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

threespires said:
Bonsoir PJ, don't often see you in these parts! I'm sure you're right in terms of why most bands stay within a genre, maybe 'constrained' was the wrong word.

I suppose there's a few different categories of acts where genre is irrelevant. There's the big beasts like The Beatles, Zappa, Bowie and Prince who were simply capable of and wanted to do all manner of things. Then there's bands who seem to consciously genre hop either within or between records, like King Gizzard or Gomez. Then there's bands who are difficult to put into a genre full stop like the Budos band.
Click to expand...
Greetings 3S.
Only tend to comment on albums I already know.
Thanks so much for the context which has helped clear my foggy brain :-).
 
RobMCFC said:
I will admit that I go into almost all nominations with a pre-conceived notion about it. Sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised and I will give all nominations a fair listen.
Click to expand...

At least it is not some gritless-guitared generic whispy-voiced half-moany indie pish, right?
 
journolud said:
Being already familiar with Rattus Norvegicus but less so with the rest of the Strangler's catalogue beyond the hits I thought I'd take the opportunity to explore a bit more. And was truth be told disappointed. They have their moments on later albums but by the time I'd got to The Raven, fourth one in, I was thinking that there is actually less to them than meets the eye.

Still, I'm not being asked to do a career retrospective on them. When it comes to this album, I love it. Despite all the reservations, raised by others as well as myself about the aggressive and misogynistic nature of their output I still hold that on this album at least there was a sense of them not taking themselves too seriously. On later albums I think there was a darker edge to them.

Obvious stand out tracks are Grip, Hanging Around, Sometimes and Down in the Sewer but I think there is a cohesive sound throughout and it remains an album I will listen to time again. I give it an 8.

Incidentally when I mentioned to my wife that it was the Stanglers this week and we got talking she mentioned that she had No More Heroes when she were a lass. She claimed not to remember the more dubious tracks on that album and when I quoted the lyrics to her seemed more forgiving than I thought she would, mumbling something about those being different times. I can tell you she isn't that forgiving about Benny Hill!

PS! All the Doors comparisons are obvious. Strangely despite loving some of their tracks they are also a band I've never really listened to full albums of. Think I'll do a bit of that over the next few days while I wait for the next album up.
Click to expand...
try their first album 'The Doors' (best imo), Strange Days, LA Woman, Morrison Hotel and Live in Detroit which I think is their best Live offering.

Don't get too spooked by 'The End' :-)

Let us know what you think.

ps. avoid The Soft Parade
 
So is it punk or new wave?
Is it off its time or timeless?
Is it a barm or......?

journolud said:
She claimed not to remember the more dubious tracks on that album and when I quoted the lyrics to her seemed more forgiving than I thought she would, mumbling something about those being different times.
Click to expand...
Thats spooky as besides this weeks offering I am also listening to The Beastie Boys biography at present. I had just got to the section where they are talking about "Licence to Ill" and how that was very much "of its time" and how it was embarassing now yet still had so many women following it and liking it. But then, were the listeners taking it at face value or seeing it as a bit of fun?..... Was Benny Hill a bit of fun....at the time? There is clearly some humour in this selection aswell. the whole "London Lady"/Mersey Tunnel angle and even the clicking teeth on "Down in The Sewer", give me that.

Like many I had heard the singles, Golden Brown being my main memory and then Keith Floyd's title music, but had never owned anything by them or listened to a whole album.

Once again I have to thank this thread for making me broaden my horizons and I thoroughly enjoyed this week, pretty much as I did "Crossing The Red Sea". Once again it's a first album and pretty damn good for that first effort. Whereas you could hear that with The Adverts its not so obvious in this case, but thats perhaps down to the marvel that is the bass and the keyboards. They give this the "new wave angle" with the vocals giving us the more punk/attitude side.

The singles off this are excellent but are ably supported by "Sometimes", "Hanging Around" (which my son commented on in the car without me saying anything, "bet you like this one, this one is so you"...and he was not wrong) and then the best on the album, "Down in the Sewer". As otherss have said, I think the only duffer on there is perhaps "Ugly", but thoroughly enjoyable. There is that quality from Greenfield/Burnel & Black that gives strength to this album which makes it stand out from so much that was around at that time that I dont think had that musicianship...and so its a 8 from the Derry jury
 
Hugely disappointed in this unfortunately. It was cool listening to this back in the day on my mates wonky turntable - or maybe it was an already warped copy! For a 14 year olds tender ears it was good fun and gave you membership to the school ‘punk’ chit chat. As punk developed however I seemed to maintain my rock roots and never really got the spiky hair and safety pin stuff.
Fast forward and I think the main reason I struggle to listen to this now is the ever present keyboard. I’ve seen references to Lord and Wakeman who I love listening to and still do on a regular basis. Stranglers keyboard sound for me is all a bit fairground organ which is really irritating.
I don’t mind the vocals - some real Zappa influences at times. Stand out is the bass which really kept me engaged longer than it would have otherwise.
Fave track is Princess of the Streets - some decent guitar and Zappa vocals.
Good memories from back in the day - 6/10 for me
 
daveoswald said:
An absolute masterpiece from one Britain's most under the radar, unfashionable bands, very marmite, for me they would be up in the British pantheon hall of of fame alongside the Beatles, stones, pink Floyd. Led Zep, Queen, the Pistols and the clash, their next four albums weren't to shabby either. the lyrics, melodies, Jean Jacques bass and the magnificent key boards of Dave Greenfield, the whole album is sublime.
Click to expand...

