The Album Review Club - Week #146 - (page 1935) - Ocean Rain - Echo and the Bunnymen

Protein Junkie said:
Interesting that you like bands not constrained by genres.
Good debate but I’m not sure bands consciously get constrained by this unless they are manufactured.
Enjoying what you produce, lack of ability, doing what the fans want etc.
Love your train of thought so welcome more context or examples 3S.
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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.
 
threespires said:
Who knows? I was merely pointing out @Coatigan 's pedantry ! Even if it is Idles give it time and it'll reveal it's glories after a few listens :-)
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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.
 
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.
 
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