No More Heroes [Remastered] - Stranglers (The) > Reviews > Got anything to say?no?well shut up

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Good
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	Solid album with some great tracks,bonus tracks
Disadvantages:	Controversial nature of some tracks may put some off

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

The sophomore slump affects many a band, as they dwell over how to follow up their debut record. In 1977, The Stranglers found a way around this, by making an album out of the songs left over from the sessions of their excellent debut Rattus Norvegicus, and recording some new material to pad it out. It should be noted that this sequel, No More Heroes would be released only a matter of months after Rattus Norvegicus, not giving fans a chance to really grasp breath to criticise.

Not much had changed with the band between the release of this record and the one prior, mainly due to the lack of time for a change. The debut had done respectably in the charts, so EMI wanted them to have a second record on the shelves ASAP before what they saw as the passing fad of punk had gone.

This album divides a lot of the group's fans, with some feeling it's the group's best album, and others taking a slightly more subdued stance towards it. I've never actually read a serious critical ripping of it, but that doesn't necessarily mean much, I've heard a good few albums that recieve nothing but praise, yet fail to do anything for my ears.

Strangely, despite the fact it is one of the better known albums by the band, I found it quite tough to track down, but when I did it was actually the cheapest Stranglers album I own, and I own all ten of the band, that is the proper Stranglers, studio albums.

The Stranglers were a four piece based in London at this point, consisting of Singer/Guitarist Hugh Cornwell,Bass player/Singer Jean Jacques(JJ) Burnel,Keyboard/Synth player come singer Dave Greenfield and drummer Jet Black. The group's main claim to fame in the punk scene would probably be seen as being the fact they were chosen to open for the Ramones during their first UK tour, but the Stranglers played a far more important part in the scene than many people would have you believe, and were one of the few bands to come out of punk and still have a career.

First it should be noted that No More Heroes is a lot less dark and menacing than Rattus Norvegicus,at least for the most part. With that said, it was here that the group actually went for outright controversy, and seen exactly how many buttons they could push before offending the PC Police.

I suppose one way to get attention and cause a fuss would be to call the first song on your album I Feel Like A Wog. The track begins with Dave's keyboards on their own, before the rest of the instruments come in together, and Hugh begins his angry rant at being made to feel like dirt and alienated. Contrary to what the title may suggest, the song isn't actually any sort of racist anthem, and Cornwell even says it's an anti-racist statement of sorts, and that the band were simply highlighting the fact that it wasn't just black people who were treated like dirt. While this is quite understandable, I could also see why people would take offence, especially given that the group were basically using the term 'Wog' to gain attention for the song. Although I suppose it does make sense in a way, he was talking about being treated by people in the way that people who would use the term 'Wog' would treat black people. This could be debated all day, but beneath the lyrics is a wonderful tune that can't be denied it's place in the Stranglers CV for catchiness and cool punk feel.

This was the band just getting started for this album, track five is where things really come to a head, with the delightfully evil Bring On The Nubiles, with chanted title line, and lewd lyrics. Cornwell admits himself that it is a pretty immature song, written just to see how far the group could push the envelope, and is possibly the first song to use the word 'F**k' in the chorus (lemme lemme/fuk ya fuk ya being the context), and is actually backed up once again by a funky tune that won't leave your head.

These are the only two songs which seem to blatantly court controversy, which leaves the songs on the album that basically leave their quality to speak for themselves. The band's two major punk anthems, Something Better Change and No More Heroes both appear on this album, the former begining with a nice guitar piece, before the keyboards creep in, then an explosion of guitar,bass and drum as JJ roars the lyrics, this would prove to be a moderate hit for the band when released as a single, and would go on to become one of the group's most loved tracks, as would the album title piece, No More Heroes, with it's wonderful sweeping keyboard riff and solo, not to mention JJ's trademark powerful bassline. It's a Hugh sung track that really does make for wonderful listening, as he lets rip on the subject of heroes, and how they are dying out. The song was inspired by the fact that Elvis and Groucho Marx died in the one week, and Hugh found it really strange that two people like that could actually die, two people so integral to people's lives and loves. The band went through a brief phrase of refusing to sign autographs, informing fans to be their own heroes, a stance that didn't last long apparently, before presumeably the group realised that people require heroes of some sort. When all the talking about the lyrics are done, it's still a brilliant track, with the refrain of "no more heroes anymore" being one of the most memorable parts to any Stranglers track.

