Raven (+4 Bonus Tracks) [Extra tracks, Original recording remastered]

Stranglers | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 21, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Original recording remastered
• Label: Caroline
• ASIN: B00005MAGD
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #130,414 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

UK repackaged reissue of 1979 album, includes new artwork with extensive sleeve notes and previously unseen photos. 15 tracks including four bonus tracks, 'Bear Cage', 'Fools Rush Out', 'N'Emmenes Pas Harry' & 'Yellowcake UFO'. This was perhaps the band's most commercial album to date and features many tracks that remain firm fan favorites including 'Duchess', 'Nuclear Device', 'Baroque Bordello' and the title track. In the U.S., this album was released as Stranglers IV with a few tracks removed and some non-album tracks added. EMI.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An absolute masterpiece, March 11, 2002

By 

"skak1" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Raven (+4 Bonus Tracks) (Audio CD)

Stranglers' fans usually view one of three albums as the group's best- Rattus, Black and White or the Raven. Each have their merits. Rattus was the group's aggressive debut, which sounds a bit dated today. Black and White was the most coherent Stranglers' offering- they had developed a very distinctive Doors-inspired punk sound by then. The Raven marked the beginning of a new musical direction. It is very diverse ranging from a soft ballad to powerful anthems. The Stranglers were always a cut above in terms of the subject matter of their songs- no time wasted on silly love songs. Cannibalism, extra-terrestrials, nuclear testing, Japanese forms of suicide, Vikings, Iranian politics and Genetic Engineering all feature here. Ironically so too does a song denouncing heroin (guitarist Hugh Cornwell was arrested for possession of the drug shortly afterwards). The group's musicianship never reached a higher level than here. With the bass, guitar and keyboards all vying to be lead instrument it is amazing how well they end up complementing each other. This is an absolute must for anyone interested in the group.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Times, September 22, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Raven (+4 Bonus Tracks) (Audio CD)

The Stranglers always had something of a mixed reputation, both intellectual and menacing, with the latter perhaps being more appealing to their fan base, this album was the first to showcase their intellectual side. Of course in popular music intellectual refers to occasionally reading a newspaper, but in 1979 there were lots of interesting things in the papers and few other punk bands had an ex-scientist as lead singer. Musically they lowered the bass in the mix to less than speaker destroying volume and Hugh lets loose his guilty secret, he may be able to really sing. At the very least evocative of an era, there were more important things happening in 1979 than your (my) tawdry memories of teenage trysts, the album holds up well. Buy it for your children.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best albums ever., July 26, 2006

By 

Elaine Ellerton (austin, tx) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Raven (+4 Bonus Tracks) (Audio CD)

If you like the Stranglers, then you probably already own it (if not, shame on you) and it is even probably your favourite Stranglers album. It has the heaviness and kick of previous albums (gotta love their basslines), but is much more polished as they have gotten a lot more synthesizer savy on this one. This is by far my favourite Stranglers album, although everything pre-Aural Sculpture is fantastic as well.