Reviews (page 6 of 8)
I thought I could tolerate the Stranglers. Turns out an entire album of their shit is just too much for me. This whole thing is weirdly horny while also being pathetic. I hate the 70's with a passion.
Meh
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
Muutama kuunneltava kipale ja loppu kohtuullisen hapokasta, kokemuksena kääntyy negatiivisen puolelle.
Meh
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.
Strange, music is catchy and definitely a lot of familiar vibes in a lot of the songs (not sure if it's them copying others or others copying them as I was totally unfamiliar with the band). Lots of seemingly needlessly graphic lyrics caught me off guard.
Whatever this character is... this kind of digusting horny lout... I'm not saying wokeness is ruining art or anything like that but I do sort of miss music being a fairly ignoble profession, best left to the scumbags. "Peaches" is just amazing.
Meh
Strooooong dislike
This is just like the kind of music I generally like to listen to
Cool! 5/5
Good, solid punk. The starnglers are very much their own style.
I’ve never heard of this album or artist before, but this was a really pleasant surprise. I love late seventies and early eighties new wave music, so this album was right up my alley. I really enjoyed the keyboard playing and how it melded with the guitars to create a really unique sound. This album’s sound utilized some of my favorite elements of post punk and new wave to create something really unique. The lyrics weren’t my favorite, but I the vocals were really good, and fit the lyrical style really well. This album felt like a mash up of Gang of Four’s Entertainment and Magazine’s Real Life, and I thought it worked really well. I think any fan of new wave or post punk from the same era will probably enjoy this album as well.
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.
4.0
Punk rock is definitely not my jam
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!
Post Jagger sludge punk. Sneers and vamps like Iggy Pop, and I dig that psychotic organ. A bunch of great songs of questionable taste and morals. The opening song is particularly disturbing.
It's punk but there's more sophistication than most. Opener 'Sometimes' sounds a bit like The Doors 'Love Her Madly' (especially the keyboards). 'Goodbye Tolouse' is in waltz time (3/4) and closes with a barrage of sound effects. 'London Lady' has some hilariously risque lyrics and an awesome guitar solo. 'Princess of the Streets' and 'Down in the Sewer' both sound like a lunatic asylum crossed with a fairground ghost train ride. And 'Peaches' and 'Get A Grip' are familiar classic (and nutty) singles. I absolutely love this band's sense of wit, irony, satire and the absurd; only a corpse would fail chuckle at the goon-like humor. Debuts don't get much better than this zany album.
Great album, although started to lose a little (just a little) interest towards the end
Good quality punk era sounds. Love the spind of the bass on these tracks.
Fabulous album, love this! Still sounds innovative and fresh 🏖️🏖️🏖️🏖️🍑🍑🍑🍑
Marvelous original punk. Good hooks, good lyrics great tunes.
Some of the lyric subjects no longer align with modern thinking, but I maybe was enjoying the crunchy punky bass riffs a little too much.
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.
I was not familiar with the band nor any of the songs. It was pretty unremarkable and relatively short. It was just kind of there.
simply okay
Boring
Not that special but ok
Bit too b9ring
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.
Someday I’m gonna smack your face! OK, but can you buy me dinner first?
Cool
Didn't like it and I didn't really understand why it was on the list but by the end I could hear the influence on bands like IDLES and the like. 2.4 per track.
i didn't like the album, but I actually knew Hanging Around from Ghost (their cover( so I did enjoy that one a lot
Mix of punk and classic rock. Lots of organ, reasonably accessible and melodic but all very average. Nothing stands out other than the low organ jam in Down The Sewer. As the kids would say, it’s very mid. 5.2/10
not super into this UK garage punk stuff
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.
So strange to listen to. Really filthy lyrics set to almost lounge-y rock.
definitely new to me. Not bad - ok listen. I guess you need a lot of albums to come up with 1,001....
Didn't need all the synths. Sloppy vocals and poor quality recording. Other than that I loved it.
Punk rock polka. The lyrics may have been “ok” in 1977 but definitely didn’t age well. The Stranglers don’t stand out for me.
Snarling vocals over howling Hammond Organ. The "middle" 3 tracks of Hanging Around, Peaches and (in particular for me) Get A Grip are probably amongst my favourite punk tracks.
