Back in Britain, my mention of being a Stranglers fan was, more often than not, met with either derision (mostly) or acclaim and little further explanation was warranted. On the other side of the Atlantic, the normal reply seemed to be, "Who?", followed by, "What type of music do they play?" and then, "Lend/play/direct me to a representative album". Those last two questions proved to be particularly sticky; one of the band's great strengths has been to experiment and change musical direction and they can't really be "pigeon-holed" or said to have one truly representative album. Aware of the reduced exposure of the band's music in North America, this personal view of their studio albums is intended to offer some insight for those who are either new to the band or have only partially experienced the complete catalogue. The recording label and catalogue number given after each title are those for the current UK releases on CD, unless otherwise specified: the date given is the original release date.
"Rattus Norvegicus" (1977, EMI, CDP 7 46362 2) and "No More Heroes" (1977, EMI, CDP 7 46613 2) represent studio versions of the material that constituted the band's live set prior to obtaining a recording contract. They were recorded incredibly quickly by today's standards (six days in the case of "Rattus") and hence possess much of the raw energy of a live performance. Originally labelled as "Punk", this material stood out at the time as being far more musical, whilst retaining the angst of the time. Rattus has a slightly lighter feel, but both albums feature Dave's un-punk swirling key-board work, Hugh's somewhat abrupt guitar style, JJ's well defined bass lines and Jet's solid drumming, for which they became quickly known.
"Black And White" (1978, EMI, CDP 7 9056 2) signalled the start of the "the Stranglers just don't sound like the Stranglers anymore" comments. Although containing the same basic stylistic components as the first two albums, this one sounds more polished and thought-out. Originally released with a "black" side and a "white" side (as opposed to sides 1 and 2) to reflect the nature of the tracks on each side, a strong undercurrent of war or conflict runs through most of this work; however, musical styles vary widely, from the melodic waltz-like "Outside Tokyo" to the intensity of "Curfew".
If the material on Black and White hinted at the band's ability to experiment musically, then "The Raven" (1979, EMI, CDP 7 46615 2) was proof indeed. With its title inspired by the raven as used by the Vikings as a figure-head on their longships, this album has a unique atmosphere which, for me, sets it aside from any other material of the time. Here, the swirling keyboards are less evident, while keyboard effects have become more complex. In addition, the drum lines and bass riffs have become more prominent. Various topics are covered, such as genetic engineering, uranium mining in Australia and the Shah's departure from Iran. The oddest track has to be "Meninblack", with its high-pitched vocals and menacing backing; this, however, was to be the track which spawned an album and an obsession with the colour black:
Anyone who has seen the Stranglers live since 1981 will be familiar with "Waltzinblack", the playing of which has become a sort of tradition prior to the band's arrival on stage. This meloncholy piece, underscored by the high-pitched giggling of Meninblack, opens, and sets the tone for, "The Gospel According to The Meninblack" (1981, EMI, CDM 7 90876 2). This work can probably be considered to be a concept album, attempting to show the Bible from the perspective of man encountering alien visitors in the form of the Meninblack. Recorded at a number of studios across Britain, to take advantage of the equipment available at each one, the use of special effects is much in evidence and often take centre-stage.
After the "Gospel's" lack of critical success, the band found themselves under a tight rein from EMI. The result was "La Folie" (1981, EMI, CDP 7 46614 2) an album ostensibly about love, only in the Stranglers' inimitable fashion. More commercially accessible, this album contains a number of very catchy songs ("Non stop", "Pin up") while making the usual social comments ("Everybody Loves You When You're Dead", "Let Me Introduce You to the Family"). this album also includes "Golden Brown", a very laid-back atmospheric track, complete with Dave on harpsichord. Much to a disgruntled EMI's surprise, this was a huge success when released as a single, serving to renew interest in the band and reverse their flagging fortunes.
Following the band's move to Epic, the first album to be released was "Feline" (1982, Epic, CDEPC 25237). With a (Continental) European feel, this album is punctuated by Hugh's use of acoustic guitar, albeit with a hard edge. With the success of "Golden Brown" and the arrival of this album, many critics accused the band of "becoming soft"; going through another phase of their evolution, maybe, but hardly going soft, with JJ's bass riffs driving along most of the tracks.
As if the surprise of acoustic guitar wasn't enough, more "shocks" were in store on "Aural Sculpture" (1984, Epic, EPC 450488 2). Anyone who hadn't read the sleeve notes prior to playing this album were no doubt caught off-guard by the appearance of a three-piece horn-section (trumpet, trombone and saxophone). Disliked by some fans, this addition nicely rounded off three tracks and changed the look (and sound) of live performances, inspiring changes to a number of familiar songs.
