SpotifyAmazon
13 Public Enemy feat: James Bomb / Pop Diesel S1W 02:02 SpotifyAmazon
14 Public Enemy feat: James Bomb / Pop Diesel S1W 01:56 SpotifyAmazon
15 Public Enemy feat: James Bomb / Pop Diesel S1W 04:04 SpotifyAmazon
16 Public Enemy feat: James Bomb / Pop Diesel S1W 02:15 SpotifyAmazon
17 Public Enemy feat: James Bomb / Pop Diesel S1W 07:33 SpotifyAmazon
18 Public Enemy feat: James Bomb / Pop Diesel S1W 01:25 SpotifyAmazon
19 Public Enemy feat: James Bomb / Pop Diesel S1W 02:26 SpotifyAmazon
20 Public Enemy feat: James Bomb / Pop Diesel S1W 04:54 SpotifyAmazon
21 Public Enemy feat: James Bomb / Pop Diesel S1W 09:39 SpotifyAmazon
blue highlight denotes track pick