Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Forgettable blend of punk rock, the Doors, and the Who.
70s acid music ... What you'd expect
I like the stranglers and this album is actually pretty good. Peaches gets stuck in my head for days. Not sure if it’s tongue in cheek (no pun intended) but such a groove.
Ich liebe Golden Brown hatte aber noch nie etwas anderes von dieser Band gehört. Teilweise gefiel mir das Album sehr gut teilweise hatte ich das Gefühl es würde das gewisse etwas fehlen.
Wasn’t really my style
I truly have never heard of this band. I have also have never heard any song from this band. This was not bad. I think there is some songs that would grow on me after a 2nd or third listen. It’s a solid 3 for me.
Some. Of it was ok
Okay, but nothing special
I've always disliked the song 'Peaches' so much that I've never listened to the Stranglers, but this album is good, I really enjoyed it. However, got a bit bored of it after a while
It kinda reminds me of The Door's debut because of the use of the synth/organ along with a deep and rugged singer, but unlike the doors this is far more fun (if kinda simple) songs. Not the best thing I've heard as far as punk/new wave goes but it's pretty enjoyable
The Clash/Misfits “jangle pop” adjacent?
Just-there rock music, don't really care too much about it but it's alright, the other albums on the list are just stiff competition
Mehh, some cool riffs, but not a fan
Art Brut…Art Brut. Could not think of the band that I hear when I am listening to this album. Also a little Artic Monkeys. The Stanglers definitely had influenced those band and probably many more in Britain
Very cool punk/new wave record. I may like their later album La Folie a bit better, but this one is very well put together and has pretty good songwriting. I do wonder, why is it called IV? Wasn't this their debut? Strange. Key tracks: Sometimes London Lady (Get a) Grip (On Yourself)
Decent.
Wanted to give this a 4 but a little bit dragged Otherwise tir organ and bass kill. But a solid 3.5.
This started very promisingly, I like the baselines and the crunchy guitar tones and the organ sound. All upbeat and fun. But it seemed to drag a little by the last few songs.
A bit disappointed by this one
i just want to know why its called rattus norvegicus 3/5 🐀
A little bit rock a little bit punk. It's fine. A couple listens warms me up to it being kind of middle of the road. Driving rock with some nice organ.
Had not really heard of this group, but did recognize the song (Get a) Grip (on Yourself), and I like that one. The rest of the album was just mediocre. Not great, but far from terrible. Good use of organ and you can see elements of new wave and punk. 3/5
Not memorable
Stabilt och småcoolt
Really enjoyable and relaxing compared to the punk I'm used to hear. It was a really approachable album to pass the time with.
A bit better than I would have thought for a British Punk album.
Interesting, never heard of these guys before, but I found it pretty interesting. Certainly different! There were a few songs that caught my attention and I found particularly outstanding, like 'Princess of the Streets', and 'Peaches'. Another album that held a pretty high bar overall, but sadly didn't really have any super high highs to carry it to better rating territory. Have a feeling this could be one of those albums that I could grow to like if I listen to it more. Which is weird considering I am not a fan of punk at all. But this is also not exactly that somehow. Interesting listen either way! Strong 3.
Punky new wave with a bit of pub rock thrown in. I have to say that I was pretty disappointed that nothing sounded like 'Golden Brown' which is the only track of theirs I know (until I heard 'Peaches' which I had absolutely no idea was them and would never have guessed it in a million years). I really like the psychedelic trance-like sound of 'Golden Brown' so it was a shame that this album was an earlier one of theirs. Apparently they never really stuck to a sound so maybe I'll get another later album by The Stranglers to listen to. Anyway, back to this one. It was alright. Didn't blow my mind or anything. Pretty standard punk tinged classic rock. Accessible, fairly melodic and quite happy and upbeat but all pretty average. It's good but never ventures into 'great' territory.
Never heard of the Stranglers, but it turns out two originals on here are classic songs I know well: “Peaches” and “Get a Grip on Yourself.” I was adjacent to the hardcore punk scene as a teen in Venice in the ‘80s, so I still have a hard time calling this kind of rock- and songcraft-forward music “punk.” But I really dig this kind of sound, that provided the bridge into art-rock, new wave, and alt-rock. Having a hard time rating it. It’s a 4 in that I’d like it in my collection, but a 3 as I like it a lot but don’t anticipate listening that much at this stage in my life. 90 records in and I think I’m refining my rating system downward, making this a 3.
I didn’t like the vocals but I’ve come to expect that from new wave. It did have some nice instrumental though so 3 stars
I enjoyed this, punk, new wave, sometimes the lyrics felt a bit weak but overall a good album.
Cool de rock, rock da house bééébbbbbbééééééé
Meh
Standaard lofi rock album Wel leuk en prima maar niet levensverreikend. Zou wel regelmatig aanzetten als ik 45+ was Ben ik niet dus gwn leuk maar niet meer
Cool early punk sound. Won’t be back but liked it.
Not familiar with these guys but I liked it. Pretty melodic for punk
While this album is at times very good it lacks a feel for musicality that other Stanglers albums have I don’t go back to this album so while important I guess it’s not a favorite of mine.
There’s so many reasons that I should have loved this album, I just.. didn’t. It was just ok, I had a hard time paying attention. I hope to revisit this and appreciate it.
