Rattus Norvegicus

Ret stabilt, 70’er rock, lidt punket, fed bas og elklaver

Parts of this reminded me of Jack White. Sometimes The Stooges. But this is a little more glossy than the works of those artists. It's got that 70's punk sheen, while maintaining that very punk spirit. A fun listen, really.

Punk rock and organ is something I enjoy. However the lyrics didn’t sit well with me.

Good listen, a little slow in points

I'll put it this way: there was vast improvement in The Stranglers output after this album.

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.

Vor allem die Instrumentals sehr gut. Vocals manchmal bisschen nervig aber ansonsten stark. 8/10

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.

бодро, вполне приколяс - смешные придурковатые песни с качественным звучанием особенно понравилась hanging around вообще альбом такой - очень подходит для hang around

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.

I'm not really feeling the songs. The compositions are too out there. Still a few decent ones.

Love the weirdness that emanates from their songs! Each song was super different, and random and fun. I especially like "sometimes" and "princess on the streets", though they are very different from one another. I do feel like this album is very modd dependent though. And they sound a bit like a leas-good version of the rolling stones. I give it 4/5.

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.

I dig it

Oddball, groovy punk sound.

Enjoyed it, great bass, decent guitar, some fun keyboard runs. Kinda generic 70's brit rock.

kinda cool

I honestly was quite surprised by this album. It was fun, energetic, and a lot of the songs are really catchy. Seems like the right mix of rock and punk.

these guys could make a spooky scary halloween album. it's fine, but not my fav

Killer album through and through. Peaches had been on the soundtrack of Reservoir Dogs maybe(?). Anyhow, it was in a movie some time back and I had thus found entry to this album a while ago and had found it lackluster, but apparently my tastes have improved or degraded...And I loved it. It's that gritty English sound and a very unique one. Love.

Never heard of these guys, but with a name like The Strangles, I was extied to listen to this one. However, the combination of the Clash-iness, loose snare, electric organ, repetition and general Britishness killed the vibe. Finishing this album was a chore.

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.

Started strong, but I was expecting a little harder sound with a name like The Stranglers. Ended up getting a very Doors vibe on some songs with that electric organ. Ended up being more silly than subversive.

Another good find to add to my growing punk adjacent collection.

No

They were good love the rock vibes and stuff ive been given recently but i want more pop all and all good album. 4/5

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.

I hear huge The Doors and Pink Floyd influences on them. Their use of the organ(?) is really cool too. Especially on the intro track.

Punk perfection. Easiest 5 ever.

Tiene unos sonidos muy buenos y el ritmo de las canciones me gusto, pero no me fascinó ninguna en algún momento

Enjoyed this. All the big ones and the filler was pretty good too.

Scott Kelly's noncing World Cup winners 2023.

Hört ett 10-tal låtar med Stranglers förut men ingen av dem är från denna platta. Att jag missat den? Den är ju lysande.

What a strange group the Stranglers were. Perhaps in a solid Europa league spot in the punk premiership, they were hardly punk at all. Insanely musical - but the standout instruments being JJB's bass and Dave Greenfield's swirling keyboards. All accomplished musicians/ice cream business owners. This after nearly fifty years is still a brilliant listen, brimming with catchy choruses and sharp chords. The lyrics? Well only Goodbye Toulouse (apocalyptic destruction of society) and the epic Down In the Sewer (rats resurrect society) are not about beating up women, ugly women, prostitutes, sexually available or unavailable women and so on. were they being 'ironic'. Not really sure myself, and I prefer the rat mythologising. Still, outstanding songwriting.

massa o punkzinho

An album made better by Dave Greenfield's hard organ (heh). A different punk sound with better musicianship.

I thought I knew The Stranglers, I did not. I mean, I knew the popular songs, I had no idea this album was crammed full of great songs I had never heard though. I really like this. It's hard to believe this album is over 40 years old, some of the guitars sound like they could have been recorded yesterday. Fantastic stuff.

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

С начала я подумал, что это будет диско из 80-ых, а потом они начали петь про то, что надо бить девушек в лицо)) Чертов британский панк с диско-синтами. Местами прикольно, но уж слишком много делается упора на проигрыши (в итоге и проиграли сами себе иногда). Вообще синт напоминает синт из The Doors и это круто. Алкоальбом: диско (коктейль, не стиль) в пабе с мужиками пьющими пиво

До этого знал группу только по треку "Golden Brown", который, как мне кажется, послужил основой для саундтрека к советскому фильму про мушкетеров... странная ассоциация, да?) И ещё более интересным этот альбом стал, когда я понял, что на упомянутый трек, он вообще не похож. Ни капельки! Ну разве что Princess of The Streets имеет какие-то схожести. Местами (в London Lady) напомнило Black Sabbath, энергетикой, ритмом, напором. Очень неожиданно было услышать в Peaches какие-то отсылки к регги. Опять же, имхо, такая эклектичность жанров делает прослушивание альбома интереснее + в середине альбома у слушателя появляется новая порция интереса к тому, что же будет дальше. Вообще альбом приятный очень, я бы хотел его переслушать ещё несколько раз. Не знаю почему, он мне ничем опять же не запомнился, но ушам приятно его воспринимать. Вот такая вот история.

Ну что сказать, это определенно мне понравилось. Выебоны тоже неплохие, иногда затянутые, за это и минусую балл. В целом к прослушиванию рекомендуется. 3+

2/5. The songs do hit and sure there is a nice vibe throughout, but not sure if play again. Some songs I’ll grab and keep, the others can stay where they are. Fun rock but not good enough. Also, the main hit is just kinda gross and did not age well.

Hmm - not what I expected. Punk with musicians and instruments. Still not my lane though

Brilliant album

A very cool synthesis of punk and weirdo cockney folk; really enjoyed

Ооо ка роль и шут!

Pretty good but way too long for a punk album. Go Buddy Go was great.