Agree they are underrated/unfashinable, and that their quality is comparable to the much more hailed bands you mention.
 
GornikDaze said:
Hugely disappointed in this unfortunately. It was cool listening to this back in the day on my mates wonky turntable - or maybe it was an already warped copy! For a 14 year olds tender ears it was good fun and gave you membership to the school ‘punk’ chit chat. As punk developed however I seemed to maintain my rock roots and never really got the spiky hair and safety pin stuff.
Fast forward and I think the main reason I struggle to listen to this now is the ever present keyboard. I’ve seen references to Lord and Wakeman who I love listening to and still do on a regular basis. Stranglers keyboard sound for me is all a bit fairground organ which is really irritating.
I don’t mind the vocals - some real Zappa influences at times. Stand out is the bass which really kept me engaged longer than it would have otherwise.
Fave track is Princess of the Streets - some decent guitar and Zappa vocals.
Good memories from back in the day - 6/10 for me
Click to expand...

If hugely disappointed is a 6, I'd hate to see what a 3 is.
 
Coatigan said:
If hugely disappointed is a 6, I'd hate to see what a 3 is.
Click to expand...

AGDCFF

Oh hang on, no that was a 1 which if 6 is hugely disappointed I suppose I should just be glad I'm still at large in the community instead of being held pending a show trial for war crimes.

;-)
 
RATTUS NORVEGICUS



Excellent debut BMR welcome to the club.

I was a fan of The Stranglers back in the day and bought the first three albums on release.They along with The Clash and The Jam were my favourite bands of that era, I saw a lot of punk/new wave bands around that time, loved the energy in the music played live although a lot couldn’t really play well.But this was the time anyone could form a band and get a record deal ala Slaughter and The Dogs!
The big difference the above bands were all good musicians and songwriters.As has been mentioned by the OP The Stranglers like Joe Strummer came out of The Pub Rock scene hence they were older and more experienced musicians than their counterparts ,but used Punk Rock to gain fame and fortune.I get the comparisons to The Doors due to their music being keyboard led but I don’t believe they were influenced by them ,nor sound much like them.To me The Doors songs are timeless whereas this album is very much of its time.

Anways it was fun to listen to again, it sounds a bit dated now but there are some great tracks on it,namely the singles and ‘Down in The Sewer’.The lyrics were always tongue in cheek but the music was vibrant and well played, I didn’t particularly like the JJB vocal tracks as much as the others with the exception of ‘Ugly’ where his voice suits the song perfectly.

Thanks for the nostalgia BMR.

A solid 8/10
 
Mancitydoogle said:
RATTUS NORVEGICUS



Excellent debut BMR welcome to the club.

I was a fan of The Stranglers back in the day and bought the first three albums on release.They along with The Clash and The Jam were my favourite bands of that era, I saw a lot of punk/new wave bands around that time, loved the energy in the music played live although a lot couldn’t really play well.But this was the time anyone could form a band and get a record deal ala Slaughter and The Dogs!
The big difference the above bands were all good musicians and songwriters.As has been mentioned by the OP The Stranglers like Joe Strummer came out of The Pub Rock scene hence they were older and more experienced musicians than their counterparts ,but used Punk Rock to gain fame and fortune.I get the comparisons to The Doors due to their music being keyboard led but I don’t believe they were influenced by them ,nor sound much like them.To me The Doors songs are timeless whereas this album is very much of its time.

Anways it was fun to listen to again, it sounds a bit dated now but there are some great tracks on it,namely the singles and ‘Down in The Sewer’.The lyrics were always tongue in cheek but the music was vibrant and well played, I didn’t particularly like the JJB vocal tracks as much as the others with the exception of ‘Ugly’ where his voice suits the song perfectly.

Thanks for the nostalgia BMR.

A solid 8/10
Click to expand...
Thanks pal. Seems like Rattus has been well received on the whole so I'm pleased I chose a good album to debate. I have a few more albums I'd like to nominate and most of them are less well known but really good albums IMO.

But will they be be really good albums in your opinion?

Time will tell...
 
I’m too young by a couple of years to have been properly into them when this came out and I suspect that colours my view a bit. As I’ve already said I kind of simultaneously like/dislike this album, and them to a degree. So a weird relationship with The Stranglers that is quite contrary but then I think this album is full of contradictions too.

Proper musicians seemingly hitching a ride on a style and place in time that wasn’t really them. Except listening to the lyrics, they fit the times pretty well. So, did they mean them or were they a pastiche to fit in with what was selling at the time? They sound like they mean them but who knows?