That's 7 of my last 10 from the 70s, come on now I was having a bit of trouble reconciling the flashy organ sound with the gritty punky sound of the rest of the instrumentation initially, I found it quite jarring. Think it still is with Sometimes, I'm not too keen on that one. I prefer when the organ is a bit more subtle and plays a more accompanying role, like on London Lady. The long jam in Down in the Sewer goes against that, it's pretty cool but it's hardly as straightforward punk as much of the album This list is so funny for reminding me of songs I haven't thought about in a long time. I instantly thought of Driver Parallel Lines when Peaches came on (very niche reference, I know). I couldn't decide then if I liked it, still can't decide nearly 20 years later Decent. Probably can't give it more than a 3 when there are quite a few songs I'm not that keen on Highlights: London Lady, Down in the Sewer, (Get A) Grip [on Yourself]
As previously noted, I'm not a big punk guy. But this is pretty decent. 3.5*, but can't bring myself to round up.
Esto está bastante bien para la epoca
Reminds me of a punkier version of 'The Sparks' in many ways. It was a pretty fun listen, but I didn't really find much to connect with here. It is, however, filled to the brim with these very charming synth melodies and tones, like the ones on 'Princess of the Streets', 'Ugly', and 'Sometimes'. The new-wave leanings with those kooky synths were easily the highlight because I didn't find the vocals to be all that interesting (though still charming, nonetheless, like on 'Peaches' and 'Grip'). I did enjoy the borderline Jim Morrison impression on 'Princess of the Streets'. So yeah, I'm not too crazy about this one, nor do I have much to say about it. I think it tries to do a bit too much for my liking. Songs like 'Hanging Around, 'Princess of the Streets', 'Peaches', and the final synth part of 'Down in the Sewer' were still great standouts.
First of all, absolutely fuck rats. If you see evidence of rats, email rats@gov.ab.ca or call 310-FARM toll-free. Second of all, this album was ok. rats: hated. (⌐■_■)
The Stranglers have passed me by all this time, although I would hear the name come up every once in a while. There was a local band when I was growing up, called the Operators. They were a sort of punk band, and their main distinguishing feature was that they had an organist. I think, in hindsight, they must have been inspired by the Stranglers. They didn’t sound evil though, and the evil vibe of this record was the best part.
Fine but not memorable
Love the first song. Unfortunately it kind of goes on for the whole album? I found myself wishing for significantly more diversity.
Klassisk punk. Utan Stranglers, ingen Viagra Boys. Det är kul, svängigt och rått.
I get why some people would like this, I do see the appeal. But singing like this only gets so far.
6/10 Favorite Tracks: Sometimes, Goodbye Toulouse, Down In the Sewer Least Favorite Tracks: Princess of the streets, Peasant in the Big S****y, Ugly
The beginning of this album had me in a chokehold but the second half was meh
i feel like i should have liked this a lot more? maybe i wasn’t in the right mood today
Decently fun new wave, but nothing particularly special. I had a good time, through. 7/10
Cool album! Cool sound, punky and playful. Didn’t make a huge impression but I liked it
Really liked a lot of the instruments in this but the singer and lyrics kinda pissed me off
I'm sorry to say it but being from sweden is funny to me. its also hard to take you seriously when you're not only from sweden but you also named your first album IV... which is roman for four... do they like start counting at four in sweden? is this some extreme cultural difference that a good old fashioned north american guy like me can't understand? is the title of this album (which is just I guess the latin name for a rat...) some kinda dig at norway ? is that who they're planning to strangle? norwegians? rats??
Album isn't too good or particularly bad until Peaches. Peaches is straight up bad - which is surprising as it is one of their more popular songs (lol). Already had Golden Brown saved/liked on spotify but otherwise not familiar with The Stranglers. Get a grip is solid 4/5 Down in the sewer should have been the album closer because this is dragging on a bit (just checked the wiki and yep rest of the tracks are bonus - which i will be skipping thanks).
You really can't go far wrong with the Stranglers
Some raw, 70's punk, complete with a surprising amount of the Hammond organ and electric piano. A pretty unique mix of genre and instrumentation when it was all said and done. "Peaches" was pretty cringy, but "Hanging Around" and "(Get A) Grip (On Yourself)" were both highlights, though.
3 - I knew that one song
Can't say I've ever heard these guys, but I really like the opening song. Actually, I enjoyed every song after that, too. Kind of a 70's Doors. I'll be listening to these blokes a bit more. This would get a 4 based on the music, but as the album went on, the vocals got on my nerves. The vocals knocked it down to a 3.5.
3.5
The songs aren't super memorable, but I did have fun listening to it. It probably would have been a 4 star if I hadn't paused halfway through and then accidentally listened to several of the earlier songs without realizing it because I didn't remember having already heard them.
Good fun punk, a bit dated, but of it's time I guess. Fave: Peaches
Some catchy tunes, but nothing mind-blowing.
Cool OG British Punk
Not s'bad.
Decent
This is a bit fun - nothing too special.
Pretty much what I expected.
At least I can take solace that there is some decent stuff in this deep dive of shit I put off over the holidays. Not sure if the organ in this is a prevalent thing for the band or if it was just available in the recording studio and someone was just itching to implement it somehow. Pretty inoffensive with some nice individual tracks but mostly just felt decent
Waiter!! Waiter!!! More keyboard in my punk music please!! I have only listened to the stranglers in other peoples cars while they look at me like Patrick Bateman putting on Huey Lewis and the News. This was a pleasant listen and surprisingly funky, but having gone on a bit of a tear through some other stranglers tracks via Spotify album radio after listening, this is certainly not their best outing. I’d like to thank the little man inside the Spotify robot for associating this band with Ian Dury and the Blockheads, who also kept coming up on the artist radio and I massively enjoyed.
Pretty good. Never heard of these guys and kinda liked it. Not so much that I'll seek out more of their music but certainly didn't mind the listen.
Rock
The creative keyboard work (for a punk record) piqued my interest, but why else would I want to listen to this?
Repetitive at times, but not bad. 6/10
Really dated, but not bad. I'd almost call it prog punk. Probably didn't need to hear it before I die and doubt I'll revisit. Moving on. Favorite Tracks: Hanging Around, Down in the Sewer (this was the one that made me think "prog punk").