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
Another one I had never heard of, but I’m glad I’ve heard it. It’s a cornucopia of punk-adjacent jams. You get your sparse art-punk, reminiscent of Suicide, your loud garage-punk, some abrasive punk along the lines of CRASS, and even some post-punk that can only be the inspiration for The Fall. Good stuff.
I found it to be a pretty unmemorable rock album, but I wouldn't mind relistening. Stand-out: Hanging Around
Great bass throughout. Peaches!!
Could not enjoy this. Scrapes a 2.
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.
Cool introduction to the band! I had never given them proper attention before. Really enjoyed this, but it does slightly lack in variation.
grew on me a little after first few tracks. 3.1/5 listened 2x
Enjoyable!
Eminently listenable punk debut from the Stranglers. Since this is the only album on the list I'll have to seek out the rest, but this is more melodic and with plenty of attitude (and overall more likable) than the Sex Pistols.
Bass heavy stragnengiid
don't get why people call this punk, its not terrible but not my vibe
Far from the punk I expected, clean sounding and approachable. Opening track is catchy with a repetitive riff and backing keys. Fuzzy bass there underneath. Princess of the Streets is more psychedelic with its bass and keyboard intro, and features two melodic solos. (Get A) Grip is another standout, poppy but with complex keyboard work, and the long Down in the Sewer. There's a lot to like here.
Un rollo. Punk - rock- new wave.
I listened to this yesterday and can't remember it. I think it wasn't that bad, but I'll never listen again.
Again- the same thing I’ve been saying. I want something GOOD.
Kinda sounds like what might have influenced a band like Idles
räfsning och röjning. ett mycket intressant samtida brittisk punkalbum från 70-talet. kanske blir det lite partiskhet i recensionen eftersom jag precis lyssnade på Poppis topphits från slutet av 70-talet och jag var så sömnig att även den här typen av musik är bra. sellout bastards, long live punk.... sometiems
The bass lines on this album were insane
#127. Pretty fun overall. I'd touch it with a ten foot pole. 3/5: acceptable Song added to playlist: Peaches I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link
cool sometimes goodbye toulouse london lady hanging around get a grip on yourself down in the sewer
Many of the songs sound the same. Not much to it for me.
musically it's an interesting combo of post punk, punk-rock, pub rock, and art rock. Lyrically it's weird, and i wasn't in the right headspace to appreciate it.
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
Carry on Punk starring Sid James!
Garage band/pub rock masquerading as punk. Good stuff!
Un rollo. Punk - rock- new wave.
Enjoyed and liked it
loved it, nice music to work too! 4 stars
Pink Floyd meets AC/DC
Decent but forgettable
Good, not great
too Doorsy for me
not bad not excellent
Wow this was great. I'd heard Peaches before but nothing else on this album, and I'd never heard of the Stranglers despite liking lots of similar stuff. This was a great find for me today!
Canciones con ritmo, de rock puro, en ocasiones un tanto psicodélico. Suena un poco a aquella época. No destaca especialmente
Some really good songs on here!
Un rollo. Punk - rock- new wave.
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.
Very fun listen and pretty blown away by the consistency. Feels very ahead of its time for 1977, reminds me a bit of an evolution of what Sparks was doing and incorporating deeper synth layers to it. Very enjoyable experience! Top tracks: Sometimes, Goodbye Toulouse, London Lady, Hanging Around, Get A Grip On Yourself, Ugly, Down In The Sewer
Great project. Weird in all the best ways, this is making my rotation
A little Beatles ish. Didn’t enjoy it as much as I should have cos I was stress listening to ABBA
Three or four good songs but the rest is Rattus No.
hell yeah.
not a bad album. I'd listen to it again
Standout Tracks- "Sometimes," "Goodbye Toulouse," "Get a Grip," "Choosey Susie" Lyrics/Vocals- 4/5 Instrumentals- 4/5 Vibes- 3/5 Overall- 4/5 This album was great. I thoroughly enjoy The Stranglers and this particular genre so this was a very easy listen for me. This type of music is definitely not for everybody, but those who do enjoy it will definitely be able to see how great it is and appreciate it. This album is just a masterpiece, an absolute classic.