This was pretty cool actually

Peaches is a creepy classic, the rest just ok

Love the synth work.

I had trouble at first distinguishing this album from several other 70s albums of similar genre I've listened to in this project. I felt it might suffer from being past my point of tolerance for "not my favorite" music that I've already spent a lot of time with. A second, closer listen revealed some things I really enjoyed: the keyboards were a pretty cool mix of future and retro. I better heard some of the proto-new-wave sound that foreshadowed the 80s. I also followed the lyrics more closely, and must say there were more than a few WTF moments in there. This isn't going to go on my own list, but I get why it's on this one.

I liked it more than I thought that I would at first glance. Kind of a cool sound, but not something that I am really interested in hearing again.

This was fun (except when it wasn't, and even then it was just kind of dumb). I already knew (Get a) Grip but all the rest was new to me. I laughed out loud at the dopey delivery of the first line of Princess of the Streets (She's gone and left me. I don't know why.) and Peaches (Strolling along minding my own BUSINESS.) The prominence of the organ keeps the tone light and makes this band stand out from others of their genre. Well done!

This is certainly an interesting specimen of 70’s British punk. As someone who is disinclined to love punk music, I started off apprehensive. But this is really well done! The organ was a particular highlight for me. “Down in the Sewer” was a totally epic track! Incredible organ solo at the end! This would be an ideal soundtrack for a groovy haunted house (something I've dreamed of attending ever since I say episode one of The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries in 1977 - someone please recreate this and invite me!). Weird and fun!

Vähän menevämpää rockia kuin tuo alempi levy. Siistit synat ja urkusoolot

Brilliant album, hanging around possibly has the best bass intro of all time.

I digged the synth vibe of the first music. The rest is ok

One decent song

70s rock overload, not into it today

Floating round 3.5 but didn’t quite vibe enough for a 4. Peaches best song.

Quite enjoyed it, again recognised a few of the tracks but never knew the names. Fave track - Peaches

A true classic. The deep baritone of singer Hugh Cornwall, alongside the Farfifa organ sells the album.

I’d say a 3.5 over a 3 just because it’s a bit of a good twist on British punk with the weird keyboards.

Castlevania-like music, second half of the lost my interest, plus some vocals were just weird

Prop for a quasi-punk record using the Latin term for sewer ray as their debut album title. Like many punk acts at the time, their energy and reach far surpassed their skill sets. All that said, they were far more accomplished than most punk acts and even attempted a suite to close out the disc - hence the quasi-punk description. The lyrics have the punk bite even when the songs do not. They would up making more accomplished albums later, but I am not sure they made better albums. Peaches has had a long life from being sampled and used in soundtracks. It is also indicative of the sexist lyrics that are omnipresent - London Lady. While they may have been acceptable at the time, but they certainly have not aged well. If you can look past that issue, the music is a good example of the punk aesthetic melding with more conventional rock influences.

Has a bit more humor than other punk albums of the time. Some of it verges on pop almost. I don't think it's quite as misogynistic as some of the reviews I read.

The first song sounds like the Doors. Lots of sexism in the lyrics. Maybe they are doing some commentary? But if not it’s concerning. This was fine and I could have been fine never having heard it.

Patchy

Calling the album "IV" was clever, suggesting they were an established band, when in fact it was the first album. This was reinforced by the consistent sound throughout the album. Choose any track, and you know you're listening to the Stranglers. I was unfamiliar with all the tracks apart from Peaches. It does have a Punk sound without sticking two fingers up to "the man"; perhaps in 1977 when it was released, it was considered edgier. (I did listen to the sanitised version without the explicit content.) Some tracks are (imo) better than others and the Spotify play statistics would suggest others agree. I enjoyed: Hanging Around, Peaches, (Get A) Grip [on Yourself] & Go Buddy Go.

eh, it wasn't shit but not much better

Just your average new wave-punk-rock album really

Very decent

Boom! Album opens off groovy, baby! Rock n Roll, let's gooo!! The album has some great metaphors within the lyrics, little double meanings that increase the listening pleasure. I was surprised at how much i enjoyed this album, I really thought I would lose interest as it moved on, but my attention was retained through till the end. Great album.

Was pretty fun but got a bit boring after a while

Had trouble getting into this today.... Grandkids were helping

Ok album one known song

Some pretty awesome songs, but also some terrible ones... inconsistent album.

De meeste nummers waren maar zozo. Hun hitje Peaches blijft wel leuk

Probably 2.5...

Good!

Enjoyed this. Close to a 4. Hanging Around is the best song on the album.

Good album. Enjoyed this one

Pretty swag, but puke listen to in the car in the summer

i'd be sad if this was the last album i listened to before dying

THIS IS MUSIC FOR GIRLS

Why do all of these british punkrock albums sound exactly the same This one a bit better than the other ones so far They have a great synth player 2.5/5

Another new wave album... I've probably listened to more new wave since I started using this site ~500 songs ago than I have in my whole life, and I was alive in the 80s. That said, I wasn't completely annoyed by this. The album is probably a little better than I am giving it credit for, but I'm just tired of this style. I really liked "Hanging Around" but the rest of it was just ok. 3.5 stars

Kind of fun, but also kind of noncey.

The music is a great mix of new wave and punk aesthetics. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get past the misogynistic lyrics on a number of the tracks.

Like Elvis Costello meets The Damned. Great bass tone on the whole record.

I thought I would enjoy this because I thought I liked the stranglers. Turns out I had not really listened to the lyrics as a kid. Pretty gross throughout. Keep the bassist and guitarist. Replace everything else and it would be a good album.

