of everyday life more radically than Wu-Tang could conceive". He qualified his praise by adding that the success of Tricky's formula relied heavily on Topley-Bird. Simon Williams of NME was less impressed, writing that the album's last few songs "seemed to suffer from the very fury which makes the rest of the record work". He singled out "My Evil Is Strong" and "Piano" for overindulging in cynical attitudes and monotonous music. David Browne was more critical in Entertainment Weekly. He believed Tricky's incorporation of more soul and reggae elements than Maxinquaye, as well as his use of spasmodic beats and "revue-style singers", had weakened his "trademark trip-hop" style and resulted in a more theatrical, "pretentious" record. At the end of 1996, Pre-Millennium Tension was voted the ninth best album of the year in the Pazz & Jop, an annual poll of American critics nationwide. It was later included in Q magazine's "50 Heaviest Albums of All Time". In a 1997 interview between journalist Liz Jones and Prince, Jones told Prince he should listen to Tricky, because Tricky reminds her of Prince earlier in his career. Intrigued, Prince asks her the name of Tricky's latest album; she said Pre-Millennium Tension, and Prince spontaneously answered, "well, isn't that another way to say ‘1999’" (1999 being Prince's breakthrough album released in 1982.) This interview is featured in Liz Jones' book Slave to the Rhythm. In 2017, Nate Patrin of Pitchfork noted the album's longevity, saying that the album's name "is the only obvious thing that tells you it’s two decades old rather than two weeks." As of 2003 "Pre-Millennium Tension" has sold 218,000 copies in US. As of 1996 the album has sold 450,000 units worldwide according to Billboard. Track listing Charts References External links Press kit for the album Detailed interview containing information about the album Interview containing some information about the album Article specifically about the album Interview containing further information about the album Interview regarding the album 1996 albums Tricky (musician) albums Island Records albums PolyGram albums