An album I bought at the time on vinyl. It might be labelled Punk but to my prog rock infuenced ears back in 1977 I heard a lot more than the 3 chord trick punk bands around then. This is probably because the Strangler members were a bit older than the average punk rocker and by the addition of Dave Greenfield the keyboard player in the lineup. His swirling organ sound can be heard on most tracks giving the songs an extra layer. I love a rock keyboardist, Emerson, Wakeman, Lord etc, but Greenfield’s organ solo accompanied by Burnel’s thundering bass at the end of Down In The Sewer is magnificent and one of my top keyboard moments. But the Stranglers were and have proven to be great musicians and some of the songs on here are memorable pop tunes. Peaches is particular is a song everyone will know, exceptional guitar riff and cheeky lyrics which will always come into mind (well mine anyway) when on a beach somewhere. It was great to sit down with this album again and remind myself how great the songs are on this album.
2/4
Did not enjoy one single song.
The singles are good, but the rest sounded like filler. The Doors via pub rock. A bit too laddish for me, both lyrically and musically. Felt a bit neither one thing or another.
Bass, keyboard and razor blade guitars. Plus some fella called Hugh. This is an incredibly accomplished debut album. It was also highly influential. OH HAI Elastica. I Loved Go Buddy Go and the boogie woogie sound for the extra track.
OK what is funnier than Joe Strummer's Mockney accent? Hugh Cornwells grrr I'm such a tough guy voice. Another album where all the songs have very similar instrumentation. Peaches is skin-crawling. Get a Grip is good. It's basically toss though, especially considering the mountain of vital and long lived stuff that was around at the time this is a very poor album.
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.
Mostly fine, haven’t been too locked in while listening 7/10
It aight. I liked it at first but the songs were kind of grating after a while. 5.5/10
4/10 - Not great and the songs were screamy in some places which I did not enjoy. Overall it was just slightly worse than ok. I liked the guitar solo at the end of down in the sewer but him saying he wants to like reproduce with sewer rats was crazy to me.
Pretty ok, not really my vibe 6/10
Not bad, but nothing too special. 5.5/10
Enjoyable!!
I listened a couple times. It didn't stick with me but I enjoyed the energy.
A bit too "punkish" for my taste
decent album 2.5 if I could
A classic, a little unusual, from the Brit punk band
Interesting music. From 1977, yet has a late 1990s sound.
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
that‘s what i would imagine punk in the 70s sounds like
The bass playing really supported this whole thing. Great Doors like keys. Thoroughly enjoyed an album I've never heard before.
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.
I love this early punk stuff. It has all the anti-social tendencies you love but they can actually sort of play their instruments. Wins the award for best use of keyboard
1. zometimez - 1 2. goodbye touolouze - 1 3. london lady - 0 4. princezz of the ztreetz - 1.5 5. hanging around - 1 6. peachez - 0 7. grip - 1 8. ugly - 1 9. douun in the zeuuer - 1 10. choozey zuzie - 1 11. go buddy go - 0 12. peazant - 0
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.
good
Punk
Ok
Groovy one. Easy-going and silly for being punk rock and actually has tons of catchy hooks or riffs throughout. 7/10
I love these guys. They have a fresh, different sound on every track. I love that they have a punk edge to them without it all being bleating into the microphone to the same chords played over and over. Give them their due for having the guts highlight the keyboards. "Sometimes", "Peaches", and "Get a Grip" are great tracks.
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.
This album is a blast. There is a bit of a rowdy, kind of vaudeville vibe to these guys.
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.
Nicely dynamic English punk album. Quite a few highs. Album production follows a nice up and down sine wave throughout. The remaster is well done. 4/5
totally cool, and a total surprise. great songwriting and bass playing
A mix of punk and pop, without sounding like pop punk. This almost prog in some ways. While obviously punk, there's hints of blues, jazz, boogie and psychedelia that you wouldn't expect. I'd heard "Peaches" before (I guess it was a hit), but "Goodbye Toulouse" and "Hanging Around" are the standout tracks for me. This is a solid album that I suspect would get better with subsequent listens.
A group that was huge in the UK and somehow incompletely missed them. Great stuff, lightly punk but more lyric driven. Peaches is a big winner.
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.
The seems really strong and original. It's a little punky, very English, and is interestingly layered and assembled so that it seems more complex than others in this genre. I really like the darker London Lady and Princess of the Streets. Very enjoyable listen.
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.