I am a lyrics guy. On the one hand, this means I can really get into shittily produced bedroom pop with a great story. On the other, even if the production is fun, I can't stand by while lyrics like 'Walking on the beaches looking at the peaches Will you just take a look over there (where?) there Is she tryin' to get outta that clitares? Liberation for women That's what I preach' Or 'Little choosey Susie help me find eternity You and me, we're gonna be free We're gonna make love until you bleed Yeah, take it from me Hugh...' Rubbish, awful, not a good album.

neat

Only song I really knew by the stranglers previously was golden brown, and this album shows they were heavily into drugs way before that. Sounded like the Jam in parts but much more fun, would like to hear more.

Quite enjoyed that. More memorable than I expected, if I have time I'll explore their back catalogue.

I love some classic British punk and this was no exception. It's less political and more silly but found that a refreshing change. Highlights were "Sometimes", "Peaches" and "Hanging Around".

I thought I would like this more than I did. Still enjoyed it but thought it was lyrically a bit silly!

Enjoyable!

Ok

Good album but not great. Production still sounds really fresh and the bass is very driving. Listened to this twice and it was great to jog to this morn. However it is a bit repetitive and the best of the songs are much better than the rest. "Peaches" is a great earworm but has quite creepy lyrics!

3.5 rounded down for now, it could use another listen though. Definitely a couple good songs here.

A noisy angry punk album. Didn’t particularly enjoy this one as the lyrics were a bit overly aggressive. The instrumentals were fine, pretty average for a punk album but I don’t particularly enjoy the genre. 4.2/10

Je trouve ça extrêmement suspect que Rattus Norvegicus soit généré juste après Suede... Robert ?

Ratus le rat vert viens ici nous apprendre - sous couvert de différentes méthodes plus ou moins convaincantes - l'art de la lecture. Sa gueguerre avec Victor le chien est toujours aussi succulente, et ravira petits et grands.

Think I went through this one twice by accident as it was on shuffle for some reason. Not really my cup of tea but did enjoy being suprised by Peaches. Spooky lads

Decent. I like the organ type sound throughout. Didn’t realises Peaches was on here which is always going down well. Opening song is sound too

I'm impressed with some of the rhythm they could produce with their instruments back in 1970s. I ignored all the lyrics while listening to this album.

Boring.

Loved the out there style and lyrics. FT: Peaches

notes - Debut album by the stranglers - Post punk with some psych elements - Sounds like the doors taking themselves less seriously - Deals with some heavy lyrical themes - The vocals have a low, crooner quality to them that adds to the unsettling spookiness of their sound - I really like the way the keys add - I don’t like the lead guitar in most songs - multiple times its just a scale melody going up and down note by note - fav - hangin around - Love the bass in this song, and the chorus call and response least fav - princess of the streets - Doesn’t really go anywhere, the solo does the scale thing that I mentioned - 3.5/5

I've not heard of this band before today. The music itself is decent but I don't think its something that I would regularly listen to. I can see why people might like this but to me its just not my favorite type of music.

Really good album, with some classic tracks.

Eh

Not a fan

About average

PREFS : TOUT MOINS PREF : RIEN

I enjoyed it, it's catchy and fun, but it also sounds like the roving antics of adolescents. Which they were not, they were like 28 when this was released. Seems like something that could grow on me though. I don't know.

Like some kind of British Anti-Doors on heroin instead of LSD. Keyboard punk is a rare sound, but I think it works well. Very tuneful, especially with that snarling bass. Singer is verging on The Fall type territory with the intentional flatness, but it has a little more menace to it, which I like. They make cynicism sound so catchy and seductive.

Very The Fall-qesue in the vocal delivery, which I'm a fan of. Some good punk for sure.

Finally, an artist I've never heard of. True music discovery. Three songs in, and I'm not feeling it. Sounds like a punk/new wave hybrid, and not much in the way of musicality. I know that's a feature not a bug, but it's not my thing. I'm going to push through and finish the album because who knows Eight songs in and my opinion hasn't changed. This sound is so spot-on new wave, it could be satire. Welp, I made it. Honest opinion: I hated it. I can see why this could be seen as the genre-defining album for New Wave, and I guess I learned that I hate New Wave. Rating: 1/5 No favorite song I'll probably listen to some 90's rock now, to cleanse my palette.

Sounds like a precursor to a lot of my favourite bands/genres. Strong lead guitar, campy vocals, absolute demon on the bass, solid spurts of organ. Verging on post punk I guess. A few allusion to what was to come from the 80s. Actually yeah very post punk. I'm super familiar with Peaches but I have no idea why - sounds so much like it could be a song by Shame. Bit of a powerhouse album as you get into the second half. Love the heavy guitar/bass being offset by the organ and sax - eg Down in the Sewer. Bit of a grower but it really winds out nicely. Fk me it just keeps getting stronger at Go Buddy Go.

Fun musicality, ska adjacent, they have fun with their voices

Very good, just not my cup of tea

Chippy British new wave punk. Fun and somewhat dark at times lyrics. Unconventional sound.

I didn't listen to much of The Stranglers. I own the Live album, but I pretty much only listened to their cover of All Day and All Night and Skin Deep. Much like that experience, not a lot else sticks with me. I get that they're the more modern version of something like Question Mark and the Mysterians. It never quite landed for me. I also never saw them as punk, outside of their name. It's not bad, but far from definitive.

Not bad...not familiar...enjoyed it. Peaches was good, but really lliked Sometimes, Goodbye Toulouse and Down in the Sewers...weirdness and fun...but not high on my revisit list.

To be honest I kinda skipped this cuz it was just not the vibe

Super surprised I had never heard of this band before. A+ album title and overall a pretty solid album. 3/5

pretty good - never heard of the band, love the album name

La seva manera d'entendre el punk va ser la més personal de totes, fent de pont amb la new wave, génere al qual ells van ajudar a obrir camí. 'Peaches', 'Hanging Around', 'Sometimes'... No és evident a primera vista, però es tracta d'un disc clàssic, referencial i influent

Oh look- another punk album.

