The Album Review Club - *** Christmas Break Playlist (next album 7/1/26) ***

[The Lightbowne Cowboy]

Robin Williams and Keith Floyd were huge Stranglers fans

I always remember Floyd playing Waltzinblack on it when I was a kid and had no idea it was the Stranglers. Rattus Norvegicus is a fine album,gets a solid 8/10. Stranglers are so underrated in my book.
Edit: Fuck it! It's getting 8.5, listened to it last night after messaged..much better than solid.

 

[LGWIO]

Having only ever really heard the singles I had an idea that they were quite different from their normal output. Always having the image of The Stranglers as a punk band so I have been surprised at the overall sound of this album.
Two listens in and I am really enjoying it. I can certainly see the immediate reference to the Doors and really think it is the keyboards on this that lift it above being something that is just OK.
Loving the drums and bass across most of them and finding it so much easier listening to this week than last.

 

[Saddleworth2]

From their final studio album, for the record.

Just sheer class.
The lyrics were loosely based on the spree killer Billy Cook, who committed several murders including that of a five-person family in 1951. Morrison used the story as a jumping-off point for the lyrics to “Riders of the Storm.”

Funny, I always think of the character Randall Flagg from Stephen Kings "The Stand' when I listen to that track.

 

[threespires]

I haven't listened to this for a long time but it's interesting that what I both liked and disliked about it doesn't seem to have really changed over the years. Reading some of the other reviews makes me think again about how often timing is so important with the bands you end up loving. I was probably a couple of years too young to be meaningfully into the early stages of punk (not that this really is but that's another discussion) and I think it definitely colours my views compared to had I been at their early gigs etc.

When I do get round to doing my review I was going to point out that I think JJ Burnel was more than a bit of a knob and that as good and as different as his brutalist approach to bass was, the fact that he is underrated by many is offset by the fact he was so overrated by himself.

I was also going to point out that, no I definitely would not say any of this to his face. But I reckon it's entirely possible that one of the BM Waldorf Massive who've rocked up for this pick might actually know him and dob me in it!

So I won't be saying any of that :-)

I may have to go on the run anyway after my review but I reckon @Saddleworth2 might give me sanctuary ?

 

[Vienna_70]

I haven't listened to this for a long time but it's interesting that what I both liked and disliked about it doesn't seem to have really changed over the years. Reading some of the other reviews makes me think again about how often timing is so important with the bands you end up loving. I was probably a couple of years too young to be meaningfully into the early stages of punk (not that this really is but that's another discussion) and I think it definitely colours my views compared to had I been at their early gigs etc.

When I do get round to doing my review I was going to point out that I think JJ Burnel was more than a bit of a knob and that as good and as different as his brutalist approach to bass was, the fact that he is underrated by many is offset by the fact he was so overrated by himself.

I was also going to point out that, no I definitely would not say any of this to his face. But I reckon it's entirely possible that one of the BM Waldorf Massive who've rocked up for this pick might actually know him and dob me in it!

So I won't be saying any of that :-)

I may have to go on the run anyway after my review but I reckon @Saddleworth2 might give me sanctuary ?

I would definitely say that Rattus Norvegicus was released in the early stages of the Punk era - April 1977.

The infamous Bill Grundy interview with the Pistols was in December '76, so four months later can’t be regarded as anything other than still the early part of that era.

I don’t remember being aware of any earlier Punk albums than RN.

 

[Deepest Blue]

I would definitely say that Rattus Norvegicus was released in the early stages of the Punk era - April 1977.

The infamous Bill Grundy interview with the Pistols was in December '76, so four months later can’t be regarded as anything other than still the early part of that era.

I don’t remember being aware of any earlier Punk albums than RN.

Just this from the UK scene.

 

[Vienna_70]

View attachment 125750
Just this from the UK scene.

Did you read my post?

Rattus Norvegicus was the first Punk album that I was aware of.

I didn’t say there were no Punk albums before RN.

 

[RobMCFC]

Just sheer class.
The lyrics were loosely based on the spree killer Billy Cook, who committed several murders including that of a five-person family in 1951. Morrison used the story as a jumping-off point for the lyrics to “Riders of the Storm.”

Funny, I always think of the character Randall Flagg from Stephen Kings "The Stand' when I listen to that track.

