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Thread: Album Club, February 2018: The Stranglers - 'Black and White'

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  1. #1
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: Land of the Lilac Curtains, UK

    Posts: 286
    I'm Curator.

    Default Album Club, February 2018: The Stranglers - 'Black and White'

    The Album Club choice for February comes courtesy of Ian (Ian7633) with The Stranglers' 'Black and White'. As always please listen to the album in its entirety before you comment and/or vote.

    The Stranglers - 'Black and White'





    The album I've chosen for this months Album Club is Black and White by The Stranglers. It was released in 1978 hot on the heels of No More Heroes, a very tough act to follow. Initial impressions were not great, being compared to the previous album which was harder and had a much more rough feeling to it. However as the years passed Black and White was judged on it's own merits and was the first indications of the bands move away from their early punk sound to a more melodic feel, it still has plenty of grunt but the crashing bass of Jean Jaques Burnell and Dave Greenfields overpowering keyboards were toned down allowing Hugh Cornwall's guitar skills more to the fore.
    The album that came after Black and White, The Raven (which I queued for hours for outside HMV just to get the 3D sleeve version), was very different, proving Black and White was a real stepping stone for the band.

    The first track, Tank, has the familiar fast pace of older songs and the second track, Nice and sleazy, has a properly grimy feel to it. Outside Tokyo is totally different, almost whimsical. Sweden is a very musical track and on the later remastered version of the album the extra tracks include Sverige, Sweden sung in Swedish. Also in the extras is a rather different version of Walk on by, well worth a listen.

    I hope you like this album, it's one of my favourites.

    https://open.spotify.com/album/5PfI1x0Rub41UUeLEksUCU

  2. #2
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Bristol

    Posts: 6,843
    I'm Justin.

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    Guitar/keyboard on the 7 inch freebie giveaway white vinyl Walk On By is excellent.

    Wonder if that's worth anything these days.

    The album stops at Enough Time and digital editions therefore seem wrong.
    Last edited by User211; 01-02-2018 at 07:53.

  3. #3
    Join Date: Oct 2015

    Location: Woodmancote, West Sussex

    Posts: 1,629
    I'm Ian.

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    Just in case the Spotify link isn't working properly try this one https://open.spotify.com/album/5PfI1...TGGOONM1cvBc1w
    Turntable
    Toshiba SR-370/Mission 774/Van Damme cable with MS Starline plugs/Ortofon Quintet Black
    CD
    Cambridge CXC transport/modified Musical Fidelity X-DAC/modified Musical Fidelity X-10 V3 tube buffer
    Network Player
    Cambridge NP30
    Amplifier
    Denon HA-500 head amp/Nakamichi CA-5E pre-amp/Chinese passive RVC/Proton AA-1150 DMC power amp
    Speakers
    Mordaunt Short Signifer on original factory stands
    Cables
    Mogami with Rean Neutrik plugs/NVA LS5
    Headphones
    Sennheiser HD600/Sennheiser HD650/Koss Pro4 AA

  4. #4
    Join Date: May 2015

    Location: St Leonard's on Sea

    Posts: 1,136
    I'm Loz.

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    Great choice Ian. Black and White has been a go to album for me for as long as I can remember. This and The Raven represent The Stranglers twin creative peaks in my humble opinion. John Robb writes an interesting article that suggests Black and White paved the way for Post Punk to emerge. He might have a point!

    http://louderthanwar.com/the-strangl...st-punk-album/

    Anyway, I'll give it a 10. One of my favourites. Thanks for the suggestion.

    Cheers

    Loz

  5. #5
    Join Date: Apr 2016

    Location: London

    Posts: 377
    I'm Richard.

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    Quote Originally Posted by User211 View Post
    Guitar/keyboard on the 7 inch freebie giveaway white vinyl Walk On By is excellent.

    Wonder if that's worth anything these days.

