Search - Saints :: (I'm) Stranded

Not the most important punk album, but probably the most fun

leoparddog | Dallas | 05/05/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Absent is the cartooniness that made the Ramones impossible to take seriously. In addition, another thankful omission is the overbearing rage and political grandstanding that make people take the Pistols and the Clash too seriously. Basically, this is arguably the best garage band ever(at least on this album), and they're flooring it on almost every tune with a punk energy that's rarely been rivaled. "(I'm) Stranded" is a great song, but "Messin' with the Kid"(slow, grungy rocker), "Erotic Neurotic", "No Time", the cover of "Kissin' Cousins", and "The Story of Love" are its equal. The best tune - in my opinion - "Night in Venice", buries most punk songs with its potent, chord-ripping fury, and makes a great finale to a great album. The extra songs are good too. There's not a weak track here, and for a punk rock album, that speaks volumes."

Seminal and enduring

John MacLeod | Guelph, Ontario Canada | 06/12/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"(I'M) STRANDED was the first punk rock album released anywhere on the planet (the Aussies got there first!) Musically it exemplifies much of the genre, with its full-speed guitars and raw sound, but the Saints went a bit beyond. Their excellent songwriting featured a few more chords than was the norm later, they weren't afraid of guitar solos or slow songs, and instead of the usual punk yelp, the vocals were delivered with a wonderfully cool drawl/sneer -- comparable to Dave Vanian on the first Damned album. More than two decades later, this album remains an unbeatable adrenaline rush."

One of the original punk rock artifacts

Roy Pearl | Vancouver, BC | 03/30/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sure, it sounds like it was recorded on a RadioShack C-120 cassette in an aluminum shack during a hailstorm with the treble turned up to ten, but what a buzz this album still delivers! The cranked momentum of the manic title song amazingly leads into more dementia, stopping for a breather only during the six-minute stomp of "Messin' With the Kid" and the (comparatively) Dylanesque "Story of Love", and then racing to the finish line with the mind-melting Stooges-style riff-insanity of "Nights in Venice". Ed Keupper's lead guitar is all fuzz and treble throughout, spinning flashy solos where punks weren't supposed to do such things, and Chris Bailey's gruff howl attains a tuneful charisma seemingly through the force of will. It was a pleasant surprise in '77; it sounds even more surprising now."