Enjoyable 3.5
I didn't know that I knew the Stranglers, but "Peaches" is featured in one of my favorite movies, Jonathan Glazer's Sexy Beast. The rest of the album falls short of that admittedly very high peak, but it's a solid, fun experience. Is it good enough to warrant a place in this list? Maybe. Maybe not. It's close.
Another fairly standard punk/post-punk output. Might have been more into it but I feel like I've heard this 10 time before from this list. Not great but not bad.
I get that it's different than most of its peer albums but overall this was kinda boring
Probably more post punk than punk but songs, organ, attitude. Not an absolute classic but plenty to like in this. Peaches is a classic.
The organ just does it for me. This might be my first band from this list that I didn't know previously, but enjoy.
Pretty decent punk album. 3/5
Hmm... interesting. This is an odd little album right here. But you know what? I like it. I'll start with the issues I have before going into praise mode. The writing could be better at times. Some lines are a bit questionable, but I fortunately wouldn't call any of them offensive. Secondly, the vocals aren't my favorite at times. They're definitely not bad, but they work in some songs more than others. Now it's praise time. The instrumental sound here is pretty good. It's interesting in a way that I like. The basslines are especially something to appreciate. The pacing and general tone of the album are both solid as well. I don't have a ton to say. This is a solid punk album that definitely stands out more than many other punk albums on this list. It's a solid album. High 3/5.
Rattus Norvegicus definitely has its moments, it's got a really funky undercurrent to it, a proper groovy bass with exceptional tone and the organ works so well throughout. It's a bit new wavey, a bit art poppy, a bit punky but where a lot of albums are worse for it not being one clear thing, I think this benefits from touching at the edges of everything yet finding its own sound. Princess of the Streets is a great tune, Peaches is the song everyone knows but still holds its own now as a swaggering classic. I think there's enough on here for a solid to strong 3, not enough for a 4 because it lacks something that makes it really memorable or epic, no songs that really wow you, just a tight album, but that's good.
It's a weird mix between angry punk with a lot of the stuff that punk railed against, but somehow it kinda works. The vocals are cutting in places, grating in others, it's a bit odd but it comes together quite interestingly. 3/5.
Sometimes 3.4 Goodbye Toulouse 3 London Lady 3.1 Princess of the Streets 3.3 Hanging Around 3.3 Peaches 3.5 (Get A) Grip (On Yourself) 3.4 Ugly 3.3 Down in the Sewer a. Falling b. Down in the Sewer c. Trying to Get Out Again d. Rats Rally 3.5 Score: 3.311111111
I didn’t hate it. It was strangely more interesting the further in you listen to the album. An odd niche market these guys were marketing to. Thanks to Sexy Beast, I actually knew one of their songs (Peaches).
Fine for what it is. It's not really much though.
Did not know what to expect here, I’ll say I was pleasantly surprised by the album in general. Music is good, representative of the time and style. Lyrics are comically bad, hard to listen to on a few tracks. This is one that makes me wish I could rank in 1/2 star increments to go down to 2.5
Nothing groundbreaking but decent as a background.
Some very good tracks
British rock. OK if you remove the terrible vocal.
3.5
Not a bad listen but nothing I'll return to. Like the clash and the specials made an unremarkable album together.
It’s 70s punk. Nothing really stood out, nothing really revolting
Nothing here really blew me away, but found pretty enjoyable. Late 70s UK punk / alt rock.
Þið vitið, ekki leiðinlegt og í raun merkilega fjölbreytt pönk, en ég læt eitt rennsli og þrist og duga hér.
3.5
This is very much a '70s punk album through and through. I generally enjoyed it well enough, there's a lot of solid guitar riffs and strong basslines, the lyrics are a bit coarse at times ("Peaches" for sure, which is one of their better-known songs; "walking on the beaches, looking at the peaches") but more or less fine. All that said, I feel like this one isn't going to stick with me much. There wasn't a ton that really stood out in a major way. I can see it being somewhat striking in the '70s UK punk scene, but it falls a bit flatter now. Another one that's a good enough listen, but that's it for me. Favorite song: Hanging Around Other: Sometimes, Goodbye Toulouse, Peaches, (Get A) Grip [On Yourself] 10/5/24
Nothing really note worthy
Many of these tunes have held up well
Brittipunk on viime aikoina herättänyt mussa hirveesti mielenkiintoa mut tältä albumilta puuttuu punkin paras piirre eli rehellinen anarkia. Lisäks näissä biiseissä oli imo liian hidas tempo että ois sen enempää laittanut sukkia pyörimään. Villit synat herätteli. Punk yhdistettynä brittimiesten aksenttiin sulattaa sydäntä tällä hetkellä...
Ihan hyvä meininki, muttei nyt ihan iskenyt niinkuin toivoin. Hyvä levy kuitenkin!
It was sad man songs but good!
A tad bit wonky With punk adjacent offshoots Cheekiness galore
English punk that wasn’t ass. Dicey lyrics but overall enjoyable
Album was okay. Seemed like they took inspiration from other artists and made an album. Not necessarily a bad thing, just wish it was done better. 3/5 Possibly would listen again
actually not bad
good enough fun but that's about all I have to say...
Does this translate to Norwegian Rat? Enjoyed this more than I expected to! But I didn't listen to it properly because my aunt called, which is grand.
