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On Public Warning, Lady Sovereign explores the natural edges of her characteristic sound and emerges a more fully-realised artist.
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VibeA gleeful, idiosyncratic pastiche. [Nov 2006, p.156]
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The slick, flashy façade that renders tracks like the predictable "Love Me Or Hate Me" and the bland title cut seemingly hollow detracts from the obvious skill of the self-proclaimed "biggest midget in the game," making Public Warning less of an instant classic and more of a promise of things to come.
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She catchily sends up herself, her Britishness and the unlikelihood of her (likely) stardom.
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Lady Sov's street cred, raw talent, and gumption can't mask Public Warning's faults--like overly frenetic beats and a handful of choruses that rely on tuneless yelling instead of a good refrain.
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Paste MagazineSov doesn't sound quite as explosive here as she did on her legendary demo tracks, but there's no containing her charisma. [Oct 2006, p.75]
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UrbThough it's a letdown to revisit [the five EP cuts] in place of new material, "Those Were the Days," "My England" and "Love Me or Hate Me" make up for it largely. [Oct 2006, p.115]
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BillboardFully realized and largely insane. [4 Nov 2006]
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Despite some uneven striving-for-maturity moments... Sov's at her best when she doesn't take herself too seriously.
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Though Sov hates the comparison, "Public Warning" does recall Eminem's early work. It's uproariously funny, for one thing, with a cutting anger lurking just behind the jokes.
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For every moment that Sov's supreme wit and impeccable cadence is fitfully showcased on Public Warning!, there is a moment when her gifts are squandered amidst anxious beats that try to compete with her huge personality.
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At times Sovereign exceeds at being entertaining and at other times her simplistic lyrics, heavy accent and electronic beats prove to be too much to grasp.
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A full-length debut strong on deft, cheeky wordplay and blessedly free of the usual hip-hop clichés burdening her American counterparts.
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Even if Sov doesn't cross over the way she or Def Jam might want her to, she still sounds like an original--even for people who know half the songs already.
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SpinThe toughest cuts are still the early singles. But shorty's in the process of becoming something bigger than a hot, patois-spitting grime MC. [Nov 2006, p.101]
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From production to persona, rhymes to flow, Public Warning is almost flawless.
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An exciting introduction to an extraordinary artist captured at just the right time.
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There isn’t much that Lady Sovereign did prior to Public Warning to gain the amount of respect that she attempts to command and, to some extent, she still doesn’t make it all up here. But at least this is a good start to showcase her abilities.
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If a classic pop album is something that defines the moment, is rammed with ideas and necessarily crammed with singles, then Lady Sov's cracked it first time out.
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With solid production throughout, there’s little to slight Public Warning besides Sov’s hang-up with her diminutive physical stature.
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The lyrics here are a lacerating mix of blue collar bile and blue language, little Lady Muck simultaneously waging class and crass warfare.
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New Musical Express (NME)A vital trans-Atlantic concern, the point where Dizzee meets Jay-Z. [3 Feb 2007, p.33]
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 17 out of 28
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Mixed: 2 out of 28
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Negative: 9 out of 28
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Aug 18, 2010
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MarcelBMay 30, 2009Lady Sovereign is the most courageous singer I seen in a long time. The album is one of the bests in the style I ever hear. Loved her!
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SimonBMay 14, 2008