Black and White (+6 Bonus Tracks) [Extra tracks, Original recording remastered]

Stranglers | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 28, 2004)
• Original Release Date: 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Original recording remastered
• Label: Caroline
• ASIN: B00005MAGF
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #102,946 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Digitally remastered and repackaged with bonus tracks, fresh artwork, extensive new sleevenotes and many new, previously unseen photos.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An all time classic, March 10, 2002

By 

"skak1" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black and White (+6 Bonus Tracks) (Audio CD)

Stranglers' fans will usually see one of three albums as the group's best: Rattus Norvegicus, Black and White or the Raven. Each have their merits and each have their own claim to be the high point. On 'Black and White' the group have found their 'sound'. The album holds together extremely well as a whole. There is still the punk energy of the group's debut. There is also some of the superb musicianship of the Raven. What makes this such a classic is the way the instruments feed off each other and complement each other so well. The booming bass lines of Jean-Jacques Burnel are constantly interacting with the unusual guitar style of Hugh Cornwell and the exceptional talents of Dave Greenfield on keyboards. This is what the Doors were aspiring to be but never quite achieved. Contains two superb singles 'Nice n Sleazy' and as a bonus track 'Walk on By'. Paradoxically it was listening to this album that A flock of Seagulls came up with their name- thankfully this group is 100 times better than Mike Score's outfit ever could be. Definitely worth the money.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just plain beautifully strange, April 25, 2008

By 

BeBop Bounty Head (Altadena, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black and White (+6 Bonus Tracks) (Audio CD)

What can I say about this album that hasn't already been said? Quite a bit and so little. It is one of the most awkward albums that I've ever listened to. At times the tracks go on for hours after you thought they were over, the keyboard has more solos than the guitar and the songs are all over the place. I don't know how, but this album just plain works. The album is really hard to explain since, at least to me, there is no real reason that it works it just does. I wouldn't suggest it to anyone impatient or stuck up, but if you want something beautifully bizarre get this album. One of my all time favorites.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars dark, threatening, controversial...not punk, May 28, 2006

By 

M. Franco (Italy) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Black and White (+6 Bonus Tracks) (Audio CD)

Black & White is the masterpiece of The Stranglers, a band which showcased a very aggressive sound (especially the bass of J.J.Burnel) with Doorsian influences (the keyboards), dark themes and very politically un-correct opinions in their lyrics.

They were contemporaries of the british punk movement of the second half of the 70's, but they were never a part of that scene and were always distinguishable for their use of keyboards and independent thought. I don't think they ever pressed the anti-establishment issue that was so prevalent in the punk scene, although they never refrained from taking an independent stand on controversial topics.

Therefore, I disagree with the label "punk" so often attached to them, included the previous users' reviews on this site. If you want to use a tag, then I think "darkwave" fits best.

The music in this album blends "dark" themes with psychedelia, poppish hooks ("Tank", "Sweden - All quiet on the eastern front") and even up-tempo waltz ("Outside Tokyo"). The drums - as the costume of the time imposed - were played in a quite rigid, cold style; the bass is an ever-threatening presence and along with the keyboards give the Stranglers music its distinctive sound.

After almost 30 years this is still great album to listen to; my impression is that fans of dark metal would also appreciate it.