Ich kann mir vorstellen, dass das Album damals ein großes Werk war. Mit heutigen Ohren ist es für mich zu monoton und nervig.

Loved the album so much!

this album is... really sexist?? why is this on here i get being mad about a girl cheating on you but christ almighty man this is just silly sorry she cheated on you bro, have fun being an incel i guess at least the new wave instrumental stuff is interesting

This album whips. Catchy 70s punk with cool 60s keyboards! Shame about some of the lyrics

Peñazo. Solo me ha gustado "Goodbye Toulouse", por eso se queda en 2 estrellas y no baja a nivel de huid. Un disco que no considero imprescindible.

Eh

Very unique rock, liked it

So funky!

Can see how this was a big deal at the time. Punk?

Stood out to me immediately as kind of unorthodox punk, and the sound works brilliantly throughout the record. The album had its share of standout tracks, too. "Peaches" displays a killer baseline and the piece knows exactly where to go next, operating as the standout single, whereas the sprawling "down in the sewer" shows that the band weren't just a singles act. Overall, a great record.

would i listen to this again? probably not. was it a particularly bad experience? nah, not really. 2.5/5 stars

Enjoyed a lot but was a bit meh after a while

Good but had enough by the end

British new wave punk style music. Would have maybe liked it a bit more if it weren’t for so much organ music thrown in there. I just typically don’t like organ or piano in my rock music.

Didn't enjoy this much

Bizarre but not off-putting surprisingly. I actually quite thoroughly enjoyed the sound of it. Favorite: Peaches

A solid album. Timeless rock, punchy mood, swaggering but a bit one-noted.

British punk band. Pretty cool sound. Not totally punk.

I’m familiar with a different record of theirs but only that. This was a good listen but removed from its context it felt unremarkable.

I didn't like this album. Maybe old school punk isn't my taste. The songs weren't very catchy and the singing didn't do it for me. Idk why, just not my thing I guess. Favorite song: N/A Worst song: Ugly

"Rattus Norvegicus" is the debut album by the English band The Stranglers hailing from Guildford, Surrey. It was also one of the highest selling punk-era albums in Britain. Although, besides punk rock, I see classifiers such as New Wave, pub rock and art rock. And you know what? They all fit. When you're led primarily by an organ/keyboard, I think you can slide into many a category. This album is quite good, recorded in six days trying to capture their live act. The title is the taxonomic name of the brown rat and in one reference an allusion to The Black Death (although it was not caused by the brown rat). Thr album title was going to be called Dead on Arrival (record company didn't like) and IV is on the cover which I would have thought was the title. "Sometimes" gets things going. This is a unique sounding song: Organ-melody driven, a more punk rhythm section and sort of a prog-rock sounding guitar. Lyrics are definitely edgy being about a violent argument with a girlfriend. I think the second song "Goodbye Toulouse" is my favorite on the album. More aggressive punk guitar with multi-tracking (I hear that same sort of guitar in Fucked-Up's "David Comes To Life"). Chunky bass. Great weird organ intro. Pop chorus. About Nostradamus' prediction on the destruction of Toulouse. On "Hanging Around," the keyboard have a roller rink feel. Another poppy chorus. About guys at the pub. They sound a lot like The Cars here. Side B begins with their two singles released from this album. "Peaches" is bass driven and with the keyboards and sort of slash guitar riffs has a "Watchng the Detective" vibe. Nothing messing around with the intent: "Walking on the beaches looking at the peaches." "(Get A) Grip (on Yourself)" is fast paced with the rhythm and a unique organ/keyboard chorus. About the band's life. The album ends with "Down the Sewer" which has four parts. Nice guitar solos, prominent bass, organ melody. Almost prog sounding and structure. Based on the TV drama "Survivors" where people from the country move to a city where all they find are rat-driven sewers. The only Stranglers' song I remember is "Skin Deep" which I liked quite a bit. This is a really good album and I will definitely be checking out more Stranglers' music.

I enjoyed the album, a janky almost ska like punk record.

Good band. There is nice songs.

a nice mix of punk and new wave. their lyrics were weird at times, but i suppose i couldn't doubt how punk they were. they definitely did open the whole album with the lyric "someday i'm going to smack your face." their songs were quite catchy, which is reminiscent of punk at this time in the late seventies. but all in all, nothing too memorable.

This album hits with a mix of punk, new wave, and a surprising hint of psychedelic -- something that listens as being akin to The Doors. Honestly, this was one of the more unique punk-labelled inclusions that I have received on this project thus far. This is something that is fairly obscure and niche; it is something I would otherwise not find on my own and is a perfect example of what I like to hear on this project!

Probably the first punk album I bought on Vinyl (in the 80s though) I know they were just a bit of a pub rock band that got caught up in the scene. The keyboards made them different. A punk Doors with ugly lyrics. "Sometime I'm gonna smack your face" Enjoyable punky pub rock. 3

The only song that I’ve herd from this band is golden brown, it’s a good song but not on this album, Hearing the first line “someday i’am gonna smack your face” wasn’t what I expected from this band at all but the song it’s from (sometimes) is good. Following suit was goodbye Toulouse a real rampage I felt the instrumental dragged for a bit too long but the track is good. London lady is pure punk with a few synths…it should be something I like but I don’t for some reason. Princess of the streets is a brilliant slow down and the lyrics have been some of the best so far but Burnel’s vocals aren’t as good as Cornwell’s and this track made that really apparent to me. Hanging around is one of the most groovy tracks an amazing close to side one. FUCK! I’ve herd peaches so much I used to love this song i’am so happy I’ve found who made it!!! (Get a) grip (on yourself) was another fucking banger really solid 1,2 punch of singles for side b. Ugly is a bit mental but it’s probably my favourite song with Brunel on vocals. Down in the sewer is a medley track it’s a nice way to close the album!

I liked this one quite a bit! I love the upbeat nature of it. Some songs were more interesting than others, but that's to be expected.