Also on the album are the older track Peasant In The Big Sh!tty, which the group concedes would probably have fit better onto Rattus Norvegicus, given it's dark and brooding nature, but that can't take away from the amazingly creepy and effective voice of Dave, nor can the importance of his keyboard work here, with it's rather bizarre lyrics, penned by Burnel, which basically relate to acid trips. I don't know why, possibly just because of the wonderful way in which Greenfield delivers the title line, but I really do enjoy this song, as, to a lesser extent, I enjoy Dave's other bash at singing on this record,Dead Ringer, based around a nice bassline, with lyrics relating to people who drastically changed their image to fit in with the punk trend.His voice is just as creepy and well delivered here, it's just that the song just doesn't have the same unique quality to back it up that Peasant does.

I can't go through the review and not highlight Dagenham Dave, a song about the first ever Stranglers superfan, who killed himself by leaping into the river Thames. With such a depressing subject, you may be surprised to here that a rather upbeat tune, revolving around the keyboards, is what backs up JJ's vocals,in this song, which is really fun and catchy, if a little morbid when you think of it.
Also of note is B!tching, a song in which the band lampoons various venues in which they played and had bad experiences, its basically a decent tune to complement Burnel's aggressive and ranted vocals, from which my review title is taken. It's not one of the band's greatest musical triumphs, but fun, if just for the vocal delivery.

The final track on the original versions of the album is the rather hypnotic School Mam, penned about Cornwell's time working as a teacher for a battle-axe of a female head. The song is basically a shot at her, and the establishment, and is memorable for the minimal music, but minimal in a menacing light. Once again, not a musical triumph, but an interesting listen, if just to hear the wonderful venom flowing out of Cornwell's lips.

The other two songs, Burning Up Time and English Towns both have their merits as fun tracks, but lack the bit the other tracks have, and if I was going to skip some, these would be first candidates.

Now, if I were reviewing the original release of the album, this is where it would end. I would probably give it 4 out of 5. A solid and entertaining album that would just fall short of the debut due to the lack of really killer songs in comparison.

But, I own the 2001 CD release, which features two non-album singles and a B-Side. Straighten Out was originally the B-Side to Something Better Change, and lyrically it's also a punk song, about the nation getting to a desperate state, but it's the really addictive nature of the way the song is sung, and the hook of the guitar itself. This is a true classic track, and one of my favourites from the band's repetoire.
Next in the bonus tracks is Five Minutes, which, if you read my review of Rattus Norvegicus, you will know was one of my first introductions to the band. It's quite famous due to the video, which had a counter in the corner to show that the song lasted the exact time of the title. Gimmicks aside, this is a beatiful aggressive rock and roll masterpiece, from the minute Jet's drums kick in laying down a pounding beat, for Dave's synth to ease in, then Hugh's guitar, before JJ delivers a trademark thumping bass and shouted lyrics, which are really rather unimportant in comparison to the music, but they do concern a real life incident where JJ came home to find his flat burgled and a girl he knew raped, the title coming from the fact that the area, a nice part of town, was only 5 minutes from a really tough area, but the music alone is strong enough to make this a favourite of mine, and almost single handedly ensure this goes from 4 to 5 stars in my review.

Also thrown on is that track's B-Side, Rok It To the Moon,which is a fun little rock number, but a bit of an anti-climax after the last two tracks.

On the whole, while the actual album tracks of No More Heroes are good, but fall just short of greatness, the fact that EMI were kind enough to slap on the two singles, which are two of the band's best songs in my eyes, to the release really does do enough to boost it to full marks in my eyes. These make it just as worthy as Rattus, and another classic record from 1977. It's quite scary to think that both albums were recorded in one year, the debut in just six days, this in 12, and the quality of the pair of them are excellent, with a lot of great songs between them.

The sheer energy, coupled with the slightly mischievous nature of the group makes for a unique and wonderful sound that really does stand out from the flock of punk bands, and makes No More Heroes, especially in this latest release, just as essential a punk classic record as any you can name.
The band's deliberately controversial nature may put some off, but the fact that they do back it up with some wonderful music makes up for it in my eyes, and as Cornwell is quick to point out, Bring On The Nubiles isn't actually all that daring in it's subject matter, it just doesn't veil things and delivers them in a totally straightforward manner.

If you are a fan of the UK punk scene, or UK rock in general, I would recommend this record to you, providing the nature of some of the songs doesn't put you off. It's probably more accessable than Rattus to new fans, due to the fact it has more straightforward rockers, but blends them in with the band's unique-sounding tracks to help indoctricate people to the Stranglers way.

As a copper once said to Hugh Cornwell when he was arrested for drugs charges:

"I've got No More Heroes you know,bloody good album, not quite as good as Rattus Though"

Track Listing

1.I Feel Like A Wog
2.B!tching
3.Dead Ringer
4.Dagenham Dave
5.Bring On The Nubiles
6.Something Better Change
7.No More Heroes
8.Peasant In The Big Sh!tty
9.Burning Up Time
10.English Towns
11.School Mam

Bonus Tracks
12.Straighten Out
13.Five Minutes
14.Rok It To The Moon