The title track of "Dreamtime" (1986, Epic, EPC 463366 2), was inspired by the beliefs of the aboriginal peoples of Australia. This album appears to be a natural evolution from "Aural Sculpture"; it contains a mixture of upbeat and thoughtful tracks and includes the addition of pedal steel guitar to compliment the horns. Highlights include "Always the Sun", which has become a classic live track and "Shaking like a Leaf", with its "Swing"-like feel.
The tenth studio album was, appropriately enough, christened "10" (1990, Epic, 466483 2) and was to be the last with Hugh. There is a definite "big-band" sound to this album, most likely due to the production work of Roy Thomas Baker and the continued use of a horn section. A very up-beat album, one of the highlights is a re-working of the old ? and the Mysterions hit "96 Tears". The live set at this time included the addition of John Ellis on guitar.
"Stranglers In The Night" (1992, Psycho, WOLCD 1030 [UK], VIC8007-2 [USA]) opened the recording career of the Stranglers MK II, with Paul Roberts on vocals and John Ellis on guitar. It was also the first release on the band's own record label, "Psycho". Here, the band have returned to a purer, less "produced" sound; the horns have departed and the songs have a less-constrained, harder edge. Styles vary from ballads such as "Southern Mountains" and "Grand Canyon" to the fast-paced "Sugar Bullets" and "Brain Box". The North American version of this album (with a white, rather than black, cover) contains three extra tracks ("Coffee Shop", "Vicious Circles" and "So Uncool"), which were originally B-sides in Britain.
"About Time" (1995, When!, WEN CD 001) is an interesting album in several respects. It reacquaints Alan Winstanley (who was the engineer on "Rattus Norvegicus", "No More Heroes" and "Black and White" and producer on "The Raven") with the band. A string-section is used on several tracks; Nigel Kennedy plays electric violin on "Face". Jet's song-writing talents are aired on "Lies and Deception". My personal highlights are the up-tempo "Golden Boy", "Sinister" (which definitely sounds the part) and "Still Life", with its string quartet introduction.
"Written In Red" (1997, When! WEN CD 009) presents a more "produced" sound than "About Time" or "In the Night", with the band utilizing a wide pallette of sounds and effects. The combination makes for some very atmospheric moments. Tracks range from the bouncy and melodic "In Heaven She Walks", to the dreamy "Blue Sky" and the intriguingly different remake of "Summer in the City".
The tracks on "Coup De Grace" (1998, Eagle, EAGCD042) represent a greater writing input from JJ Burnel than on more recent outings; indeed, he sings four of the 10 tracks. Heavily influenced by the band's troup-entertaining trips to such places as the Falklands and Bosnia, and (in JJ's words) "life in general", the tracks cover such topics as the ravages of war (and religious conflicts) and (failed) relationships. Stylistically, the tracks vary from the energetic walls of sound presented by (the near-techno) "God is Good" and (the retro-sounding) "Coup de Grace" to the minimally-accompanied ballad "In the End".
"Norfolk Coast" (2004, EMI, 07243 5 96951 2 9) represents what happens when you take a band with as long a history as the Stranglers, add a new guitarist and let them work on the album for five plus years. There's not a single poor track on this release; a CD that sees the carefully-crafted re-emergence of some of their signature sounds, such as Dave's swirling keyboards, in a contemporary setting. The hard-edged title track sets the direction for much of the album, while there are more contemplative moments, such as the atmospheric "Tuckers Grave", dedicated to Edwin Tucker, who committed suicide in 1747 (and was written in the room in which he died). In a completely different direction, "Santfe Kuss" has a light, skiffle-like, approach.
"Suite XVI" (2006, EMI, 0946 371 386 2 5) saw the return of the Stranglers to a four-piece format, following the departure of Paul Roberts. JJ and Baz share the vocals on this album, which continues, but also builds on, the shift to a more recognisable sound seen in the previous album. Tracks range from the in-your-face aggression and Raven-era quirkiness of "Summat Outanowt", through the catchy "She's Slipping Away" to the machine-gun punk delivery of "A Soldier's Diary" and back to the melodic ballad of "Bless You (Save You, Spare You, Damn You)". There's a foray into country and western with the biting "I Hate You" and the album finishes off with "Relentless" -- a sonically relentless exploration of the passing of time.
Author's Note: The album "IV" (1980, IRS, SP70011) is a bit of an oddity, as it was released in the US and Canada only (as far as I am aware). The A-side contains "The Raven", "Baroque Bordello", "Duchess", "Nuclear Device" and "Meninblack" from the album "The Raven". The B-side contains the singles "5 Minutes", "Rok it to the Moon", "G.m.b.H." (otherwise known as "Bear Cage") and "Who Wants the World?". The addition of "Vietnamerica", which would not be released elsewhere until it appeared on the B-side of "Let Me Introduce You to the Family", made this album particularly sought-after in Europe.
FUENTE:
http://www.stranglers.net/albums.html
martes, 23 de junio de 2009
miércoles, 3 de junio de 2009
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