Classic Stranglers album. One of my favorites. '[Get a] Grip [on Yourself]' is my favorite track on the album.
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.
Veldig ok- Funky rock ish Ikke veldig imponert Stereotypisk britisk
One of the best selling albums of the punk era, and probably one of the best. Catchy, fun and melodic but still punk. Good musicianship for the genre and some unusual sonic details. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: (Get A) Grip [On Yourself] Date listened: 16/11/23
Eh… alright as a background for gaming maybe? Have to be in the British Invasion punk mood.
This must've sounded incredibly fresh and strong and accomplished in '77. It sounds fairly old in '23, though it still holds undeniable power and real teeth, and one hears a bunch of bands this record informed and perhaps catalyzed.The effective layering of synths and the odd sax, plus the crisp to sharp-edgy driving guitars reflect the record's being quite well made, and much more mature than many of their punk brethren and pointing the way to the more thoughtful and sophisticated stylings of new wave -- again, clearly this was influential. “Peaches” and “Down in the Sewer” predict The Fall, for instance, and in a good way.
You know, it's not bad. All the weird, cheesy electronic bits were not my favorite, but, overall it's a decent punk album. When the band stuck to what their new best, namely creating driving punk anthems, it was a really good time.
Punk sneer, grooves and surprising level of chops. Makes for a really captivating sound.
Couple of good tracks but wasn't really feeling it
Classic
Never heard before, absolutely loved it
Don’t have much to say on this one. It was alright.
Pretty good, better than I expected
"Some day I'm going to smack your face" is sure a bold start to the album.
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.
Surprisingly timeless
Masterpiece.
Not awful but doubt I’d listen again
not my cup of tea
The Stranglers from England Rattus Norvegicus, their first album. Rattus Norvegicus is the Latin name for the common rat. 1977 Singles: (Get A) Grip (On Yourself), Peaches Standouts: Get a Grip on Yourself, Hanging Around, Peaches, Goodbye Toulouse Others: Sometimes, London Lady 4/5
Started off alright, then turned into noise.
All said and done, it's pretty good.
Terrific punk full of snarl and swagger, Cornwell is absolutely filthy on Peaches (as is the bass line). So many memorable tracks - a cohesive, entertaining album.
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.
Boring
Not all punk is good. Some of it is fucking great. This lies somewhere in the middle, which isn't to say it's not fun. It's mainly a blast, although I get more of a Doors vibe than I'd like to have. In fact, the first song sounds like Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek started a punk band. I'm bumping up from a 3.5 on hopes multiple listens will be more rewarding.
Really enjoyed it. Questionable lyrics but I guess that was the Stranglers!
Love this deeply nostalgic
The arpeggios in the bridge of the first track are awesome. Prescient of what's coming in the 80s. Opening bass lick is sick af in Princess of the Streets. Vocals remind me of Zappa. That build up at the end of Down in the Sewer, so tight. Solid album, some of these songs are going into a heavier rotation
Oh this is really good, like really good. It seems quite well timed as it's got a fucking organ playing which is very goth/Halloween and it slaps.
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.
I think this record would’ve been a lot better without the added keyboard/organ sounds. I think they were trying to go for a Doors-type sound but I just wasn’t feeling it. I guess I prefer some of the more “raw” punk records.
Great Punk!
Not bad
честно пыталась запомнить и не смогла
Sounds like a proto successor to The Velvet Underground.
Everything says these guys are punk, but the songs are way too long for that. The bass and organ really give this the uniqueness it deserves. The organ is the most genius thing in Sometimes.
great
The most recognizable song is Peaches, which is great. But otherwise on OK album from the late 70s.
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
Goodbye Toulouse is such a great song
I like the punk rock vibes with the keyboard combo
First time listening to this and positively impressed. I will definitely relisten and explore The Stranglers's catalog.
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
Really good album, good flow. The famous songs obviously stand out, but there's great album tracks are great too. Low 4/5
Very interesting album from the period before punk solidified into a real genre. You can hear the origins of New Wave, and it's interesting how much just deeply misanthropic lyrics can contrast with the light, synthetic sound here. 4/5
Ugh ugh cstubxdguu help
The unfiltered sound of the sudden indignant realisation of the loss of white male entitlement and the expression of this in the form of very good art punk. With scratchy guitars with matching personalities, the earnestness of earlier, younger punk is now gone and lost when the royalty cheques aren’t enough and the looming threat of day job employment is now rearing its head - here come the Stranglers bemoaning women who reject them and celebrating leering at Peaches on the Beaches, doing what had already been done countless times but with gusto style and sleaze.
