By the time The Raven was released, the Stranglers had branched out a bit from their punk-influenced pop music stylings and grouchy personal-relationship-based lyrics. Half the songs on this album (among them "Dead Loss Angeles," "Nuclear Device," "Shah Shah a Gogo," and "Genetix") spout verses critical of social or political issues. Only the first of these four numbers, with its clipped vocal delivery and stripped-down, bass-heavy arrangement, shows significant British punk influence. Certain songs here exhibit strong mainstream tendencies with no hardcore sensibilities whatsoever, such as "Duchess" (a tuneful power pop number with clear chart-oriented influences) and "Don't Bring Harry" (a slow-tempo, piano-dominated selection). Still other influences can be heard in "Meninblack," a Devo-derived number featuring a synthesized clipped beat/electronic pulse texture, chilly and sanitized-sounding organ, lockstep drums, and Alvin & the Chipmunks-style sped-up vocals. The intriguing "Ice" boasts interesting production touches and an inventively dubious tonal focus. The songs are lengthy, with at times prolix instrumental openings and interludes. This is a generally good album worth hearing.
1. Longships 1:11
2. The Raven 5:14
3. Dead Loss Angeles 2:24
4. Ice 3:25
5. Baroque Bordello 3:50
6. Nuclear Device 3:32
7. Shah Shah A Go Go 4:50
8. Don't Bring Harry 4:10
9. Duchess 2:30
10. Meninblack 4:48
11. Genetix 5:17
Bonus Tracks
12. Bear Cage 2:50
13. Fools Rush Out 2:10
14. N'emmenes Pas Harry 4:15
15. Yellowcake UFO 2:56
I am not generally a commenter.. but the Raven and the first Donnas album in a week. Bizarre soulmates.
ReplyDeleteSo. This album. I heard it in 80 or 81. Friend in residence brought it back from the UK. I was fascinated with it. Duchess was the obvious attraction - but it was the ... er... malevolent intelligence of the whole thing. It came from a knowledge base I was unaware of. Brilliant. Finally bought a cd copy in Nashville of all places (in the late 80s).
The Donnas review previous. Fair, but harsh out of context. This album was frankly the work of a bunch of high school girls (literally) still sorting out where they were going. They grew up, both musically and intelligently, and their later work was a spectacular counterpoint to the male bands of their era.
Love your stuff. Keep it coming.
Thanks for your non comment, comment, fundyrunner. The Stranglers as you say, brilliant! The Donnas album I came across going backwards through their discography, which I hope kinda explains the review
DeleteThe Raven? Outstanding Lp from a '77 band that only recently fell silent (?) due to the loss of the founding member/keyboardist; FU C-19!
ReplyDeleteThe first two tracks on the Lp grabbed me by the short'n curlies and have never let-go. Long Live the Stranglers...
Thanks unknown
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