    The album stops at Enough Time and digital editions therefore seem wrong.
    Agreed Justin.
    Oh & let me know how much cos I've got that too! Just showing off again��

  6. #6
    Join Date: Apr 2016

    Location: London

    Posts: 377
    I'm Richard.

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    image.jpg

    Top choice, gave me chance to show off my marble pressing. It's gonna get slapped on the deck now.
    I think Greenfields keyboard is great throughout the album. Love nearly all the tracks but particularly 'Toiler on the sea'

  7. #7
    Join Date: Oct 2015

    Location: Woodmancote, West Sussex

    Posts: 1,629
    I'm Ian.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Johnny nocash View Post
    image.jpg

    Top choice, gave me chance to show off my marble pressing. It's gonna get slapped on the deck now.
    I think Greenfields keyboard is great throughout the album. Love nearly all the tracks but particularly 'Toiler on the sea'
    Never seen the marble pressing, I bet it's mega rare.
    Turntable
    Toshiba SR-370/Mission 774/Van Damme cable with MS Starline plugs/Ortofon Quintet Black
    CD
    Cambridge CXC transport/modified Musical Fidelity X-DAC/modified Musical Fidelity X-10 V3 tube buffer
    Network Player
    Cambridge NP30
    Amplifier
    Denon HA-500 head amp/Nakamichi CA-5E pre-amp/Chinese passive RVC/Proton AA-1150 DMC power amp
    Speakers
    Mordaunt Short Signifer on original factory stands
    Cables
    Mogami with Rean Neutrik plugs/NVA LS5
    Headphones
    Sennheiser HD600/Sennheiser HD650/Koss Pro4 AA

  8. #8
    Join Date: Apr 2008

    Location: Redcar By The Sea - Sand With Everything

    Posts: 2,232
    I'm Andy.

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    Great choice there Ian, another reminder from my past that has not been played in a long time.
    Enjoyed the history lesson in going through their other stuff.
    I'll give them a 9/10
    HV Electrical Engineer - SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) Plant

  9. #9
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Bristol

    Posts: 6,843
    I'm Justin.

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    Dave Greenfield's morse code keyboard on Enough Time spells out "Mother Earth We Are Fucked". Probably very true

    I only gave it a 7, which is a bit mean, but it has a few duff tracks. The keyboard/synth on Sleazy gets 11/10 - what a fantastic sound played at 11.

    I think their best album was Rattus, and that like the Clash, they were never able to beat their first effort.

  10. #10
    Join Date: Oct 2015

    Location: Woodmancote, West Sussex

    Posts: 1,629
    I'm Ian.

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    Quote Originally Posted by User211 View Post
    Dave Greenfield's morse code keyboard on Enough Time spells out "Mother Earth We Are Fucked". Probably very true

    I only gave it a 7, which is a bit mean, but it has a few duff tracks. The keyboard/synth on Sleazy gets 11/10 - what a fantastic sound played at 11.

    I think their best album was Rattus, and that like the Clash, they were never able to beat their first effort.
    Love the Morse fact, I'm glad the BBC didn't suss that out or they would never have played any of it.
    Rattus and No more heroes are really hard acts to follow, I think I wore out my first Heroes. I really like The Raven too, again one or two duffers but a great listen all the same and I've still got my 3D sleeve first press, although it's rather beyond playing now, surfaces like Olympic skating rinks
    Turntable
    Toshiba SR-370/Mission 774/Van Damme cable with MS Starline plugs/Ortofon Quintet Black
    CD
    Cambridge CXC transport/modified Musical Fidelity X-DAC/modified Musical Fidelity X-10 V3 tube buffer
    Network Player
    Cambridge NP30
    Amplifier
    Denon HA-500 head amp/Nakamichi CA-5E pre-amp/Chinese passive RVC/Proton AA-1150 DMC power amp
    Speakers
    Mordaunt Short Signifer on original factory stands
    Cables
    Mogami with Rean Neutrik plugs/NVA LS5
    Headphones
    Sennheiser HD600/Sennheiser HD650/Koss Pro4 AA

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