Not bad, just a bit aged
Excellent album, well ahead of its time in a lot of ways.
31.08.23 - I only listened to 2 songs of this, didn’t hate it!
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.
The first song just made me think of The Doors with some kind of new wave twist. But from there it diverts into kind of a punk flavored garage sound. A lot of these songs are quite long, sometimes to a bothersome extent. Plus, I just wasn’t that into it. I’m not so much of a fan.
Straight forward punk album. I knew a couple of the songs. I'd put it on again.
I was aware of a few of these songs before, and the ones I know are the ones I liked the best. It's a good album, but not great. I will listen to it again, though.
Better than I expected. Simply a fun album.
Kult. et sted punk og the doors
Punk but with a bit more melody and experimentation, and some of that new-wave whininess creeping in. 🍑🍑
Solid album but contains dated, misogynistic references.
Not a fan of this the singer was just poor and did not car for the style. The Stranglers should have been left behind
I'm finding I really don't like whatever punk was in Britain in the late 70's-early 80's. Subpar singing, mediocre guitar, and honestly not much going for this. Had so skip through some songs because they just didn't go anywhere. I don't plan on ever listening to this again. 1.5/5
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
Enjoyed it! Surprising find!
Not bad, I dig the grunge punk vibes here. It’s not something I’d listen to again but I didn’t mind it.
I love The Stranglers, like mix between Frank Zappa, Deep Purple and The Misfits
Kinda bland
Rating: Hanging around, Go buddy go
I love this album so much, at first I expected some heavy metal but it isn’t anything like that. Very fun and experimental rock. I love te weird sounds and vocals. The lyrics are also simple and fun but very catchy. 4,4
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.
peaches is probably my fav
Like T.Rex meets the B52s meets the the Bloodhound Gang meets Jack White
Standout track: Peaches
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
It was a bit samey. Didn't love it or want to listen again.
Rattus crapus.
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.
I actually really liked this album. It has a new wave sound but also sounds a lot like The Doors at times with the organ which is when they’re at their best. The opening track is my favorite for sure, but Goodbye Toulouse and Hanging Around are also good. Also the final medley has some strong moments. The only thing stopping this from being higher is I didn’t like Peaches or Ugly that much at all; the talk-singing style was not my thing and they were both kind of silly especially Peaches. But overall a real surprise
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.
not bad at all
Decent rock
Very solid rock with prominent keyboards. Quite forwardly melodic in a few places, silly and dirty in others.
Kova bas Kova grooves Kova melodier
I like the sound, the guitar playing, the keyboards. Everything stands out.
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.
UK punk/pre-punk that comes off brilliantly. For me, this is another hidden gem that's been discovered on this hunt for 1001 treasures.
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
I once owned a CD set called Living in Oblivion that featured “the 80s Greatest Hits” and while there were some bangers, there were just as many bargain bin acts like Belouis Some and Strawberry Switchblade. The single greatest sin though? My introduction to The Stranglers via Get a Grip on Yourself on volume 2 of this CD set. Hard to reconcile a single from 1977 as a “greatest hit from the 80s”. I felt that same disconnect from this album. I LIKED some of the songs, and some of the songs rubbed me the wrong way, akin to hearing a stupid joke about domestic violence. It’ll get a spare star for its sins.
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.
Robert Smith considers this one of his favourite albums and I trust his judgment. The combination of punk rock and keyboards set forth the new wave movement that would dominated the UK in the late 70s and early 80s. Peaches is such a banger.
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.
I find the album really enjoyable overall. Great riffs, Excellent bass grooves. A lot of attitude and personality in the vocal performances. The themes of the album do not hold up as well as some other new wave or punk projects at the time. The album is not saying a whole lot in its songwriting. But this was a few years before London Calling or Remain in Light so it gets a pass for me. Only thing that really bugged me was track 6. It's a *very* unfaithful cover of Peaches. I haven't seen the Mario movie yet but I heard it on TikTok. This version is all about gawking at asses on the beach. Sexist and disgusting.
nice surprise.