I find it interesting that - to me - most British punk rock acts seem to be commercially made or created. They lack the earthy rawness
August 15, 2024 HL: “Sometimes”, “Goodbye Toulouse” “Get a Grip” + bass + keyboards - - the fact that a lot of quirky, punky albums around this era pale in comparison to the B-52’s debut, even though I have to live with the three stars I gave THAT one. Maybe I’ll be yearning for this one a year from now P.S. hearing this and their 1979 album “The Raven” back-to-back; I appreciate them leaning into the (somewhat tacky) keyboard sound of Rattus Norvegicus
Pretty cool, punkish- new wavish music. I don't really think there is much that sets this album apart from others in its lane. It does kinda give a really gross aura to it. Like its from the perspective of a rat scrounging around in an alley. Which added some cool points.
Okay rock album
Solid.
British punk music: The Album. Jokes aside this was fine. Good listen and it's more than just droning into a microphone like some punk bands tend to do. 6/10.
Enjoyed the music, but the lyrics didn’t age well. Deducting a star for misogynistic lyrics.
Ok some songs dragged but they love prolonging a good riff. Heard a few of these before but the album has some good moments. 6/10
Favorite Tracks: Peaches Goodbye Toulouse
Not as awful as other music from the same genre and period but still not music I give a crap about.
Pub rock not punk rock. Pretty great
Great baselines marinading in spicey mysogynism sauce
oh yeah? you like this album? huh
I liked this album. It felt more 80s than late 70s to me which was unexpected, but I liked the vibe.
I knew the Stranglers for the song Golden Brown, and that was it, so admittedly this gave me a little whiplash, as its punky, crass personality doesn't fully coincide with the dreamy, drug-filled expedition that I took the band for. However, that doesn't mean the album is bad, as the bass playing and the keyboard are both absolutely stellar, and make most of the album for me. The early tracks especially, are stellar punk tunes with enough post-punk influence to be good times. The album does start to lose me a bit as it goes on, however, and even the big tracks such as Peaches and Grip weren't grabbing a hold of me, but I could certainly see this being a grower if I ever decide to come back to it. It really just misses the mark for being too repetitive, and not quite manic enough for the Doors-like organs and straight up dirty vibe many tracks give off. I think just a bit more pep in each song's step could've really improved this for me, and I'm hoping that's what some of their later albums will do for me.
Noteworthy songs - 808080808 Magical Dream - Kinda catchy synth, but the rest is bland. Ancodia - Good background noise. Cobra Bora - Actually kind of cool, reminds me of Bomberman Hero. Pacific 202 - N64 vibes, but melody isn't great. Donkey Doctor - Nothing too special, weird ending. 808080808 - Really cool beginning. A little slow in the middle but stays interesting enough. Sunrise - Nothing remarkable. The Fat Shadow - Eerie. Very short.
That's not my taste in musik. But ok.
Didn’t make much of an impact
3.5
More musicality than I expected from this era of punk.
Punk but with actual talent. 3.5
Good enough.
Rattus Norvegicus Stuart Pearce’s favourite band. He’s seen them over 1000 times. The Stranglers best of is always a fun listen, but I’ve never given any of their albums a go so I’m quite interested in this. They never seemed like a typical punk band, although the attitude and vocals are pretty sneering and punkish, the keyboards/organ and the prominent, melodic bass always made them sound more like a standard rock band, albeit with a bit of a rough edge. They definitely have a sense of musicianship and musical ambition beyond many their peers, and you can definitely hear a lot of 60s influences, particularly The Who. Sometimes is a good example, it really doesn’t have that year zero punk ethos - the bass, organ and guitar breaks are much more pre-punk ‘classic’ rock. It’s a great opener though. Goodbye Toulouse is a little more punky in attitude and tempo, but the circular organ and the guitar fills give it a more accomplished flavour. London Lady continues that pattern but with diminishing returns. Princess of the Streets is a bit creepy but a nice change of pace, developing into a decent hypnotic groove. Hanging Around picks the energy back up, with a decent memorable melody. Peaches is a great bit of pop rock oddness. It could be easily dismissed as a bit of a novelty record, but it’s much better than that. (Get a) Grip (On Yourself) is good too, the synths and sax is great, giving a different texture. Ugly is pretty forgettable. I like the Down in the Sewer medley, a nice sense of musical ambition, even if it doesn’t work fully. The lyrics do need a mention, they have undoubtedly not aged well and are problematic in parts, particularly Sometimes. And they do seem quite obsessed with sexism, streets, sewers and rats. Peaches you can probably just about give the benefit of the doubt to, in that it parodies a certain type of character and at least Goodby Toulouse uses a slightly unconventional inspiration. Overall it’s a decent, fun listen, both as a counterpoint to their punk peers and in its own right, even if it is undoubtedly a bit patchy. Sometimes (despite the lyrics), Hanging Around, Peaches and (Get a) Grip (On Yourself) are very good songs, standing well above the rest. I also do like the composition of the band - when it works well the bass and organ/keys are a great combo, giving them a distinctiveness and point of difference. I’ll go 3, it doesn’t set the world alight, but I’d listen again. ⭐⭐⭐ Playlist submission: Peaches. (Get a) Grip (On Yourself) runs it close but I’ll go with the obvious
One of the great punk albums from 1977, different from the others which make it worthy of this list.
Pretty average album. Some fun keyboards/organ with the usual weird British vocals. It really would be a pretty good album if it weren't for the dumb sounding singing. 5/10 (2.5/5)
Cool classic rock with british punk vocals vibe. Went off the rails here and there but I respect the experimentation.
No Golden Brown, no good. It was a decent album; nothing extraordinary, but a solid listen.
Why. Are. There. So. Many. Late 70s punk bands from England on this list?!
Crazy and irreverent, but still fairly palatable for the modern ear. Probably pretty edgy for its time, but sounds kinda goofy and kooky now. Guitar and bass work is tight and gritty, but the organ is so so campy, kinda love it.
there’s way too much mid punk on this list
Loving the Monster Mash vibes
Very interesting, at times I’m getting blues-rock crossed with the Mummies. I would go back and listen to this again.
