All Live And All Of The Night [Remastered] - Stranglers (The)

Advantages: one of the most eagerly awaited abums of 77
Disadvantages: not as good as black and white.

...Rattus Norvegicus was The Stranglers debut album. It was one of the most eagerly awaited albums of 1977 and got to a very respectable number 4 in the UK album charts. The album spawned two singles, Get a Grip (44) and Peaches (8). The album has a very good collection of songs, Goodbye Toulouse (one of my personal favourites) Hanging Around, the album versions crap but the live one is loads better, Grip, an organ soaked fast paced classic, and London Lady, one of the more famous sexist numbers. This was overall the Stranglers better albums and has also been classed as one of the best new wave albums ever. The stranglers were always noted for their defintive swirlin keyboards and organs and driving bass, and some people just dismissed them as just another punk band, but there was something about these diverse men that made them stand out... Read review

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Advantages: Swirling keyboards, growling bass and menacing vocals.
Disadvantages: Too much like the Doors?

...The most successful of all the early groups to release an L.P., this was a clever blend of pseudo-Doors instrumentals and Punk attitude. Brimming with machismo and anti-women emotions, the lyrics are sometimes suspect but you can't deny the musical power and attraction of tracks like "Sometimes" (wife-beating), "London Lady" (slagging off woman journalist) or "Peaches" (errrm....!) The follow-up ("No More Heroes") saw them honing their Punk credentials to suit their audience, but this release stands alone as a document of early New Wave. Forget the new incarnation, THIS is the real Stranglers.... Read review

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Advantages: The stranglers come alive again!
Disadvantages: No hugh!!

...The Stranglers have signed again with the record label: EMI and released a single Big Thing Coming To remind you of, The Stranglers, they were one of the biggest bands of the 1970s, lining up against punk legends like The Clash, The Buzzcocks and The Sex Pistols. But after a series of fallouts and bust-ups, The Stranglers all but disappeared from view as they struggled to regain the early glory of bestselling albums Rattus Norvegicus and No More Heroes. Now, the band return with a new line-up and fresh new sound with their first new track since 1998. Big Thing Coming is the first song to be taken from the band's forthcoming album Norfolk Coast, which is released later this month. The single has some classic Stranglers touches, Dave Greenfield on his keyboard is back to his best. Heavy base line from JJ Burnel and Paul Roberts... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful