Customer Reviews

Raven (+4 Bonus Tracks)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

This album is the Stranglers finest hour. Following the fascinating 'Black & White' which highlighted two distinct and developing sides to the Stranglers music - the lighter, faster,melody flooded White side with the darker, slower, spikier more challenging Black, this LP kind of mixed the both into a wonderful collection of intelligent songs that still entrance, intrigue and envelop you 22 years later. Gone are the naive, 'notice me' brutal lyrics of the early songs, seceded by an international theme born of tours beyond bristol, bolton and birmingham. Here each of the four players dance with and around each other in musical games - each offering different parts that somehow complement to add to a gorgeous whole on tracks like Genetix, Baroque Bordello and Ice. Many of the songs feature very strong, very intelligent opening instrumental passages that never over stay their welcome but transform into a seemingly separate song in an instant - 'shah shah a go-go' is a perfect example. The drum patterns are very inventive too and add to the layered, textured feel of a lot of the tracks. And then there is " the Raven' - the title track and 5 minutes and 12 seconds of perfection. The sectional approach to the song, the bleak romanticism of the lyrics, the interplay of keyboard and guitar, the driving bass and the final ethereal, swirling last minute of synthesizer magic evoking the flight of 'the Raven' is just breathtaking at loud volume. This is The Stranglers' masterpiece.

This is a Raven that takes off and flies into outer space. Who would have thought that a band that was centered in the punk movement would come up with THIS? The title cut alone is a bloody masterpiece! It's a synth-heavy album that blends elements of prog music like King Crimson, melodic pop-rock like late 70s-era Blue Oyster Cult, the beat-shifting antics of Television, road music like the Doors, Devo-esque robotic beats, nerdy observations like we heard from early Talking Heads, the impossible pop of XTC, the post-apocalyptic crush of Joy Division, the Stranglers' own bleary devil-may-care wanderings on the beach in search of the perfect pair, and even a touch of Kraftwerk's computer-driven fun, but without much pleasure except in the irony of it all. Somehow it all works, as organs and Baroque harpischords swirl, the bass grooves along and the beat chugs...wrapped up in a dystopian, very gothic vision that is quirky and oddly hook-laden! Takes a few listenings to get hooked but is ultimately very satisfying as a concept album, laden with memorable songs. If nothing else, give the first three tracks thorough repeat listenings as if they were one song and you will be drawn in. This isn't dance music nor catchy pop nor punk...but it's something that the guys can be forever proud of producing.

Take viking raids, extraterrestrials, genetic experiments, homemade nuclear weapons, and what do you get? The best concept album of all time! The Stranglers were mean-spirited misanthropes, but they knew how to have fun. There have been plenty of "haters," but the Stranglers always hated just a little bit more. Plus, their musical chops could silence just about all the naysayers. "Dead Loss Angeles" is one of the greatest songs ever!

Punk rock was always more of an attitude or an approach rather than a musical style. The Stranglers had both attitude and a unique approach. One of the best live bands of the late 70s.

THE ULTIMATE punk CATHARSIS, OUT SMART THE AART PRETENTIOUS SNOTY BRATS, WASH OUT,SURD STYLED VENTURES SPIRALS of HEAVEN FORBIID POWER POP,BEFORE IT GOT SOFT, RADICAL EXAMINATIONS INTO exe Verificationn of LUNACY, SET OF, OFF THE SHORES OF VAGRANCY,blow your snoty noises out WITH the lame in with the brain thinkin mans RATTLLES, the foundation OF before with AFTER CLEAAR, new shores toooo EXPLORE sabbertoothed SNATCHES OF THE BEST EVER SYNTHESISERS,trumphet YES ELEPHANT WAIL ala eric BRANNS guitar EFFECTS DONE percoscious,punk smart ALEXS OUT SMARTS, ALL ELSE.

THE ULTIMATE punk CATHARSIS, OUT SMART THE AART PRETENTIOUS SNOTY BRATS, WASH OUT,SURD STYLED VENTURES SPIRALS of HEAVEN FORBIID POWER POP,BEFORE IT GOT SOFT, RADICAL EXAMINATIONS INTO exe Verificationn of LUNACY, SET OF, OFF THE SHORES OF VAGRANCY,blow your snoty noises out WITH the lame in with the brain thinkin mans RATTLLES, the foundation OF before with AFTER CLEAAR, new shores toooo EXPLORE sabbertoothed SNATCHES OF THE BEST EVER SYNTHESISERS,trumphet YES ELEPHANT WAIL ala eric BRANNS guitar EFFECTS DONE percoscious,