Ranked 10th on the NME list of albums of the year for 1977. Just because it came out that year doesn't make it a punk album. Neither do the elaborate keyboards nor the very high production level (it sounds great). So lets say "college" radio before college radio. Wikipedia notes Robert Smith from the Cure loved this album. And that makes a ton of sense. It's a goth-pop-rock experiment? Sure, and at that level it works really well, but punk? No f'n way. Now, I'd never heard this before and I'll probably go back to it (but not when I'm in a punk mood).
I kinda dig it! I get some Elvis Costello vibes on some songs and then some loose Cramps vibes on some other songs.
It's good, but it's not great. *Peaches *Sometimes *(Get A) Grip [on Yourself]
This was a fun discovery. A good feel to it, even if the quality is a little uneven.
Interesting blend of punk, some psychadelic proggy sections and poppy hooks. Would've been great if it wasn't executed mediocrely
First and last track were fine. A punkier Doors. Rest wasn't as good
1996 remaster. Ik zeg het er maar bij omdat de geluidskwaliteit van de 1977 recording misschien een stuk slechter was. De eerste track is me iets teveel toneelschoolpunk, maar track 2 en 3 zijn verdomd catchy en energiek. Track 4 is een zeiknummer en zo hebben we een beetje een rollercoaster te pakken. Uiteindelijk is het een aardig album met een paar positieve uitschieters, maar ook een paar putjes in het wegdek. Een hoge 3.
Bon dans le genre. J'ai eu du plaisir à l'écouter! Je comorends quand même son importance.
Interesting rock vibe, fun and grimey tone
I can never make up my mind whether I like this band or not. They have some good songs...
Fun poppy music with some sophomoric lyrics.
First time hearing. Not bad, I'm in o the punk sound of the late 70s and this seemed on par with other more popular bands at the time.
Välillä tulee vähän ”Rauhoitu, mies” -olo. Kivat hammondit, on reipas meno! Vähän jopa vetoaa muhun, juuri sen takia ettei jää junnaamaan. Soitto on pätevää. Ei kuitenkaan ihastuta.
Today's album is like early UK punk mixed with The Doors style of psychadelic rock. Like punk which heavily features keyboards. It's interesting, but nothing to write home about Favourite songs: Go Buddy Go, London Lady, Choosey Susie, Hanging Around, Sometimes, Ugly Least favourite songs: Peasant in the Big Shitty 3/5
Funky, punky, reasonably good but not amazing.
It gave me a headache
Surprised that I missed this one on my journey through punk rock, but their new wave tinged sound is borderline pop compared to some of their rawer and edgier sounding peers. However, songwise, it doesn’t get more punk than Peaches. Get a Grip on Yourself is also a great song. The rest of the album is less notable, but still exciting enough to warrant an entry on this list. Clearly not a classic, this is another 3 vs. 4 battle.
Grimy garage with a sleazy bent
First two songs have a TON of 70s rock organ. The singer and the vibe very much worship at the feet of The Doors. The third song has an abrupt and curious shift to punk rock, of all things. I didn't see that coming. Then back to The Doors cosplay. Look, I don't love it, it's not my thing, but I don't hate it, either. I'm slightly surprised this band isn't more well known, but also, there isn't really a stand out song on this album. In an era of radio play driving pop culture, having an album filled with solid songs without a hit single to drive it means very little outside a group's core fans. 3 stars. And please, if there is a god, please let me go a couple weeks without a 70s rock band with an organ player. Please.
Meh
Meh
A very nice good vibe album. Love the keyboard touch on traditional punk. Would listen again.
This one was really mixed for me. Lyrically, some of the songs were really aggressive towards women (i.e., "Sometimes" and "Peaches"), but there were other songs that were about interesting topics ("Goodbye Toulouse", "Down in the Sewer"). Musically, there were some really fun punk bangers, but there were a few others where things were a little slow, and the lead singer's vocals dragged down the song. I'm glad I listed to The Stranglers, but don't think they'll be a punk band I listen to much compared to some others.
The Stranglers are great but they're not really an album kind of band. Lots of great songs and lots of filler.
I appreciated this, though I'm not likely to revist it.
Excellent album! Wasn’t sure what to expect with this one but was not disappointed! Really enjoyed it!
Sounds like something generic and background-y I'd hear at the irish pub I go to regularly. It's okay, and nothing special to me. Makes me want to play pool again.
Not that special but ok
Meh
‘Rattus Norvegicus’ is at its best when the songs are short, sharp, and punchy, but tracks like ‘Princess Of The Hill’ and ‘Down In The Sewer’ really help to kill the momentum and drag my overall enjoyment of the record down.
Cool
i didn't like the album, but I actually knew Hanging Around from Ghost (their cover( so I did enjoy that one a lot
cool punk sound. reminds me of early NY punk scene
The music in this album is pretty dang good, but man does this make me feel like i left a British pub late at night trashed and fell face first into a gutter. It's slimy and dirty feeling and holds this feeling throughout, which is a little much for me. The music is similar to the Doors, particularly on Sometimes, which is my favorite from the set. I thought I would like it more by the end than I actually did.
3.5 stars. Early punk. Eclectic but catchy beats. More something I'd enjoy as good background music as opposed to seeking out individual tracks to listen to. Standout was "Hanging Around".
Nice punk album with a great organ player. Didn’t think an organ would work with punk music, but this album is the proof. Favourite songs: - Sometimes - Go buddy go
Good.
Ok
I found it to be a pretty unmemorable rock album, but I wouldn't mind relistening. Stand-out: Hanging Around
Album 327 of 1001 The Stranglers - IV (Rattus Norvegicus) Rating : 3 / 5 Good enough British Punk/Pop. Nothing that will resonate for too long but a decent listen.
Good, enjoyable British punk from the 1970s, with a bit of dark comedy-horror energy to it. I can't say it'll be among my favorite punk albums but it is a good one.
grew on me a little after first few tracks. 3.1/5 listened 2x
Bass heavy stragnengiid
Kinda sounds like what might have influenced a band like Idles
#127. Pretty fun overall. I'd touch it with a ten foot pole. 3/5: acceptable
There's a section of three great songs here and the rest are okay to ignorable. I like the Stranglers but I think they are another band where I am happy to pick and choose the best songs without devoting myself to listening to whole albums. three and a half stars
Decent but forgettable
Good, not great
too Doorsy for me
not bad not excellent
Canciones con ritmo, de rock puro, en ocasiones un tanto psicodélico. Suena un poco a aquella época. No destaca especialmente
Definitely rocks. It has the punk vibes and the careless screams along with rocking guitar and a steady drumbeat. I think it’s not quite as refined as I’d like, but still good to listen to.
Three or four good songs but the rest is Rattus No.
I felt like this record was one big oxymoron. It's punky and proggy at the same time. There's some great grooves and vocals in this record, other parts can be a little dull. Lyrically there's some great references and stories, while others are misogynistic. Overall some very high points, and some very low ones.
I was working while listening to it so I was tuning it out. But every now and then it would be screaming "I strangled her to death" and that would have me shook. -5/10
Quintessential 1001 album. Maybe I would have enjoyed this more if I listened to it 500 days earlier, but I’ve definitely heard stuff like this already. Nothing really stood out to me.
It aight. I liked it at first but the songs were kind of grating after a while. 5.5/10
Pretty ok, not really my vibe 6/10
Not bad, but nothing too special. 5.5/10
Enjoyable!!
decent album 2.5 if I could
Litt enkel rock, ikke helt min stil, men jeg respekterer det
Brown rat gang gang. I liked this one a good bit, the bass lines were great
Album Nr. 11 Wieder ein Album, das zwar Energie hat, ich aber mit dem Musikstil nicht ganz klar komme.
Ist ok.
Interessante Punk-Sounds, aber insgesamt nur mittelmäßig. Bin kein Freund von den Keyboardsounds und es fällt meines Erachtens gegenüber Genre-Klassikern zurück.
Interesting 3
PROS: - A "punk" band that had its own identity from the get-go, setting them apart from the '77 'explosion' of acts in that style. Besides, The Stranglers were neither "pub-rock" nor "post-punk" at the time. Clearly, they were doing their own thing, and that's always commendable. Funny how many reviewers in here state that they don't like punk and yet appreciated this record (nor necessarily a good sign for me, since I love many other punk albums, but you gotta give credit to the band for this feat nonetheless). - Impressive musicianship on many tracks here (that terrifically complex bassline on "Goodbye Toulouse" is a thing of wonder!). I understand why some good folks writing reviews in this app compared The Stranglers to recent stellar bands such as Shame or Squid--even though I wouldn't necesarily go that far in my personal praise (see my later CONS section). - The lyrics and vocal lines often convey a very distinct worldview that gives "dangerous" undertones to many of the songs. "Sometimes", "Peaches" and "Grip" are borderline-offensive be today's standards, but you gotta admit how memorable and "fun" they are for some ears. CONS: - That hammond organ quickly gets on my nerves for a lot of those tracks. I don't feel that I'm at a punk gig when listening to the record. I feel like I'm at the fair, and there are not enough "gothic" vibes to make it an evocative experience either. Punk can have "romantic" vibes in the literary meaning of the word, as "offensive" as that music genre is. That's how it becomes both grotesque AND "sublime". In contrast, I mostly get "vulgar" vibes here. - That goddam organ also enhances the *major* harmonies of those songs. And there are already too many of them for my personal taste. Punk or not, I like rock'n'roll to bring some tension. Major chords rarely bring the latter to the table. So I'm not surprised that when the Stranglers later embraced pop aesthetics, they often sounded so cheesy. Textures and sounds were not the only elements to blame. Compositions played a part in this. - In spite of what I said about the "dangerous' aspects of this record, a lot of the lyrics didn't age really well. The metrics AND the "optics" in some of those cuts sound awkward, hackneyed and, to be honest, a little dumb. I have nothing against sex-crazed "narrators" in songs for instance, but you gotta make that topic interesting, just like for any other one. Conclusion: If really you had to keep ONE Stranglers record in this list, I guess "Rattus Norvegicus" would be the best candidate. Their next album, *No More Heroes*, is a decent sequel, but it's *vastly* ovverrated. The one after, *Black And White*, might ironically be slightly *under*rated, but it's certainly no masterpiece either. And, as far as I've explored the British band's discography, let's face it: each of their LPs after *Balck And White* comes off as utterly... terrible. Those albums are either some sort of weird conceptual statement involving bizarre, half-baked "songs"--partly pretentious, partly ridiculous (that *Gospel According To MenInBlack* nonsense, for instance)--or some cheesefest of an unprecedented magnitude (*Dreamtime*). Or even BOTH (*La Féline*). For one rare good or even great single (the wonderful "Golden Brown", the lively rocker "Duchess", the lush "Skin Deep", the catchy pop masterpiece "Always The Sun"...), there are ten times more irrelevant songs, and almost as many frankly *horrible* cuts. *Rattus Novergicus could have been the first step of an artistically promising career. Turns out it's one of their very rare albums whose bulk is still listenable today. 3/5 for the purposes of this list of "essential albums", translating to a 8/10 grade for more general purposes. Next, please. Number of albums left to review: 332 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 300 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 162 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine, as many other ones are more importnat to me: 215.