A strong, very even album but not enough standout tracks for me to make it a 5*

Much better than I expected - I often find their stuff a bit cringey but in context it's cracking.

So weird… in the best way possible

Middle of the pack

like bedre golden brown

Greit å få utvida postpunk-referansane mine

Ok album. I probably wouldn't listen again.

I'm familiar with The Stranglers bigger singles and have long adored 'Golden Brown' from 1981's 'La Folie'. I think I probably have heard Rattus, but probably a long time ago. I did catch them live at a small festival in Guildford (Their home town) many years ago and remember them being brilliant. This brand of punk with keys and a bit of sax every now and then really appeals to me. One thing that caught me a bit off guard is that you can hear little bits of the emerging bass heavy, repetitive, droning post punk sound, particularly on the standout song, the opener 'Sometimes.' I also caught snatches of Blues, Rock and Roll and even a little Skiffle in there, but nothing sounds out of place. Brilliant album.

It's fine, but another one I don't understand

very cool

A consistently fun album to listen to, although all of the lyrics didn't appeal to me. Favourite songs from the album: (Get A) Grip [on Yourself] Go Buddy Go

Was fairly boring

I think I’m beginning to learn that 70’s punk is realllll hit and miss with me; and this was a miss

T3B 1. Down In The Sewer (Medley) 2. Princess Of The Streets 3. Sometimes Such an absolute banger. No bad songs. Great vibe, structure, and complexity. Had trouble narrowing out my top 3 bangers. It’s beautiful. It’s fun. It’s also a 5!

I quite liked the vibe and attitude, but it's not really for me, or an album I'd revisit.

Weird. Different. I liked it.

Reminds me of The Jam, and a bit of The Cars. Vocalist somehow sounded like Thin Lizzy’s occasionally I liked the keyboard work Some songs bored me but some songs I liked quite a bit. Oat first I thought I wasn’t gonna care for it but I liked it more as it went on. Stuck between 3 and 4.

Never heard of ‘em. Apparently, they’re late 70s British punk. - Sometimes – Opens right into it with a rocking bass and guitar riff plus cool synths and the golden tier lyric “Someday I’m going to smack your face.” It’s a fun rock tune albeit really uncomfortably angry and violet. More synth than I’d expect from a punk band. Frankly, more musicality as well. I like this one as an album opener, though in the context of an argument with a girlfriend, it gets really uncomfortable. Domestic abuse has become decidedly less kosher in the past five decades. - Goodbye Toulouse – A bit of a step down. I don’t care about Toulouse, so this song just doesn’t really resonate with me. It’s not a bad track, just less to my taste. More repetitive and bland than the preceding. - London Lady – Nice guitar in the intro. Upbeat but with a slightly wistful edge. Good bass and drum breaks. I like this one a lot. - Princess of the Streets – Brings things down a bit. Feels more like a Styx track. I like the vibe though. Don’t like the vocals or the really misogynist attitudes displayed in this one. Actually uses the phrase “what a piece of meat” to describe the woman… Absent that gross lyric, it’s a pretty good “femme fatale” song. Definitely gives the album variety. - Hanging Around – That bass riff though! Nice synth opener too. Don’t get all the imagery on this one. The chorus isn’t my favorite. ON the whole, a pretty good track though. Nice solo with great interplay between guitar and keys. A mixed track with some meh and some really great elements. - Peaches – The lead track of the song. Nice riff to open. A pretty sexually aggressive song for the time. The “peaches” in question are pretty obviously lady parts. Salacious but nice. - (Get a) Grip (on Yourself) – Opening riff is good. Nice solos in here. My favorite so far. - Ugly – Sounds nice, but I hate the lyrics. Quite repetitive too. - Down in the Sewer – A 7:53 medley of songs. Part a) is titled “Falling” and is a solid instrumental. Part b) “Down in the Sewer” adss in vocals. Another weird one, but decent. Part c) “Trying to Get Out Again” is a more upbeat instrumental. Part d) “Rats Ralley” begins with a driving bass riff and closes out the song with strong solos and build up to a big rock ending. Good stuff. Whole thing reminds me a bit of The Who with a slightly sharper edge. It’s good English rock. More to my taste than the Soft Boys album I listened to a few days ago. Great album! Definitely in my top few of this project. It’s got great bass and synths throughout, while the guitar and drums each have solid moments to shine. The snarling attitude and dark subject matter is fitting for punk. Outside of weird misogyny and other things that haven’t aged well, it’s a great early punk album. Easy 4/5 at least. Top Tracks: - London Lady has some great moments. - Princess of the Streets is an awesome femme fatale track outside the “meat” lyric. - Peaces is as salacious you get on 70s radio rock. - (Get a) Grip (on Yourself) is an awesome “being a rock star kinda sucks” track.

Really interesting sound that’s extremely of the time but also very distinct to them. The jazz organ's a very The Doors move, but the bass playing kicks things into high gear

Du vraiment bon punk, j'ai ete surpris j'evitais un peu lalbum car j'ai eu beaucouod 'labum punk depuis quelque semaine mais celui ci se demarque du lot 4.5

At last a true classic

Punk classic

Just not my music

Not my type of music

me re gustó fue muy diver!!! uno de los que más me gustó por ahora 8.5 / 10

The Stranglers. Difficult to say more than that.

It's pretty good 4/5

Weird but good

Creeped me out couldn’t finish

There is this keyboard or piano they are using that makes each song so fun. Not a genre I listen to but it was a vibe.

Liked it.

Decent listen by a excellent band.

Best Song: London Lady. Has a stronger punk element than the rest of the album. Worst Song: Ugly. Everything about this song is ugly, from the lyrics to the singer's attempts to sing on rhythm. Overall: Big English oof. Another contender for British band I'd do find to not know about. The fact that this album is included on "1001 albums" is, quite frankly, offensive. There's life outside your borders, goddamnit.

