New Stranglers Album Out Today

[spongebob]

'Giants' is out today.

Got some very positive reviews - I'll be buying my download copy this morning.

First 'new' album of theirs I think I've ever bought - loved the old stuff for about 20 years (but too young at the time of release), and passed on the 90's era...got into parts of the last 2 after the fact, but on the strength of seeing them live and the clips of the new stuff.....I'm in!

Anybody heard it yet....hope it's not a letdown!!

[Lozz196]

Nice one, will have to get that. The last one, Suite XVI was excellent - a real hark back to classic Stranglers material.

[discreet]

D'you think JJ played his Shuker on it?

[Raggy]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1330945484' post='1564995']
The last one, Suite XVI was excellent - a real hark back to classic Stranglers material.
[/quote]

Agree with that, it had some great tracks on.

I will be buying it tonight

[gub]

itunes here i come ! cheers for heads up

[spongebob]

Cheaper on Amazon download by 50p if you're a tight git like me!

[Rayman]

I, like many I guess, was a massive fan all the way from Rattus up to when Hugh left, then I dropped them like a stone after I heard Written In Red which was crap. As an old fan, is life after Hugh really worth investigating?

[Deep Thought]

[quote name='Rayman' timestamp='1330973662' post='1565676']
As an old fan, is life after Hugh really worth investigating?
[/quote]

Definitely. I also lost interest shortly before Hugh left, and never paid them any attention at all during the Paul Roberts era. When I saw them back to a 4-piece again, with Baz, 15 years later it completely rekindled my love of the band, and I've been the same rabid Stranglers fan as I was when I was 16. The debate rages on, many still would have Hugh back if they could, I'm not one of those. Not got my copy yet, heard a few tracks-I really like some of them, some not so mad about on first listen. I'm desperately hoping to scrape together enough to see them in Bristol on the 17th-if not it will be the first time I've not seen them since 2006. Reports from the tour so far are very favourable, JJ's bass is well up in the mix I hear.

Edited March 5, 2012 by Deep Thought

[bartelby]

Apparently they're back on form.
I'm just downloading the album from emusic.com and I have a ticket for the Brizzle show (most I've paid to see one band for a very long time)

[Green Alsatian]

It's bloody great! I received a promo copy last week as there was a delay in MAM shipping the 'Theweekendinblack' DVD/Live CD/Giants set* and it's literally all I've listened to since it arrived. I'd recommend getting hold it.

I think it's better than Suite XVI, which I loved - my favourite tracks are Freedom Is Insane, Lowlands, My Fickle Resolve and Mercury Rising, and of course, the title track Giants. Soundwise, it continues the late-70s aggressive bass and prominent keyboards (Dave Greenfield is my favourite keyboardist) but without sounding dated. No waltz on this album, but there's a Tango (Adios).

I have to say, Baz Warne has been a shot in the arm for them as it's clear that the chemistry between him and JJ really works. I've seen them a few times with the new four-piece lineup and they were staggering each time - I've just got back from seeing them tonight and it was utterly fantastic (they ended the second encore and the show with 'Tank').

I loved them with Hugh, although he left the year I got into them properly and buying up their back catalogue but I think Baz is cool - he's not trying to be Hugh or even Paul, but he does make a lot of effort to play Hugh's parts faithfully (and sounding right), so respect to him for that.

I saw the Paul Roberts/John Ellis-era lineup a few times in the late 90s and thoroughly enjoyed them each time. I do enjoy their 90s post-Hugh albums, even Written In Red, which was a bit of an odd direction for them but it wasn't until Norfolk Coast that they started sounding like Stranglers again.

*The Weekendinblack features a DVD with the acoustic set and the playing of 'Black & White' almost in its entireity (they didn't play 'Enough Time'), so it was interesting to hear how Baz handled the songs, which he did admirably. In the interview, he said that he felt under pressure to deliver on this one, with it being such a fan favourite and that there were songs on there that they never played live even back then!

Edited March 6, 2012 by Green Alsatian

[bartelby]

Just started listening to it. I like it already and I'm less than 2 minutes into it!
Fantastic bass tone and some Hammond organ!

[Low End Bee]

I lost interest after the Aural Sculpture. Although I thought they were a little patchy from the Raven onwards. I've got a few of the Hugh less albums but I don't play them often or find much to like on them.
Live I've seen both the classic line up and the ones with replacements. To be honest even with new material it just felt like watching a tribute band without Hugh. Maybe it's just the teenager in me that's disappointed?
I'll give this new one a spin but Cornwell was so integral to my Stranglers experience it will be tough to win me over,

[The Dark Lord]

I pre-ordered the limited edition promo copy plus the CD and live CD and DVD package. It's a brilliant album. I keep changing my mind about the best track on it. JJ's rasping bass sound is right up there with the lead vocals in the front of the mix.

This is what a bass player's bass player sounds like.

Brilliant.

[spongebob]

+1.

I've thought of the last couple as a kind of 'returning' to form. Some good bits, and some duff bits. Personally, I think 'Norfolk Coast' would have sounded better without Paul Robert's vocals.

But I reckon this is the real deal....no duff tracks! Rather than comparing it to other stuff they've made, it's a great album in it's own right. Stranglers 2012.

My favourite since 'Feline' (for me their last faultless LP), without a doubt...I never thought I'd say that!