Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned

Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned
Studio album by The Prodigy
Released	11 August 2004 (Japan) 23 August 2004 (UK) 15 September 2004 (US)
Recorded	March 2003 – April 2004
Genre	Techno Industrial Big Beat Electronica
Length	57:57
Label	XL Recordings (UK) Mute/Maverick (US) Sony Music (JP)
Producer	Liam Howlett
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link The Guardian 8/20/2004 Kludge (6/10) link Mojo September 2004, p.92 musicOMH.com (favourable) link NME (6/10) 14 August 2004 The Observer 7/18/2004 Pitchfork (3.9/10) 8/26/2004 PlayLouder 8/18/2004 PopMatters (neutral) 12/14/2004 Q September 2004, p.110 Rolling Stone link
The Prodigy chronology
The Dirtchamber Sessions Volume One (1999) Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned (2004) Their Law: The Singles 1990-2005 (2005)
Working Limited Edition cover
Cover of working never-released limited edition

Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned is an album by electronica act The Prodigy. It was released in the UK on August 23, 2004 by XL Recordings, and in the US on September 15, 2004 by Mute Records/Maverick Records. It is the first The Prodigy studio album after 1997's The Fat of the Land. Its title is a play on words of the title to the Walter Mosely novel 'always outnumbered, always outgunned'. "This album is about reminding people what The Prodigy was always about—the beats and the music", producer and songwriter Liam Howlett wrote to an internet zine after finishing the album.^[1] He also notes that his intention was to use vocals mostly as an extension of the sound rather than the main focal point, as was the case in The Fat of the Land. Of the three The Prodigy members, only Liam Howlett is present on the album musically. The album peaked at UK number 1 on the album charts, but it didn't stay there for long and yielded no big hits. The complete album was leaked onto the Internet in mid-July.

Track listing

All songs written by Liam Howlett unless indicated otherwise.

1. "Spitfire" – 5:07
   • vocals: Juliette Lewis
   • "stab creation": Matt Robertson
2. "Girls" – 4:06
   • vocal contribution: The Magnificent Ping Pong Bitches
   • Samples from "Style of the Street" (by Broken Glass) written by J. Martinez/F. Cooke
   • Samples from "You're the One for Me" (by D Train) written by Hubert Barlay Eaves III/James Williams
3. "Memphis Bells" (Howlett/Neal Maclellan) – 4:28
   • vocal contribution: Princess Superstar
4. "Get Up Get Off" – 4:19
   • vocals written by Twista, Shahin Badar and Juliette Lewis
   • Co-produced by Dave Pemberton - Strongroom
5. "Hotride" – 4:35
   • vocals written by Juliette Lewis
   • guitar played by Scott Donaldson
   • backing vocal Hanna Robinson
   • bass guitar Liam Howlett
   • interpolates elements from "Up Up and Away" written and composed by Jim Webb
6. "Wake Up Call" – 4:55
   • vocals written by Kool Keith
   • additional vocals by Louise Boone and Hanna Robinson
   • Freakin' flute by Jim Hunt
7. "Action Radar" – 5:32
   • vocals written by Paul 'Dirtcandy' Jackson
   • additional vocals by Louise Boone
   • guitar by Mike Horner and Liam Howlett
8. "Medusa's Path" (Howlett/Maclellan) – 6:08
   • samples from "ELAHAYE Naz" composed by Rooholah Khaleghi and performed by Gholamhossein Banan
   • samples from "Plastic Dreams (Hohner Retro Mix)" (by Jaydee) written by Robin Albers
9. "Phoenix" – 4:38
   • beats and bass and "analogue shit" by Liam Howlett
   • additional vocal by Louise Boone
   • guitar by Matt Robertson
   • samples elements from "Love Buzz" (by Shocking Blue) written by Robert Van Leeuwen
10. "You'll Be Under My Wheels" (Howlett/Maclellan) – 3:56
    • vocals by Kool Keith
    • guitar by Jim Davies and Liam Howlett
11. "The Way It Is" – 5:45
    • additional vocal by Louise Boone and Neil Maclellan
    • recreation work by Matt Robertson and Rinse
    • based upon "Thriller" written by Rod Temperton
12. "Shoot Down" (Howlett/Maclellan) – 4:28
    • vocals written by Liam Gallagher
    • bass played by Noel Gallagher and Liam Howlett
    • guitars played by Mike Horner and Liam Howlett
    • additional production by Jan 'Stan' Kybert
    • samples from "My World Fell Down" (by Sagittarius) written by John Carter/Geoff Stephens - this sample was earlier used in unreleased live track "Trigger"

Singles

Girls/Memphis Bells

This promotional double A-sided 12" "Girls"/"Memphis Bells" (XLT 193) was released in very limited quantities in UK on June 21, 2004. On June 28, 2004, the track "Memphis Bells" was exclusively available online as a digital download via http://www.alwaysoutnumbered.com. Available in a limited edition of 5,000, each of the 5,000 downloads had a unique variation of the track, accompanied with a unique variation of the artwork.

Girls

"Girls" became a single of its own, released on 30 August, 2004 and entering the charts at #19.

Hotride

"Hotride" was released November 1, 2004 in the UK. It was not eligible to enter the UK charts as the CD was released in EP format with 3 additional 'b-sides' and so did not conform to chart regulations.

Spitfire

"Spitfire" was released on March 28 2005.

Producers

• Liam Howlett - producer, programming, keyboards on all tracks
• Neil Maclellan - engineer, additional programming
• Damian Taylor - Pro Tools engineer

• Pre-production - Mews Recording Studios
• Mixing - by Neil Maclellan and Liam Howlett at Whitfield Street Studios
• Mastering - by Moet Mastered and Emily Lazar at The Lodge, New York City

Commentary

After a seven year wait, The Prodigy's fourth studio album Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned was released in Summer 2004. Two years after the single "Baby's Got a Temper", Liam Howlett decided to change the direction the album was taking. The album does not feature band members Maxim Reality and Keith Flint who had contributed vocals on earlier albums. Instead contributors included actress Juliette Lewis ("Hot Ride"), Oasis frontmen Liam and Noel Gallagher ("Shoot Down"), Kool Keith ("Wake Up Call") and The Magnificent Ping Pong Bitches ("Girls").

References

External links

• Description of tracks by Liam Howlett
• Opinions about Always Outnumbered Never Outgunned - BBC Dance Review