That What Is Not [Import]

Public Image Limited | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 29, 1992)
• Original Release Date: 1992
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Emd Int'l
• ASIN: B00000DR70
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #194,876 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

That What Is Not is a fairly straightforward "alternative" rock album with some heavy-metal guitar licks added for flavor. It is, however, an aptly named record, featuring John Lydon's patented rants on such topics as drug abuse, governmental abuse of power, and religion. EMI. 1992.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Final PiL...unfortunately, November 1, 2004

By 

The Drainpipe (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: That What Is Not (Audio CD)

"That What Is Not" inhabits a vague realm: it's not particularly loved, but it doesn't appear to be despised either. It's simply regarded as what it is: the last PiL album. It doesn't achieve true greatness, but it's not boring or offensively bad, and is quite excellent in places. Despite having a settled lineup and fixed locale, the latter-era PiL was not afraid to change styles: there's nothing on "That What Is Not" that would have fitted on the two previous albums. In fact, the album is almost entirely devoid of the dance element that characterised "Happy?" and "9." Instead, "That What Is Not" opts for a harder, more metal-based sound (this is probably the PiL album the late John McGeoch has the most audible presence on), and while this is no "Album," Lydon's vulture-scavenging vocals and the imaginative musical touches and flourishes still keep PiL out of simple heavy rock. The album's grammatically-wonky title is a lyric in the opening song, "Acid Drops." The song is, fittingly enough, acidic (Lydon chastising government censorship), but the music is almost upbeat (the "No Future" refrain from the Pistols' "God Save The Queen" is effectively and nostalgically mixed into the outro; as a famously once-banned song, it's contextually perfect). Elsewhere, PiL demonstrates just how they were never able to cut it as a truly commercial, accessible band, letting their idiosyncrasies compromise mainstream appeal: "Luck's Up" has an emotive guitar line, but the chorus has an overlay of weird doggy wheezes; and the tuneful "God" could have been a great hit if it was shorter, had less outspoken lyrics, and had someone with a more radio-friendly voice than Lydon singing it. "Good Things" sounds like a refurbished "This Is What You Want" outtake, and in "Think Tank" Lydon takes a swipe at the middle-class journalists and music historians constantly reinterpreting and misrepresenting his life and the Punk era ("Rewriting history/Tampering in my story/Standing in my shadow/But still so pale/So shallow"). Given the extreme unlikelihood of another PiL album being made, it's disappointing that "That What Is Not" was their last studio release - not that it's unsatisfactory, it's just that you know PiL made it without the knowledge of it being their swansong. After its release, Lydon wrote his autobiography, reunited the Sex Pistols, released his solo album, clowned around for TV...It's been over a decade now, and as he inches ever so closely to 50, one hopes Lydon comes to his senses, reunites PiL, and makes sure "That What Is Not" is a comma, not a full stop.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars That What is Not Wonky, March 25, 2005

By 

zac (PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: That What Is Not (Audio CD)

How could people who loved PIL's 9 album not enjoy That What is Not? It's a bit of a mind-boggler, that's for sure. The songs "God," "Emperor," and "Think Tank" are amongst some of PIL's catchiest and best. There are no filler songs on this album, either. Most of the songs here have the guitar near the front of the mix, so it's more audible, but that certainly doesn't give the songs a "metal-based" sound (as many a previous reviewer has wrongfully pointed out). If you like any PIL from 1983-1990, there's something here for you.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars BORING !!!!!!, September 11, 2006

By 

JUAN MARTIN GABASTOU (Weston Hills, FL United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: That What Is Not (Audio CD)

Last and final album for this glorious band.1992.I love their more ¨accessible ¨ period, that is to say, their latest albums like Happy ? but this one is dull, unimaginative, and sounds like it had been jammed in the studio, probably to fulfill contractual obligations ? .And god forgive me but it has a certain air of Rush (the canadian prog-metal band)to it.Even guitar god John McGeoch seems to have run out of ideas on this one. All tracks sound alike, and the prime appeal of the band to me, John Lydon's voice, is insultingly low in the mix.Nevertheless, the sound is incredibly hi-fi .For completists ONLY.