LA Woman is a fantastic album - it's got three of my favourite Doors tracks on it: "Riders on the Storm", "Lover Her Madly" and the title track.

I know what you mean about the lyrics and Randall Flagg - "There's a killer on the road ....."

I also seem to remember reading in No One Here Gets Out Alive by Jerry Hopkins and Danny Sugarman that a young Jim Morrison witnessed some fatal accident on a car journey and that this inspired some of the lyrics.

 

[Saddleworth2]

LA Woman is a fantastic album - it's got three of my favourite Doors tracks on it: "Riders on the Storm", "Lover Her Madly" and the title track.

I know what you mean about the lyrics and Randall Flagg - "There's a killer on the road ....."

I also seem to remember reading in No One Here Gets Out Alive by Jerry Hopkins and Danny Sugarman that a young Jim Morrison witnessed some fatal accident on a car journey and that this inspired some of the lyrics.

Just been playing it. Fabulous album.
Nice Bass from Jerry Scheff who previously played in the Elvis band.

 

[OB1]

Sorry mate but you can't really say that without hearing a lot more than you've heard. You may still prefer The Doors(fair enough) but The Stranglers are a much better band than many give them credit for. Do me a favour and listen to their albums in order like I said to @OB1 a while back. He now appreciates them a lot more than he first thought he would : )

This is true but I still need to give them more of a listen; probably as I do The Doors, all of whose studios albums I think I have.

 

[OB1]

I think he's been the best keyboard player ever, even better than Rick Wakeman and that's saying something! But it's all about opinion.

Thanks to @RobMCFC for inviting me to nominate an album as this is excellent thread but not one I've kept up with. In future I'll review up and coming albums and I have a few more albums I'd like to nominate.

Both excellent. Seen Wakeman a few times but never saw The Stranglers live.

Keith Emerson though would still get my vote as the greatest keyboard player. I swear he could play anything.

 

[OB1]

They wrote a song called "Deacon Blues".

No! Really!

 

[OB1]

Just sheer class.
The lyrics were loosely based on the spree killer Billy Cook, who committed several murders including that of a five-person family in 1951. Morrison used the story as a jumping-off point for the lyrics to “Riders of the Storm.”

Funny, I always think of the character Randall Flagg from Stephen Kings "The Stand' when I listen to that track.

Now that is possibly the best book ever.

 

[Saddleworth2]

I've given the album a few listens now and haven't really shifted from where I began which is that the Stranglers were one of my favourite bands of the late 70's although they coincided with a period where music took a back seat to young kids, work and playing rugby. They were one of many bands I have liked through the years but not really carried forward to listen regularly through the decades since. The Police are another example of a band I liked at the time but I probably haven't listened to them since they broke up in the 80's.

Of the 11 tracks on this album I guess I knew 4 really well as they must have been included on compilation cd's. Peaches was and is a great song and has stood the test to time. If only the other 10 tracks were of the same quality. I did like the opener 'Sometimes' which features some nice keyboard and bass work and a relatively strong hook. "Get a grip' featured nice keyboard work too and undoubtedly Dave Greenfield, gave the band their easily recognisable sound. I'm not going to overplay comparison to the Doors although the parallels are pretty clear although I was interested that Greenfield was more influenced by Lord and Wakeman than Manzarek. Lord's style I can hear pretty clearly and tbf I was never a huge fan of his or DP, preferring Emerson, Banks (in particular) and Wakeman. In terms of subtlety, Manzarek, to me stands out. Listening to some Doors over the last few days that was clear to me.

I am a fan of 'pushy' bass that sits at the centre of the music so that was a tick. The vocals less so which although they work fine on tracks like Peaches, in other tracks, grate and feel like they are forced to prove that the Band is 'punk' whatever that is. Despite that, the bands musicality just about wins through on this album.

So to scoring, the inconsistency of the songs puts this at a 5.5 for me. It's an album I enjoyed bits of but not enough to go back to it any time soon. Good pick though.

 

[threespires]

I would definitely say that Rattus Norvegicus was released in the early stages of the Punk era - April 1977.

The infamous Bill Grundy interview with the Pistols was in December '76, so four months later can’t be regarded as anything other than still the early part of that era.

I don’t remember being aware of any earlier Punk albums than RN.

Yeah I agree timing wise this is definitely early doors, my comment was more tongue in cheek along the lines of the old chestnut of whether they were actually punk at all.