Lots of tracks make a strong initial impact, due in no small part to the excellent brutalist approach of JJ Burnel but then tonally I actually think it becomes a bit monotonous. Burnel’s bass and Greenfield’s keyboards are so distinctive that ultimately for me it almost ends working against them. Creating an interesting sound but then flogging the living daylights out of it

Even down to individual songs I’m conflicted. Everyone seems to love Down in The Sewer but I swing between thinking it’s a really brave and atypical track to put on a record of the time, to thinking it’s overlong self-indulgent twaddle. As I type and listen, I feel the former but there’s been times this last week I’ve felt the latter.

I’m fairly familiar with their back catalogue up to and including Aural Sculpture, though I noticed we have a copy of Dreamtime knocking around which I assume is Mrs Spires. So I've enjoyed flicking around their albums this week. Seems to be a fair few that think they started tanking after the first three albums, but in some ways, I think the later ones are probably more indicative of who they were as musicians. Either way I’d say their back catalogue contains a real varied mix of the good, the strange and then stuff that doesn’t come off. Though they are proper musicians, to me they are only occasionally great song writers.

Back to this album, they seemed to want the energy and nasty vibe in this to fit with the times but couldn't help chucking in all the other stuff they’d already mastered by that point. So, you end up with what for me is a slightly dissonant mix of fairly sophisticated music, with lots of stylistic influences, with some utterly twat-faced lyrics.

Interestingly on my final play the next two autoplay songs after were Both Ends Burning and then Ever Fallen In Love. And between the two they sort of sum up my issue with The Stranglers, which I think is one of identity. Probably the equal of Roxy musically but without maybe the discipline to not try and show-off or cram everything in there (Roxy could get more than a bit baroque but it always seemed to hang together). Then The Buzzcocks, a simpler song but with a bag load of sincerity and clear intent whereas to me, early doors The Stranglers often didn't seem to know what they were saying or if they did it seemed a bit unpleasant.

I have sympathy with people who say they are hugely underrated and an unfairly forgotten part of that scene compared to inferior bands. But to some degree I think it's of their own doing in making music where their identity was hard to pin down and not always in a good way.

For all the flaws it's worth a 7 but then again to me it also sounds pretty dated I think, probably in part because of the lyrics, so it's getting a point docked for that. It’s been interesting to compare this to the recent Jam pick; JJ might think he's a much better bassist than Foxton, but I'd happily listen to Foxton for hours whilst Burnel I’m happy with in small doses. I like both these recent nominations, but All Mod Cons has stood the test of time much better for me.

So 6/10 from me, though if you asked me a bit later it would probably be back up to 7.
 
I actually prefer the lesser known albums as I use this thread and the playlist thread to try and discover artists and albums I’d not heard before.I’ve come across a few gems Frightened Rabbit and JJ Cale to name but two.
Don’t worry if not everyone likes your nomination, if you think it’s good and it’s personal to you that’s all that matters.
We’ve all got our own tastes and we align with some posters more than others.
Nobody’s trying to win the best album award with the possible exception of @BlueHammer85 lol.
The scores are a bit of fun.
 
Mancitydoogle said:
I actually prefer the lesser known albums as I use this thread and the playlist thread to try and discover artists and albums I’d not heard before.I’ve come across a few gems Frightened Rabbit and JJ Cale to name but two.
Don’t worry if not everyone likes your nomination, if you think it’s good and it’s personal to you that’s all that matters.
We’ve all got our own tastes and we align with some posters more than others.
Nobody’s trying to win the best album award with the possible exception of @BlueHammer85 lol.
The scores are a bit of fun.
Click to expand...

I can’t help having the best music taste.

Worth noting I have 4 nominations in the relegation battle.
 
@threespires , true to 'it was supposed to be so easy', listen to Soft Play's Bin Juice Disaster. An Homage of sorts.

Sorry, not relevant to this album, but relevant to the thread, plus didn't know where else to put.
 
Coatigan said:
@threespires , true to 'it was supposed to be so easy', listen to Soft Play's Bin Juice Disaster. An Homage of sorts.

Sorry, not relevant to this album, but relevant to the thread, plus didn't know where else to put.
Click to expand...

I am mostly ready for that Jelly. Couple of tracks arguably a little bit too Heavy for my palette but overall really good.The outrage of Idles meets the mundanity of AGDCFF and properly heartfelt having been through the wringer.

No idea what's #1 at the moment but it should be Everything and Nothing.
 
threespires said:
I am mostly ready for that Jelly. Couple of tracks arguably a little bit too Heavy for my palette but overall really good.The outrage of Idles meets the mundanity of AGDCFF and properly heartfelt having been through the wringer.

No idea what's #1 at the moment but it should be Everything and Nothing.
Click to expand...

I just loved the lyrics of Bin Juice, reminded me of Easy. The song Punk's Dead is all made up of online comments on boards, which is a good concept. Wonder what kind ol lyrics this thread would generate
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top