Between the time fast-talking London MC Lady Sovereign first hit the blogosphere about two-and-a-half years ago and today, she's endured roughly 14 internet life cycles. How long has it really been? Let's put it this way: When Sov originally quoted J-Kwon's 2004 smash "Tipsy" on the opening line of her single "Random", lots of people knew exactly what J-Kwon looked like and thought he was going to be the next Nelly. For those diehards who've followed the fearless Brit's career from her pre-Def Jam days-- reading about her half-amusing, half-disastrous NYC debut and the impromptu audition for Jay-Z along the way-- Public Warning! can only be a letdown. Rumored collaborations with the Neptunes and Timbaland are nowhere to be found. And only a few tracks can truly be described as "new," as most have been floating around the net for months or, in some cases, years. (Pitchfork alone has already reviewed seven of the album's 13 tracks.) More bad news: Most of the fresher material pales in comparison to rambunctious early singles like "Ch-Ching" (which is oddly absent). The too-long journey toward this debut LP is an interesting case study for slow-moving conglomerates in the face of the Hype Machine revolution, where an artist is only as good its last leaked track... that was probably downloaded, barely listened to, and consequently deemed "ok" nonetheless.
In many ways, Sov's trajectory seems similar to M.I.A.'s, as both are fawned-over Brit hip-hop-rooted acts who sealed major label support through internet fandom. But there's a big difference: M.I.A.'s record tanked; Public Warning! seems set to make a mark beyond the web. The Tetris-inspired video for its current single, "Love Me or Hate Me", hit No. 1 on TRL recently and the song is currently just eight spots behind Jay-Z's comeback track on the Billboard Hot 100. By appealing to the same iTunes-hungry teens that are making the *High School Musical * soundtrack the year's top-selling album, Def Jam has happened upon a counter-marketing sweet spot; as divas like Fergie, Christina, and Beyoncé stalk MTV with their perfectly plucked eyebrows and runway-ready attire, Sov is the tomboy in the bleachers taking the piss out of the whole lot.
And while it's exciting to think eighth graders might put Public Warning! on their Christmas lists, it doesn't necessarily take away its disappointing sting. Sure, "Random" still sounds great, it's blippy quipping coming off futuristic well after the grime bubble that birthed it burst. "9 to 5", with its ska-riffic horn bounce, is another oldie but goodie on which Sov predicts her own delayed impact: "I'm no early birdie/ I'm lazy that's all I can say." Of the newbies, "Love Me or Hate Me" is a canny breakout track in the tradition of Eminem's "My Name Is" that packs Sov's entire anti-priss, beer'n'belches worldview into three-and-a-half minutes. "Those Were the Days", meanwhile, is a winning moment of sincere nostalgia. Her flow sounding smooth over a DJ Premier-style golden-age beat, the 20-year-old nails the details of her carefree youth, reminiscing about when "we played the first Mortal Kombat on the Sega". The track's laid-back hook and pangs of sadness make it unique amidst the album's mostly blaring fare.
Taken in small doses, Sov is endearing and even energizing. But across almost 50 minutes, her hyperactive poses grow mighty tiresome. Her annoying streak is highlighted on several horrendously misguided rap-rock attempts that smear ghastly processed guitars over punk-hop backbeats. The title track suffers from a grating one-note shout-hook, and its bmp-busting drums seem to be vying for a spot on a seizure inducing Japanese video game soundtrack. The upbeat "Hoodie" mixes sweatshirt product placement with a cheeseball kiddie-chorus that wouldn't sound out of place in a Payless commercial ("Fling on an Adidas hoodie and just boogie woogie with me/ Or you can just put on your dancing shoes and get loose"). The Basement Jaxx-produced "Blah Blah" is too fast and frenetic to stick, while the stereotype-busting "My England" plods on infinitely, seemingly holding the rapper back with its slow tempo. Though Missy Elliott tacks a quick verse onto the "Love Me or Hate Me" remix, the lack of additional guests is a mistake that seriously hurts the album's replay factor.
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. Further sullying the affair is the inescapable feeling that, somewhere between the early word-of-mouth success and the TRL reign, her midget-rebel guise picked up airs of big-machine commodification-- a hunch solidified by recent deals with Verizon and Swatch. With her visibility rising, it's a shame that Sov's finally making a dent on the heels of her most inconsistent offering to date.
