How to Listen to the Stranglers
A simple guide to the Stranglers' albums and songs over their 1977–2022 Career
The Stranglers are one of those bands that have a mythology and history all of their own. Typified by an independent path, a strong and devoted supporter base, and only a little mainstream success.
I have been listening to them (on and off) since discovering those early albums at a formative stage of life. Live wise I was only fortunate to see the more recent Jean Jacques/Baz Warner/Dave Greenfield/Jim Macaulay line up; and around the same time the Hugh Cornwell power trio, who rocked out a second-half Stranglers set. So no Jet Black on drums but a compilation of the band resides in my mind and the songs were a powerful punch to hear live by either side of the divide.
The quick history is marvelous: Back in London Hugh Cornwell (vocals/guitar) returns from unsatisfactory postgraduate biochemistry studies/lab work in Sweden. Picks up an Anglo-French hitchhiker Jean Jacques Burnell (bass/vocals) who plays classical guitar. He is on his way to Jet Black’s (drums) ice cream van business/rehearsal space in Guildford. Keyboard virtuoso Dave Greenfield completes the line-up. They start with covers, write their own tunes, and gig anywhere and everywhere. It is 1977 and punk explodes. Heresy these guys can play their instruments and outsider status with their contemporaries is begun.
The first three albums ‘Rattus Norvegicus’, ‘No More Heroes,’ and ‘Black and White’ are fast and loud and are all classic punk/post-punk albums. All out in the 1977–78 span. The songs are infused with darkness, malice, and moodiness. The band soon adopts all black dress to reinforce the stage menace. Look closely at the cover photo/art on ‘Rattus’ and in the back is a shadowy man-in-black, a motif and band theme that they will keep coming back to.
On ‘Rattus’ the template is set. Front guys Cornwell and Burnell share vocals (lead or backing), the early rehearsals and gigging means the band is tight, and each has musicality to bring to the studio. Drummer Jet Black has the chops to hit the four-on-the-floor rock songs (Sometimes, Hanging Around), the slight reggae beat of early hit Peaches, or the progressive stretch-outs of Down in the Sewer.
Keyboardist Greenfield can drive, lead, or embellish any of the tunes and takes the odd vocal. Burnell on bass transformed what a rock bass player sounded like, bold, melodic, high in the mix, seemingly merging with his energetic forward propelling personality.
Finally Cornwell adds the sneering vocals and guitar riffs and limited soloing that completes the palette. Many argue that ‘Black and White’ is the first Post Punk album leading to Killing Joke, Joy Division, and Echo and the Bunnymen.
Special mention off ‘Rattus’ must go to (Get A) Grip (On Yourself). A seeming manifesto for the band. A clarion call keyboard, an incessant drum beat, and lyrically the playing of guitar is counter-pointed by a lack of money, so just get a …. On ‘No More Heroes’ mid record you are assaulted with Burnell’s impatience on ‘Something Better Change,’ then the title track ‘No More Heroes’ which is musically perfect from the short/sharp guitar and drum roll intro’ to the name-checking of Trotsky, Shakespeare, and Panza, and the fade out guitar ending.
‘Black and White’ gets fast rock opener Tank out of the way before song two is upon you with the epic Nice ’N’ Sleazy with its shuffle beat and running bass lines. Their strong internationalism also emerges with Outside Tokyo and Sweden (All Quiet on the Eastern Front) for which Hugh also doubles up on a Swedish sung version and has my favourite every obtuse lyric ‘… only place where the clouds are interesting …’.
Also in 1979 is the release of ‘Live (X Cert)’ bringing together their set list from the Roundhouse and Battersea Park gigs and a fitting close on their first chapter.
1979–1984 saw a period of firmly offloading any punk rock associations and broadening the musicality of songs as their songwriting and ambitions increased. By taking the full-on rock down a notch, a more reflective and inventive band emerged.
First up is the bridging album ‘The Raven’. Of all things, a stunning and short instrumental Longships leads out and bleeds into the title song the Raven as England’s Viking past is examined. There is geography, political comment, and the emergence of the Meninblack theme. They even produce a perfect pop song: Duchess with classic Dave Greenfield lightning-fast keys and an observational class commentary lyric from Hugh.
If things were heading dark, then there is nothing like the next album for taking the seeds of a near fanatical idea and expanding it. The album ‘(The Gospel According To) the Meninblack’ takes the idea of an alien nation farming earth to its zenith. Another stunning instrumental leads with Waltzinblack.
The ideas are explored and a gothic sombre mood underpins most of the songs. They are good, and the standouts are Just Like Nothing on Earth, Turn the Centuries Turn, and Two Sunspots; an upbeat tune and allegedly a homage to a naked afternoon body.
Finally Thrown Away is one of Burnell’s best downbeat dark numbers which broods with loss.
‘La Folie’ in 1982 lightens up a lot on the Meninblack theme and continues the more pop sounds. It has of course their best known and most streamed tune, Golden Brown (check out the Hugh Cornwell mariachi version to see its endless possibilities).
