features in: Album Chart of 1978 ● Album Chart of the Decade: 1970s |
The third Stranglers LP in just 13 months arrived in May ’78, with labels and sleeves distinctly coloured to reflect the positive side 1 (White) and the negative side 2 (Black). They sound more threatening than ever, with muscular bass lines dominating, supported by choppy guitars entwined with their familiar, slightly sinister-sounding fairground keyboards. The white side wins my favour hands-down, with great tracks such as “Tank” and “Toiler On The Sea” (wouldn’t Toilet On-The-Sea have made a better title?) as well as the all-time classic “Nice n Sleazy”, which does it for me every time. The black side is darker and decidedly Post-Punkish in outlook, best served by the sneering “Do You Wanna”, where keyboardist Dave Greenfield surprisingly demonstrates that the group have three capable frontmen if required. These lads march on, in fine fettle.
The Jukebox Rebel
05–Aug–2008
Tracklist |
A1 | [02:57] The Stranglers - Tank (Hugh Cornwell, Brian Duffy, David Greenfield, Jean Jacques Burnel) Punk |
A2 | [03:12] The Stranglers - Nice ‘n’ Sleazy (Hugh Cornwell, Brian Duffy, David Greenfield, Jean Jacques Burnel) New Wave |
A3 | [02:08] The Stranglers - Outside Tokyo (Hugh Cornwell, Brian Duffy, David Greenfield, Jean Jacques Burnel) New Wave |
A4 | [02:15] The Stranglers - Sweden (All Quiet On The Eastern Front) (Hugh Cornwell, Brian Duffy, David Greenfield, Jean Jacques Burnel) New Wave |
A5 | [02:50] The Stranglers - Hey! (Rise Of The Robots) (Hugh Cornwell, Brian Duffy, David Greenfield, Jean Jacques Burnel) Punk |
A6 | [05:25] The Stranglers - Toiler On The Sea (Hugh Cornwell, Brian Duffy, David Greenfield, Jean Jacques Burnel) Punk |
B1 | [03:15] The Stranglers - Curfew (Hugh Cornwell, Brian Duffy, David Greenfield, Jean Jacques Burnel) New Wave |
B2 | [03:34] The Stranglers - Threatened (Hugh Cornwell, Brian Duffy, David Greenfield, Jean Jacques Burnel) Punk |
B3 | [04:35] The Stranglers - Do You Wanna (Hugh Cornwell, Brian Duffy, David Greenfield, Jean Jacques Burnel) Post-Punk |
B4 | [02:28] The Stranglers - Death And Night And Blood (Yukio) (Hugh Cornwell, Brian Duffy, David Greenfield, Jean Jacques Burnel) Punk |
B5 | [02:49] The Stranglers - In The Shadows (Hugh Cornwell, Brian Duffy, David Greenfield, Jean Jacques Burnel, Alan Winstanley) Post-Punk |
B6 | [04:18] The Stranglers - Enough Time (Hugh Cornwell, Brian Duffy, David Greenfield, Jean Jacques Burnel) Post-Punk |