I dig it, not typically a type of music I would choose to listen too but I am not disappointed. Really enjoying the music, vocals are ok.

Very good album, didn't know them

Great new wave debut

Another forgettable album. Nothing on it memorable in any way.

Meh

It's not bad, early pop-punkish right there with the likes of Buzzcocks. The singer's voice, to someone who is usually good at not being "annoyed" by singing styles, can get a little irritating due to how "snotty" it is. I like it when he gets pretty guttural on "Ugly". Also, they typically find one chord progression and beat it to the ground. It caused me to zone out a bit. None of this is offensive, and I like the multi-part closing track, but none of this is... super memorable. "Peaches" is a weird track, too. A punk-rock ass-anthem. Strange. Favorite tracks: "Princess of the Pack", "London Lady", "Down In the Sewer"

Zany Captain Beefheart style shenanigans with an Elvis Costello impersonator

bom rock, 4/5

Pretty good punk album, but not a "must-listen to" album. Forgettable.

Rattus Norvegicus aka The Stranglers IV is the debut album by the English punk rock band the Stranglers. This album was one of the best-selling albums during Britain's punk era, and it was certified platinum in the UK. The music on this album is well produced and fun; it was a collection of the band's live set list at the time. This is a great punk rock album and it does a great job of showcasing the British punk scene from the 70's.

Punk que não chamou a atenção o suficiente para deixar alguma lembrança significativa.

One of the most tightly wound records I’ve heard in a while. But it’s eccentric and weird too. The tone oscillates between wacky, horny and menacing. Wild stuff. Really fun. The music is full of spiky riffs and big hooks. I love that keyboard tone too. (It’s featured pretty prominently on “Hanging Around.”) It’s one of the trademark sounds of new wave rock and I pretty much can’t get enough of it. Great musicianship all around - some excellent guitar playing too. “(Get a) Grip (On Yourself)” in particular is fantastic. It’s my favorite track here.

Punk rock, but not face melting.

Great album! I never listened to it before despite this band having another song that is a ~top 200 song of all time for me (Golden Brown). I like the arrangements, the performances (very cool synth leads on the first track!), the attitude, and the production. I'm also enjoying how diverse some of the tracks sound compared to the rest of the album - it's very diverse and they don't come across as a formulaic type of band one bit. One standout on a lot of tracks it the bass. The parts are written well, performed well, and mixed very well. I'll be adding a good amount of these tracks to some rotations.

Doors-like

I’ve heard this one before and it’s really good and gets better each time I listen to it. 3.5/5. Standouts: Get a Grip On Yourself, Peaches, Hanging Around, Goodbye Toulouse

I liked this!

A really fun, catchy, and diverse punk record

I was introduced to the stranglers in a bizarre way. This was just as strange on a tropical coast setting.

Plenty of energy and fun being had. I could probably do with a bit more Stranglers in my life.

The Stranglers vs. the Wokes. I know who I'd rather listen to. They manage to offend just about everyone. Man that bass, that keyboard.........I love these guys. This is seminal 70's UK punk.

Wow, something from the British punk wave that doesn't immediately suck ass. I actually liked this from start to finish and it has really memorable songs. The sound may be of its time but the performance, especially the vocals, are really tight on this one.

I am someone who is a big fan of music that came out around 1977: The Clash, Talking Heads, Sex Pistols, Iggy Pop, Television, Modern Lovers, Elvis Costello, etc. This album sounds like a parody of a good punk album from the late 70s. At first I thought there were some interesting sounds then I was like "Wait a second, is this song encouraging domestic abuse?" "Wait this song is misogynistic af" Favorite Songs(if any): Peaches, London Lady, Down In the Sewer

2.5. Definitely something I can get into!

1 or 2 decent tracks. 1.2⭐

Meh, not a huge fan 3*

Punk, new wave, 1977. An album to listen to for all the lovers of the genre and the music in general, especially to have some fun with entertaining rythmic solutions and glamorous melodies. Finally, not a bad song on the whole LP and a tremendous three track run just before the last moments of the project (Hanging Around, Peaches, Grip).

Punk!

Enjoyed the listen! Would probably listen again

Strong start, weak finish

Jeg kan ikke nævne ét moderne britisk punkband, der ikke har skamhørt Stranglers.

Fun and catchy

Never heard of them. Good album though.

5/10. Long and meh

I spent most of the runtime of this album wondering why I disliked it so much. Other than the fact that it feels 10 years too late to hop onto an already over saturated psychedelic scene and is British as hell, it should be fine, right? Then I saw someone in the global reviews mention Ian Dury and it all clicked. Fuck whatever this genre is. 4/10

First time listening to a Stranglers album and I was a bit surprised by their sound. I was expecting maybe a faster, harder punk sound, but instead it was quite tame, which is a good thing. I can hear why this debut was a success, nice sound and good songs. I don't think this will convince me to be a fan, but I will make an effort to listen to more Stranglers' albums.

Still some fresh sounds in here, Peaches is a kicker.

I saw The Stranglers in 1977 and it was terrifying. Respectable looking men went into the toilets in suits to get changed and came out covered in lipstick and safety pins, unrecognisably different. JJ Burnel jumped into the crowd in the middle of a song and beat up someone, no idea why, but the band ignored it and kept on playing. He got back up on stage, plugged back in and resumed playing as if nothing had happened. The music was tremendously exciting, though I didn't like punk until 30 years later.

first listen quirky and energetic

Ok, but nothing that stands out. ‘Peaches’ tossing curvature references to the wind.

Used to love these as a kid, but only ever had two different Best of albums. Naturally much of this was on it. So I never got around to listening to any of their albums proper, here we go. You've got to love that bass. Kicks off with a song about smacking your girlfriend around, nice. I knew there was always this edge, with Peaches obviously, who knows if it's sincere. Had a feeling the lyrics wouldn't age well, but the sound is wonderful. Grip was always one of my favourites of there's and it's my favourite on this album. Absolute stone cold banger. I don't think there's anything else here quite up to that high standard, but it's good. To be fair though, I will probably go back to the best ofs next time I need my Stranglers hit. Need Strange Little Girl and others.