Golden Brown sounds — but isn’t — in waltz time and engenders an old-world time and place that they could only have achieved with Greenfield’s stunning keys and a languid Hugh vocal.
La Folie as the title track is a spoken word narrative by Burnell in his native French tongue and in translation laments how much of the world is madness. Strange Little Girl a standalone single, was added to the extended version, and although hailing back to the band’s earliest incarnation is a delight, centering around youth leaving small town home for the city narrative, that evokes a touching empathic feel.
‘Feline’ is a very European late-night listening album. It is arguably the most ascendant JJ Burnell album in both vocal and subject matter. The opening track Midnight Summer Dream sets it up perfectly with a keyboard intro’ that resounds with church organ ambience and leads to a latter Stranglers style of quiet spoken Hugh Cornwell narrative vocal.
It is a highly cohesive album in sound. They could be a late-night band in a cafe delivering their world-weary wisdom. The European Female (In Celebration of) continues the use of parenthesis trait (surely no other band has used them as much) and has a seamless Burnell vocal anchored in the streets of old French towns.
Paradise continues this by showing the lightest of touches to deliver a highly evocative search for nirvana. Blue Sister has running bass lines and in some ways is a companion to Golden Brown in feel.
Finally, mention must be made of the Vladimir songs that pop up on B sides, and one here on the extended version, the adventure of an Eastern European including a tour of duty in Afghanistan are a side line story all of their own.
1984–1990 is a bleaker time, the band is more fractious as success is more elusive, and they are seemingly out of fashion. There are a couple more albums and then singer/guitarist and prime lyricist Hugh leaves.
‘Aural Sculpture’ is a weak album. Jet Black’s fondness for programming electronic drums rather than hitting the skins gives an artificial air, and in places the song themes and lyrics are shallow. The band also begin to augment their sound with brass to mixed success in the overall sound of songs. There is some gold in the gutter though. The brace of Skin Deep, Let Me Down Easy and No Mercy are all fine songs and largely Hugh-led.
Dreamtime in 1986 leads well with another slow song of regret and redemption in Always the Sun. A number of rhetorical questions form the verses building to the chorus of reflective hope. After that the pickings are slender.
The final nail is 1990s ‘10’ where the only highlight is the cover of 96 Tears and the classic Stranglers line up is over.
Into the 1990s and live touring guitarist John Ellis, one of the Vibrators, is now a full member, and from the band's entourage Paul Roberts is the singer. Later Ellis is replaced by Baz Warne who in turn takes on vocals when Roberts departs in 2006.
The early albums of this period featuring Roberts on vocals struggle to muster much. The songwriting is weak and often lyrically lazy. What can I find? On ‘Stranglers in the Night’, the guitar and drums spark and weave into a classic Stranglers sounding tune, complete with a menacing JJ vocal, and that is it. Time to Die is the only highlight.
‘About Time’ in 1995 yields little of note. ‘Written in Red’ from 1997 likewise. In 1998 ‘Coup de Grace’ has more Burnell input and a return to his occasional lead vocal in places but fails to lift it. There is some tidy guitar work by Ellis but just no substance for it to shine out from.
By 2004’s ‘Norfolk Coast’ there is finally some lift from the dullness. Burnell is writing with intent again and finds a songwriting foil in Warne. There is still the Roberts vocal but at last, he has some material to work with. The title track leads and has a keyboard swirling intro’ and thumping bass of old. The musicality has returned and on I’ve Been Wild some timely reflection on a rock musician’s lifestyle. Into the Fire and I Don’t Agree has the four instruments sounding like the band of old. A future now looks possible.
‘SuiteXVI’ was the band back to the classic four-piece with Warne as main vocalist and guitarist (a like for like of Hugh’s role). The elements are now all gathered, and this is a better more cohesive album. She’s Slipping Away having the drive and songwriting maturity of old.
There is even a return of the song title partly in parenthesis on two tracks including the haunting Bless You (Save You, Spare You, Damn You). Whilst A Soldier’s Diary has the pace and urgency of 1978 rediscovered.
‘Giants’ in 2012 saw the formula continue and marked the final Jet Black drummed album (he is now in his 80s). The instrumental opening number was returned to in style with ‘Another Camden Afternoon. Whilst My Fickle Resolve is a slow song spoken vocal that shows Jet’s drumming dexterity with a low-key brush beat. Time Was On My Side is a rocker of old.
Which all leads to the ultimate redemption and more change. By the time of ‘Dark Matters’ in 2021, live drummer Jim Macaulay is in the studio and Dave Greenfield has his last outing before succumbing to the covid curse.
Track two This Song is part cover/part rewrite and has a rumbling and rampaging bass, driven drums, all the trills and keyboard flourishes you could wish for from Greenfield, along with Warne’s best menacing vocal yet.
Better still, see the video with footballer Stuart Pearce staring the camera down and running from villains. Finally, they include late on the album: And If You Should See Dave as a fond farewell to Greenfield and full of pathos.
That is the Stranglers, a magnificent start, a stumbling middle, and a fine finish.