Punk
Ok
Rock from 1988, haven’t heard of them. Doesn’t sound super rocky on first song, but quite enjoying the sound… quite enjoyed on the whole. A high 3/5.
British garage rock that really help develop the punk rock movement.
Not bad
I think I only knew the track 'Golden Brown' before hearing this, so was surprised at the punk roots. Great production, and some cool material here. Favourite tracks: Sometimes, Peaches, Ugly.
Blind album and artist. Loved the synth solos. Gave me Doors vibes.
Decent punk. The album really punched me in the face from the start. And I've got to admit that this wasn't the version of peaches that I was expecting, but I suppose the message is the same.
Punky and fun. But it goes on too long, and is inconsistent. There are some stretches of 4-star rock in here, with all the right snarl and swagger, but too much indulgent mediocrity to rise above a 3.
I could hear some of the Strokes within this album. A nice punk rock album but didn't really stand out to me.
The Doors if they lived through the 90s.
Don’t have much to say on this one. It was alright.
Pretty good, better than I expected
I had fun. The vocalist got progressively more angry and the organist played his favorite Doors riffs. Good bass, too.
Solid. Liked the instruments more than the voice. They stole the Doors' Keyboarder.
so I feel like this was just kind of mad I mean I don’t really know what I was expecting but it neither soared nor drooped my expectations.
The fast keyboard riff in "Sometimes" (in the right channel/ear) makes me think of "Sorry Mario but our princess is in another castle!" - so it was clearly way ahead of its time. OK let's get this out - the vocals are bad. So. Bad. No getting around it. But unlike the equally-shitty Lou Reed the band doesn't take themselves seriously enough for it to matter as much and also the music is way better. The album was also mixed in such that 70s punk/post-punk way that you can almost dial your head around the vocals, if that makes any sense (which I do, gladly) ...but/and the rest? Weird. It's not my favourite style but at the same time that it's totally cheesy it's not nearly as bad as I'd feared. There's some talent here and goddamn if some of these songs aren't catchy. I mean this without any sarcasm... I don't hate it. 6/10 3 stars.
Not awful but doubt I’d listen again
Decent. Some of it slaps. But there are too many keyboard and synth sounds that takes away some of the snarl from this album. It's almost post punk even though this came out at the height of punk. I'd be open to exploring more of the Stranglers.
3.5/5. This was not bad, I did not mind it. It had some different sounds which made for an enjoyable listen. I will say parts of the album felt a bit bland, but overall, this is good.
Not bad
честно пыталась запомнить и не смогла
Sounds like a proto successor to The Velvet Underground.
it's alright, not really my thing... sometimes and princess of the streets were my favorite songs and the synth sound on a lot of the tracks is a really nice touch
Boring and annoying. You can absolutely imagine how pleased with themselves the Stranglers were throughout recording this. Peaches is terribly irritating as a melody.
54/100
Ugh ugh cstubxdguu help
Not bad, just a bit aged
I appreciate it in that it is making way for other artists, but this album was not for me. The singer just kind of talks over the music.
It's one of the more boring early "punk" albums out there. I don't get the appeal of this band, by no means awful but just don't get the why it's on the list.
Kult. et sted punk og the doors
A strong 3 rating. New album to me. Always loved ‘Peaches’ - such an iconic track. Really enjoyed ‘Sometimes’, ‘Get A Grip’ and ‘Hanging Around’. Going to give this a lot more of a listen in the coming weeks. I often play albums to match my mood, and this one matches one of my most common moods 🤣
Haven't listened to this since the mid/late 1980's! Not really punk is it? But what it is is very good. Older heads than most other Punks of the time, so less aggression and more melody. A slow start but kicks off at Princess of the Streets. Not a fan of the all pervasive cheesy organ sound, but that was their thing. Peaches probably the most famous track I would hazzard a guess that these must have influenced a very young Mark E Smith to start a band, but for the opposite reasons why the Sex Pistols did! - A low 3
Not bad, I dig the grunge punk vibes here. It’s not something I’d listen to again but I didn’t mind it.
Lekkere Britse punk rock, erg anders dan ik ze ken van de hit Goldenbrown. Een heel album verveelt wel snel.
Never heard of the band before but it sounds like a gritty punk classic and an affectionate tribute to the less savory sides of London in the 70s. Lyrically, the sexist language is very outdated and unfortunate. Supposedly it's satire but nothing makes that obviously true. Maybe it's why this one isn't more well-known.
Better than I thought it would be, pretty good overall. I started to zone out over the second half of the album though, but the first half has some good stuff. BT - Goodbye Toulouse - London Lady - Princess of the Streets Low 4/High 3
I was hoping to like this more. It was fun, I love the music itself, but the vocals were pretty restrained; overall the album lacked the energy I enjoy in this kind of music.
Fun, but probably won't revisit.
I heard these guys were right pricks, so my expectations were a bit low, but goodness, they were cleared well enough. Sure, I find the vocals to be a bit whiny at points, like the punk version of a wet cat stranded in the middle of a thunderstorm, but the excellent bass and keyboard make up for them. That near eight minute long medley was rightfully impressive.
2.5 I mean it was fine??? Idk there really wasn’t anything special about it that stuck out to me, just sounds like a band that would play at block parties or suburban street fests. Definitely not an album I needed to hear prior to the afterlife.
Decent rock
Starts off quite well with good songs and the bass and organ particularly standing out, but the album gets a little boring after the halfway point.
I like the sound, the guitar playing, the keyboards. Nothing really stands out however.
Many bands have done this sound. Get repetitive and a bit irritating. Not bad overall but just no exciting.