-Lots of strong bass + keyboard grooves. I particularly like the groove in "Goodbye Toulouse." The riff in "Sometimes" is quite good as well -I like the fast but in "London Lady" when they say "Plastic's real when you're real sick" over and over -The lyrics and some of the instrumental on "Princess of Streets" gets quite heavy -The drum/guitar breakdowns in "Hanging Around" and very cool -Great bass/keyboard intro on "Peaches." The main riff is also totally sweet. Also the lines "Down on the beaches, just look at all the peaches" are pretty funny and catchy -This album has great instrumentation and lyrics throughout, it is very close to being a 5. Everything was great, it was just missing some special factor to kick it up a notch

Lyrics were cheeky but boring. Maybe it was edgy but now just seems like that crass, drunk guy in the corner (looking at you Peaches). The constant organ in the background doesn't help. Drab curtains handing over a stage with worn shag carpet underfoot during an okay show. This album's lyrics just feel so heavily dated that they overshadowed the decent hooks.

Ok

Really good favorite songs Grip and the 2 before that

Nice and hippie, not too bad

This album really straddles the line between punk, hard rock, while incorporating elements of art rock and psychedelia into a palatable and exciting package. There’s a sense of danger and sneer to this music which is appealing. These songs are interesting enough musically but accessible enough to be at home in a pub or a college dorm room.

Really enjoyed this one and not just because it's got Peaches on it

noisy noise

Unbelievable stuff. Came across it myself a few weeks ago. It got me through my thesis. Very original sound.

Great album! And Spotify led me on an incredible genre path after this. Had a good day.

Igjen, helt greit, men komme nok ikkje til å høre igjen med det første. Ga heller ikkje et ønske om å høre mer av de. 2/5

Ikkje lika bra som golden brown

very nice

The album looks like your car broke, you are lost, and the only people that can help you live in this weird mansion close to you but away from anything else. These weird guys invite you in and some kind of private party is going on inside. Everyone looks at you, checking you out as you are taken to a hot cup of tea and a landline. Next thing you know you are all sweety, smelling like smoke and cuddling with a taxidermized animal that looks oddly familiar.

Part of my youth. Great tunes but the misogyny is hard to stomach these days.

Pretty good post punk 80s vibes

Fantastic! A favourite from the 70’es punk era

Not bad but not amazing, by any means. I wouldn't have necessarily even have called this a punk album if I hadn't looked up a bit of context on the album.

Pretty cool mix of punk and more classic rock sensibilities. Liked some of the synth work.

The Stranglers have been on my radar for a minute, but the only album I’ve ever listened to from them is their newest. This was good! I like the mix of classic punk with some new wave tendencies, and it has strong melodies. I do think that I would have rated it higher if I heard this when I was getting into punk stuff, but hey, I’m a yank. The Stranglers had no presence here. But this is probably the equivalent of Marquee Moon over in the UK. B

From the first touch of the key I was hooked. Reminds me of some of the stuff I heard when I wrangled up all the punk and hardcore I could via Kazaa, specifically the (International) Noise Conspiracy, the Buzzcocks, and Iggy. I *really* love the diversity and sequencing on this album. “Princess of the Streets” is a perfect change-of-pace track after an energetic opening trio, almost treading into Judas Priest-y heavy blues. Similarly, “Peaches” works that streetwise angle sneering and strutting while tracks like “Goodbye Toulouse“ and “Choosy Susie” charge swifter and harder. It’s focused and fearless, keyboard and guitar solos are often evocative, elevating what’s often a very “proto” kind of feel to something that’s both primitive and futuristic. It’s quirky, too, at times approaching a familiar new wave sound from a different angle. Simply put, this shit is the biz, kinda surprised I haven’t stumbled upon this earlier. 4

70s Pop/Punk with added keyboards. The singing is par for the course for the genre - which doesn't make it particularly good. The album fails to reach me, it's competent for the genre, but nothing I would listen to again. 2/5

Possibly the most enjoyably fun punk album. This or Ian Dury. Sparky, snotty and cynical, with possibly the best drummer and tons of Hammond organ to piss off the purists. The run from Hanging Around to Ugly is some of the most fun you can have with your trousers on.

Was looking forward to this but wasn't expecting it to have stood the test of time. I couldn't have been more wrong. Thoroughly enjoyed this and will definitely listen again.

Absolutely elctricifying album. Loved the driving bass and viscerally sneering vocals.

A really great album that is engaging all the way through. It would have been a 5 but some of the lyrics have not aged well and make for uncomfortable listening.

Oh hey, it's that band that did Golden Brown, that song kicks ass. Oh, but it it's not on here. The album is pretty good, though. Not great, but pretty good.

Nautin tästä ehkä turhan paljon :D Mut siis häikäilemätöntä rallattelua eikä liian totista. Ja ah, hyvät kaahailu-urut. Pitää ostaa cdnä, jos hommaan joskus kesäauton.

Siis ihan hyvä levy, avausraidan synahommat ainakin hauskoja ja muutenkin kirpeää menoa mutta vähän mietin onko taas brittibias. 2.5/5 pyöristyy ylöspäin.

This band recorded "Golden Brown"??? I kinda dig the marriage of punk and keyboards. Aggro and New Wave. Decent chops, especially for the bassist. And chord progressions longer than 3. Whimsical modulations and lyrics in Peaches. It's giving me a Cheap Trick feeling. And one of the vocalists sounds a lot like Nick Cave. Ugly should have been kicked off this island. The rest were a pleasant surprise. But seriously... six years later, "Golden Brown"??????

