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Salient. Official Newspaper of Victoria University of Wellington Students Association. Vol 40 No. 25. September 26 1977

The Stranglers

The Stranglers

As the man from "Sounds" said - "when was the last time you heard an angry psychedelic band?

Unfortunately there exists a situation in which New York acts are classified as 'New Wave' at the expense of English acts being reduced to 'Punks'. If any one English band currently 'making noise' should be placed alongside the company of Television, it's the Stranglers.

At the risk of falling into the I've-hear-this-all- before syndrome, I personally rate "IV Rattus Norvegicus" as one of the best English Rock album releases so far this year (Rock doesn't include Rod Stewart or Fleetwood Mac).

Whereas the Pistols play loud, brash uncontrolled rock'n roll ("No Fun"), the Stranglers combine their particular rock'n roll with a nostalgic glance back to the mid-late sixties, but with an eye optimistic of the future. The Stranglers are just your average four-piece outfit (Hugh Cornwall [unclear: auitars]/vocals ; Jean Jacques Bumel — Bass /vocals Dave Greenfield — keyboards ; Jet Black — drums/ percussion) that play miles above average rock'n roll — and that, these days, is unusual if not phenomenal.

The album opens with "Sometimes", which immediately sets the pace for the remainder of the record : great pulsating, aggressive music, medoicre chauvanistic lyrics :

"Someday I'm gonna smack your face . . . Beat you, honey, till you drop".

Granted, these guys are no brilliant musicial technicians, but what has rock'n roll got to do with being a brilliant musical technician? Just listen to the early Beatles or Stones.

The keyboard work of Greenfield also sounds suspiciously similar to that of Ray Manzarek, so it's obvious which group is conjured up. If only the stranglers had the lyrical quality of Morrison. "Sometimes" could have equalled "Twentieth Century Fox" or even "Strange Days" itself.

"Goodbye Toulouse" is short, punchy, played in ¾ and like most of the other cuts has no noticeable lyrical Quality.

"London Lady" (the B-side to their English Single "Grip") appears on the surface overtly sexist:

"Little-lady / with Dingwalls bullshit / You're so stupid / Fetid brainwaves" . . . . . and with further investigation remains as such.

Are they taking up where the Stones left off with "Under My Thumb "? Sounds like it. It only lasts 2.25 minutes, but its length does not belittle its impact, and the insane Syd Barret inspired spasmotic guitar only serves to reinforce its anger.

Feature cut of side one is "Princess of the Street". The lyrics don't appear to improve, but retain its predecessors' animalistic attitude to women : "She's the queen of the street / What a piece of meat".

What makes "Princess" so memorable is Burnel's pulsating bass and Cornwall's beautifully delicate solo. Taste is the word.

Side closer is "Hanging Around" and, as with previous tracks, is dominated by the bass. Interspersed in between, Greenfield lays down some very strange sounds, reminiscent of "96 Tears, and the general impression is favourable.

Side two opens with the Stranglers' current English single (about three months ago that is) "Peaches" not quite funk, not quite psychedelic, but very mean, "Peaches" boasts one of the most homicidal riffs since . . . damn it, since the days of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" itself. The Stranglers continue and magnify their anti-women stance. :

"Walking on the beaches looking at the peaches".

Other lines are best left to the individual to hear. It's not the words that score points though, it's the overall sound — grim menace oozing as on "Gimme Shelter" just about suffocates the listener.

"(Get A) Grip (On Yourself)" you most likely have already heard, so I'll pass no comment other than it's the obvious single. "Ugly" attacks white middle-class society ; that is, the female white middle-class society - trendy hair styles, baggy jeans etc. Burrel's vocals don't exactly inspire one to listen too closely to the lyrics though, much rather have a Lou Reed - drawl than a' Burnel - belch.

Drawing of a snake coming out of a wind up record player

The story-line has vague association with acne, and descends into a ridiculous finale involving such verbal attrocities as :

"Only the children of the fucking wealthy can afford to be good looking". Iggy Pop may scream "Piss on you", but Burnel's"Music Power I" is nothing less that thugable. Definitely this cut is the closest that the Stranglers come to the mentality of "Pretty Vacant", A total grass- out.

The album's closer is "Down in the Sewer" and is composed of four segments, though damned if I can recognise them individually. In any case, the 7.30 minutes worth of "Sewer" is worth the price of the album alone. Cliche I know, but fact.

A killer riff, psychedelic guitar licks, swirling "When the Music's Over" — type organ and Burnel's bass all combine to make an album closer equal to "The Soft Parade", "Won't Get Fooled again" or even "When the Music's over" itself. To call this cut a classic may be bordering on over, but nothing less begits it. The actual story-line is weird, strange and totally crazy, worthy of the madcap himself.

If you want to hear the real 'new Wave' of rock, then add "IV Rattus Norvegicus" to your collection. If you're 'only' into the fringes of current rock'n roll, take the chance.

Still ... if you want to buy "Rumours" you'd been best not to have read this review.

- Greg Cotmore.