Decent and quite catchy album, lacking any standout songs though for a full 4 stars
Catchy songs, not my flavor of punk, still could appreciate
I like the guitar tones - cool keys. Vocalist is a little grating, ,probably intentionally so. The songwriting kind of sounds juvenile so far. 'walking on the beaches looking at the peaches' 'stuck here all summer, what a bummer' oof. Feels like sort of proggy punk rock, the tone of the singing is punk but the childish rhyming just throws me. The keys are awesome. Overall an enjoyable experience, but nothing that really memorable to me after the first listen. 'Peasant in the Big Shitty' , 'Ugly' were favorites for me if I had to pick.
An 80s-esque LP that preceded the key-driven, goofy sound of the next decade while executing on the style better than any actual 80s LP on this list. A touch of quirkiness makes this one work, and though most tracks tend to run long for how much melodic/lyrical content they have to share, the end product is still a stellar out-of-left-field inclusion on the list that I’ll likely be returning to.
It's notably new wave, complete with a terrible band name and irritatingly generic vocals. But I think they deserved recognition for being quite interesting despite all that. Some keyboard and guitar driven moments are amazing. Overall, I can say that it didn't annoy me as much as other new wave albums did.
who plays the bass that loud? this album is great. songwriting is good throughout but the best is the opening run of tracks. whole thing sounds brilliant and the prog-punk (?) is fantastic. best tracks: peaches, down in the sewer, princess of the streets
Skramligt och härligt
I dig this
Decent but nothing groundbreaking
Saw them live 2 years ago and lots of energy and nice concert. But most of their albums just not as good in my opinion as many of the 'PostPunk'=Wave acts. Organ-like is fun though, Doors meets Punk
The Stranglers are one of the few bands that I saw perform live twice. When I saw them in Ottawa, Jean Jacques Brunelle poked fun at the Quebecers across the river, and when I saw them a couple years later in Montreal, he made jokes about Toronto trying to be like New York. I appreciated the fact that he took the time bone up on our cultures. They were not your typical punk band with all the keyboard playing. I love the thundering bass in the intros of “Peaches” and “Hanging Around”. Peaches got a boost, I’m sure, when it was played in the opening scene of “Sexy Beast”. The rest of the songs I don’t find as appealing. Some feel a bit campy.
Fun punky album.
A bunch of catchy songs and a generally good listen
Really interesting, not a band id heard before but a real cool sound.
Peaches! Completely forgot about this song and this band, but if you've seen SEXY BEAST then you know that tune is vital for setting the mood of the opening of that flick. It's so gross, too. I watched that scene once with the subtitles on and it was hysterical. Anywho, overall the record doesn't quite reach those heights elsewhere but I liked a good chunk of it and really liked the "Down in the Sewer" medley. That's another one that feels like it's screaming out to be used in a film somewhere.
Best uk punk album so far.
Punk rock, new wave. Ni fu ni fa.
Some pretty good songs on here.
Punk/new wave from the 80s. Interesting addition of bluesy keys.
Unusual, but not bad.
3.5
Good, but slowly gave me anxiety
Ret stabilt, 70’er rock, lidt punket, fed bas og elklaver
Good listen, a little slow in points
Im großen und ganzen ein interessantes Album, aber hat für mich nichts außergewöhnliches…
Also eigentlich ist Punk nicht so meine Richtung aber das Album mochte ich irgendwie. Ich finds auch Spannend, dass sie die Orgel als Instrument einsetzen.
pretty good! I probably never would have found this album otherwise.
good groove not my fav but I'd listen again fs
I appreciate the musicianship of the group and on the album but the style just isn't for me.
This one started out with a really nice psychedelic rock track and I was looking forward to the rest of the album... which then turned out to be more punk than anything else (and I really hate punk). That said, it's not entirely punk, there are still some healthy doses of psychedelic rock, new wave and even progressive rock sprinkled in. In addition, even in the sections that sound more like punk, they sound like they actually know how to play their instruments - putting them far ahead of the majority of punk musicians. A shame the same can't be said for the vocals. In the end, I'm pretty torn on this album with some songs being horrible, but individuals and the general musicianship being pretty good.
This sounds like an 8-bit orchestral classic rock band with punk lyrics. I like it.
Listening to stuff like this makes me feel cool, cultured, and like a bad ass. I don't know if I'll seek this out on my own, but when I'm in a room with someone talking about classic punk, I'll pretend I know what's up with the B-52's and the Stranglers in my back pocket. I'm cool, I think.
Oddball, groovy punk sound.
Enjoyed it, great bass, decent guitar, some fun keyboard runs. Kinda generic 70's brit rock.
kinda cool
I kept liking "Rattus Norvegicus" more than I was expecting to. Just as it would try to drive me away, it would pull me back in. But in the end, the overuse of Hammond organ (sometimes it actually worked well with their sound, but there was too much of it) and finally "Peaches" overwhelmed the more interesting content. We all know there are much better songs about actual peaches.
Not bad, generally pretty iconic.
Fun. A little dated but I can see how punk rock evolved from this style. Can for sure hear bands like rancid, etc.
Tiene unos sonidos muy buenos y el ritmo de las canciones me gusto, pero no me fascinó ninguna en algún momento
я чувствую, что это хороший и крепкий альбом, но во мне он абсолютно не отзывается. единственное, отмечу трек Go Buddy Go, отличный соляк поставлю 3, потому что чувствую, что это правда хорошая работа и у неё навернка есть много ценителей. просто не моя музыка
Ну что сказать, это определенно мне понравилось. Выебоны тоже неплохие, иногда затянутые, за это и минусую балл. В целом к прослушиванию рекомендуется. 3+
Hmm - not what I expected. Punk with musicians and instruments. Still not my lane though
A very cool synthesis of punk and weirdo cockney folk; really enjoyed
Ооо ка роль и шут!