Ganz cool aber hat mich auch nicht sonderlich beeindruckt

macht Spaß

Love punk and adding keys is great. This album is a lot of fun. Lyrically though it's definitely a bit uncomfortable at times, not in a cool punk way sadly.

Wrong kind of energy for me, eh.

Bho, abbastanza noia.

29th March 2022 Listened mainly on the way in to the office then finished there. Met up with Lev in the evening and went to Busaba for aubergine curry. Riotous and engaging with a witty punch, not the stranglers you know from Golden Brown but raw and exciting. Classic punk.

This album used to be on in our house quite a bit when I was growing up so I have a soft spot for it. The arpeggiated synth parts I still love and they definitely know how to write a bass riff. Special shout out to Peaches which, as a child, I thought was about Fishes

Wasn't sure how enthused I'd be about a Stranglers album without Golden Brown on it but I thought this was very good. The emphasis on organ and bass add so much to the standard punk sound, and there are hooks aplenty. 3.5, but I'm feeling more generous these days so I'll round up to a 'IV'.

Really like the bass and organ in Stranglers tunes. Only familiar with a couple of these songs previously, but this was a very enjoyable listen

Some intermittent drama, the occasional winning hook and very solid (even groovy textures with intricate instrumentation – cool keys here and there and strong, steady bassing), but there’s a one-note and droning quality that leaves me lukewarm – especially to the singing, which feels below average. The stiff vocals seem to befit the blocky structures. One hears the influence of “Peaches” and “Down in the Sewer” on The Fall. They were legendary live, weren’t they? This recordings may suffer in comparison. IMHO, they got better as they got poppier and more sophisticated, which represented a pretty big leap from the rougher early days heard here. The cheeky cover of “Walk on By” also rocks (in rather their original mode and maybe the best thing they ever did).

I've never listened to or even massively heard of the Stranglers. I guess that's a bit shocking since it sounds like they're a big deal. This has quite a cool sound. Can't say I love punk normally. But the sound of this album is pretty interesting and different I even actually find the guitar soothing as opposed to chaotic or stressful. I really like the drum rolls in their tracks and the drumming in general is pretty nice. The first time I listened I didn't pay much attention but I did feel good about having it in the background.

Well I would say this was a grower. Big themes of the Fall, I guess they were an influence? But yeah I got more and more into this. Found some of the misogynistic lingo a bit annoying, but maybe they were poking fun an incels rather than actually being critical of "crazy women". By the end got into the style more fo sure

Pretty good stuff. Got some good classics on it but I'm not in love with it

Awful

Not what I would normally listen to but very good early punk

This is what British punk sounds like in the late 1970s? It's not my cup of tea. I liked one song. It's not bad, I just wouldn't listen to it again.

yee

Album ok de new wave et early punk. S'écoute bien mais rien de fou.

I liked it very much. Good punk-pop project; although the lyrics didn't aged very well.

Есть несколько интересных песен и гитарных риффов. Но в этом списке, имхо, не самый необходимый альбом.

A beautiful album. Kept me hooked till the last min.

This debut strikes me as the introduction to another tailor-made band. The organ is incredibly flattered by the mix, and the sleaze is the perfect level of grime except, perhaps, on Peaches.

dont really like the vocals. simple music. keyboard and guitar solos are very nice. Peaches is way better than the other songs.

Very British

Kreativ, die Jungs. Hat mir besser gefallen als gedacht.

It would seem that the 70s had a thing for organs in the higher register leading the melodies, and one should be grateful that this trend is no longer as prevalent. It certainly has its place, and one should hope it stays there. For a little bit, it seems that the keyboard prevalence was dialed down for "Princess of the Streets" but then during a bridge, it made a rather not-so-subtle return on what had been a mainly guitar-centric song. While the style is indicative of the decade, The Stranglers did manage to strike a difference from the more melodious tendencies of their contemporaries. Focusing on the groove, less on the repetitive choruses, The Stranglers perform their version of storytelling through song, much of it seemingly nonsensical or intended as some profound satire but for some listeners that could be the point because this is punk rock. Musically, keys notwithstanding, aggressive beats and adequate electric guitar inclusions keep the listener mostly engaged with minimal risk of losing them altogether. For this reviewer, the best punk rock is the kind that makes one feel as though they should be listening to it. While The Stranglers achieve that appeal on some songs, they do not on others, but that is purely an issue of preference. Objectively, this album has heart and it seems up front about being what it is, and there is respect to be had there.

Ah, this is what The Stranglers were about. Good honest semi punk rock. And bonus point for no 'Golden Brown', the worst single ever released?

Pretty good, singles are classics

Punk rock setentero. Vinilo.

This won't be any good. Yeah, not very good, but not obnoxious. First song was dece, bit doors-ey, then it hit early punk suck territory. This is why I should be able to give ratings out of ten - 2 seems too low, and 3 seems too high. This is exactly what 2.5/5 sounds like.

Je connaissais de nom J'attendais le hit que j'allais reconnaître... ... Un peu comme si les doors avait un peu moins de choses à dire, qu'ils avaient un bassiste un peu lourdaud, un claviériste et un guitariste beaucoup moins talenteux et trippaient sur jerry lee lewis au lieu de coltrane😆 Pas ma tasse de thé, j'imagine qu'ils ont d'autres albums meilleur, à ce que je comprends c'est leur premier...

Oh ! Je ne connaissais pas ça, mais j’ai eu beaucoup de plaisir. Un band qui semble indécis. Ça me donne l’impression que c’est un band de rock qui a mis un seul des 2 pieds dans le punk qui arrivait. C’est aussi l’époque ou le Reggae arrive plus fort. Ils se sont sentis obligés d’en faire une et ce n’est pas très réussi. C’est en fait rarement réussi à mon avis. Même de nos jours. Dans l’ensemble, c’est l’fun et hyper pas politiquement corect.