Could only listen to it once because I was really occupied with studying but I definitely loved whatever I heard, definitely gonna relisten after I'm done with my exams
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
So far the best punk album on the list, in my opinion. First of all, repetitiveness of the beat wasn't that off-putting. In fact, the music, mainly drum and bass line, was amplifying absolutely great vocal work. If we take a look at 70s and 80 punk and post punk albums, that have appeared on this list so far, then it is easily the best singer out there. Exceptional stuff, no filler songs, everything is at least above average. Additionally, there is no way I won't mention "Golden Brown", even if that song wasn't included in this album. One of the greatest melodies ever, it is going to influence the score regardless of the rules. I think in normal circumstances this album would receive a 4 stars from me, but to highlight how much better it is than other punk records, I will give it a full 5 stars. Great album!
Skramligt och härligt
I dig this
Fantastic album. I particularly liked the middle 3 of princess of the street, hanging around and peaches. Will definitely listen again.
not their best but very far from their worst
They had a few songs I was bobbing my head to. Peaches I liked! Brit punk. Pretty cool. Kinda kills me to give this a 2 when Alice Cooper got a 3, but it’s not as good as albums we have a 3 to.
First reaction - what the hell am I listening to. The synth is wild, and the vocals are totally off from what I expected. But from the second track on this is very early days of British punk rock. Reminds me of Flogging Molly. Very experimental, and not a huge fan, but I respect it's likely influence on others. If I'd never heard this kind of music before I'd probably love it more. Overall good for music appreciation, but not otherwise not into it.
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
I'm not sure I know this band. Too bad. I quite like them. They fit in while with the sound back then.
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.
It’s a shame that this band only has one album on this list because they’ve released over 20 and have had dozens of hit singles. IMO they’re one of the very best post punk bands to come out of England. I love their trademark deep bass, their use of unusual keyboards and their raunchy off colour vocals and lyrics. Hanging around, Peaches and Get a grip on yourself from this debut album are some of their very best. But it’s too bad they couldn’t include their greatest hits because although they mellowed out later, they had some really fabulous songs like Golden Brown, La folie, Always the sun, Skin deep and No more heroes.
Fun punky album.
Pas trop emballée par certaines paroles misogynes; la musique est entraînante, mais me semble un peu générique
1001 British albums you did not need to hear before you die. I have no clue what to rate this, because I hate the shit out of this and it hurts my ears, but is doesn't seem awful for what it is. 3/5 but a 2/5 because I fucking hate it.
A bunch of catchy songs and a generally good listen
Really interesting, not a band id heard before but a real cool sound.
That bass tone is nasty! This album drips with swagger. Peaches is a good song.
I knew Get A Grip On Yourself and Peaches and... yeah, man, this was exactly what I needed to hear today.
An album I've owned for almost twenty years. It's quintessential Stranglers - distorted, trebly bass, kaleidoscopic keyboards and yobbish vocals. They had yet to fully develop their obsessions with Vikings and aliens, but this is pretty fun nonetheless.
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.
This was unexpectedly good for a punk album. Some of the tracks reminded me of Yes, especially the first one. I could listen to this again.
What the hell is this oddly technical prog punk mix and where has it been my entire life???
Best uk punk album so far.
Not my style of punk.
Punk rock, new wave. Ni fu ni fa.
Un rollo. Punk - rock- new wave.
Meh, straight ahead rock. Not memorable.
Some pretty good songs on here.
sad to report i did not enjoy
It sounds like if The Door sucked
Punk/new wave from the 80s. Interesting addition of bluesy keys.
This album had such good energy throughout the whole thing. Musically this album didn't change much throughout the thing but it still managed to keep my attention to whole way through. Not a bad song on this. 4.5/5
Unusual, but not bad.
Holy smokes, this was their debut album?! This band is hard to describe & I think a little hard to get into, but after a few listens, you'll get pulled in & end up listening to more of their work. Hugh Cornwell has a naturally strong & brooding voice that isn't typical of most punk/post-punk bands. It lends to a deep & rich sound, which stirs up the senses & gives the album gusto. Great listen.
3.5
I liked this, enjoyable and will listen again
Solid piece of British Punk here with heavy doses of what was to become new wave
fun listen. groovy.
Good, but slowly gave me anxiety
Love the keyboard and grungy vocals