Because I wasn't properly caught up in it all directly at the time, I found them quite confusing. In some ways they seemed more punk than other punk bands but in other ways not punk at all. I remember in my head bracketing them more with the post punk bands that came along and it was only when I was a bit older that it occured to me that timing wise, they were part of the punk era and that must mean some of the bands I liked must have been listening to them and were probably influenced by them.

They're a funny old band for me. On the one hand Peaches was the first bass line I ever learnt/butchered but until this week I hadn't consciously listened to it in years cause I can't be doing with it any more. I definitely think they're underrated in many ways but on the other hand I also think that's partly their own fault. JJ has always struck me as a bit of a tool but on the other hand it has occurred to me to buy Strangler in the Light cause it looks like a good read. I kind of simultaneously like them/dislike them.

 

[Saddleworth2]

Now that is possibly the best book ever.

It is a modern classic. Pity they have never come close to doing it justice on film. I'm bloody sure Peter Jackson could have made a good fist of it as a trilogy.

 

[RobMCFC]

It is a modern classic. Pity they have never come close to doing it justice on film. I'm bloody sure Peter Jackson could have made a good fist of it as a trilogy.

It was you two going on about The Stand 4 years ago that finally got me to read it. And you are both correct; it's superb.

 

[mrbelfry]

The Stranglers are a band i'd previously only really interacted via the britpop bands that ripped them off in the 90's - Waking Up by Elastica being the most obvious example. And of course everyone knows Golden Brown because heroin is the coolest drug despite no one really liking smack heads. Heroin is not chic it's no teeth, brittle bones and knicking stuff from charity shops. I really hate Golden Brown


Reading about the Doors influence on here surprised me but you hear is straight away in Sometimes. Classic bass tone you'd expect in the band I imagine The Stranglers to be but with the busy organ and propensity to disappear into solos and musical sections that seem improvised. Oh and it's about slapping your girl around. There is a joke to be made comparing the many waves of punk and where The Stranglers might fit with the many waves of feminism but I'm not smart enough to make it.

Goodbye Toulouse has another growling bass but we are in 3/4 time. I beginning to feel like I've been sleeping on the Stranglers. Not that you should ever sleep near any of the Stranglers especially if you're a women. You'll wake up naked or with organs missing. There is something dark and sinister about the Stranglers and it isn't just the misogyny.

The Stranglers are a hard band and not in the typical punk posey kick a fascist way. By the time this album came out the guys in the Stranglers were pretty old so they don't have the posture of young men acting angry even though they've experienced nothing of the world. The Stranglers are mature and their views are entrenched so when they stab you they do it meaningfully.

One of the guys ran an ice cream van before the band and you can imagine this is where all the dodgy ice cream man stereotypes came from. I say this with no evidence but he was definitely chatting up the girls and putting glass in the Mr Whippy. The rest of the band were probably 14 year old boys with moustaches running the dodgems. The rest of the album continues in much the same vibe. It's about sex but not sexy - skiddy knickers.

There aren't many songs that blow my mind but there is enough interesting stuff going on that it's a good listen. Brunel is a good bass player - like Foxton wihout the Motown influence. Their best songs are either when Brunel is sneering or when Cornwell is almost doing spoken word like on Peaches.

Peaches is probably the stand out and where my unwritten joke about genre and feminism would really come to fruition. There is a stunning irony at the heart of the 'liberation' of women that as they became freer and more revealing the male gaze is intensified. In a band with more modern sensibilities like IDLES the song would be ironic and revealing the male to be sad and pathetic - maybe the 70's were a more honest time and instead of being ashamed it's a song about how good bums are. Still true 50 years later.

In summary a surprising album. It's unashamedly masculine which in 2024 leaves you feeling a bit icky but that's also weirdly part of the charm. Some of the songs are a little longer than they should have been and it's definitely less punk than I thought it would be. There's an obvious Doors influence and not just in the organ but I also heard bits of the Kinks and a whole bunch of modern bands like IDLES and Arctic Monkeys and good Blur

8 out of 10

 

[VOOMER]

No! Really!

The sarcasm is strong in this one.

 

[Deepest Blue]

Did you read my post?

Rattus Norvegicus was the first Punk album that I was aware of.

I didn’t say there were no Punk albums before RN.

Read it perfectly well.
Just trying to add something but if took it as some kind of correction then fair enough.