Stranglers - Suite Xvi (11 tracks) +Album Reviews

All Hail The Meninblack !

Vincent Priceless | Glen Cove, New York United States | 02/12/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Less in more - now that it's "The Stranglers four" again - everything you loved about the vintage Stranglers sound is here, and then some...JJ's growling bass & vocals, Dave Greenfield's swirling, analogue keys, Jet Black's muscular, drum-machine-on-steroids drumming, and newest member Baz Warne's edgy Telecaster twang? Dare I say it's enough to make H.C. proud - plus those great Stranglers harmonies & a healthy dose of old-school punk attitude too - all add up to this record being a refreshing blast of rock & roll! Take some of the aggression of "Black & White", the psychedelia of "The Raven" & mix with a dash of "Dreamtime" melody, and you just might begin to get a feel for some of the music here, at least that's my initial impression, though this record is still growing on me. Lots to listen to here...old fans of the band will not be disappointed...and to those new comers? All I can say is, if this were the first album by one of those dime-a-dozen "punk" bands of today, the media would be hailing this as an album for the ages."

Far Better Than Expected - Especially For A Cornwell Fan

Thomas Good | Staten Island, NY USA | 05/30/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Trying to replace Hugh Cornwell would seem an impossible task - akin to replacing Weller of The Jam or Peter Murphy (Bauhaus) - but JJ, Jet Black and Dave Greenfield pull it off here. What's terrific is that you don't find yourself comparing the CD to older material (and finding it lacking). The music presented here is enjoyable on its merits, rather than for nostalgia value - the songs rock out rather well. It is wonderful to hear Dave Greenfield all over his Moog (a monophonic synthesizer, i.e. no chords - when I saw the original Stranglers at the Ritz during the Dreamtime tour Greenfield was sweating buckets, he has to be the hardest working keyboardist in rock). Similarly Jean Jacques (JJ) Burnel's "Barracuda Bass" is as exciting as ever. These two instruments entwine to create the signature Stranglers sound. The relatively recent addition of guitarist/vocalist Baz Warne (he signed on for Norfolk Coast) completes the picture: he growls and snarls much like the Stranglers of old. The end result is that this is a Stranglers CD through and through. That's not easy for me to say: I greatly admire the coarse, abrasive sound of No More Heroes and Black And White and was very skeptical of this CD - some of the material that came after Hugh departed was less than memorable. Nonetheless, I can't stop listening to Suite 16. In fact I've never written a review for Amazon and probably never will again so clearly I'm inspired - I'd advise making this purchase, seeing the lads should they tour near you - and turning up the volume. There may indeed be No More Heroes but we still have The Stranglers. Count your blessings."

Return Of The Stranglers

Mike B. | 05/03/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The most unexpected surprise of 2006 was the Stranglers CD "Suite XVI". Like many fans, I hadn't given them much thought after Hugh's departure in 1990.

If you're new to the band, that would be lead singer/songwriter/guitarist Hugh Cornwell. He had dominated the group for 10 albums (starting with 1977's "IV Rattus Norvegicus"), and they were one of the best bands ever. To replace him was unthinkable, but that's what they did. Who could possibly fill such big shoes? I'm sorry to say that I didn't even try to find out - I just assumed they weren't as good anymore.

Then a friend gave me their 2004 CD "Norfolk Coast". It was a strong effort, and about 2/3rd's of a good album. I was intrigued enough to buy the next one myself. "Suite XVI" is their 16th studio album and 100% fantastic - no bad songs.

All the signature sounds are here. The 3 remaining original members have never been better. Before I mention the others, I want to single out Dave Greenfield. If you play keyboards or enjoy listening to them, you simply must acquaint yourself with this master. His playing is as integral to the Stranglers sound as Ray Manzarek's was to the Doors. There's no imagining these pieces without him. With 30-odd years experience, I think he's become the number one greatest rock keyboardist of all time. Bar none. No one can touch him. As for the other two, Jean Jacques Burnel's bass is typically forceful, and Jet Black pounds the drums with youthful vigor. Burnel sings more than he used to, and shares vocal responsibilities with snarling Cornwell sound-a-like (and new recruit) Baz Warne. Warne is guitarist, too. Both sound terrific, and the songs are first rate.

The Stranglers may have started as a punk band, but they soon became more than that. As the years progressed they became as polished as Roxy Music, and amassed more British and European hit singles than any of their contemporaries. To chart their evolution, look into their "greatest hits" CD "Peaches". "Suite XVI" features a nice balance of songs - some fast and punky, and others more smooth and slow.

I still can't get over how good it is. If you're an old fan who lost track and gave up on them - trust me, you need to have this. If you're a newcomer, check this out - and then buy their first 6 albums!"

Holy Cow

Kenneth M. Helwig | San Jose, CA | 10/05/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ok! Norfolk Coast had alot of great moments and I was soooo happy to see one of my favorite bands go back to the dirty bass playing of their first 5 albums, crazy keyboards that used to dominate their songs...just think No More Heroes, Raven, etc......Well here we are in 2006 and we have Suite XVI what do I think? This is an album that stands up against any of their early work NO PROBLEM!..Hey I even like there early 80's stuff so there. Gone is Paul Roberts and back to the 4 piece lineup of yesterday. Vocals were scrapped months prior to the release and here you have Baz (ex Toy Dolls) and JJ splitting the vocal duties and you know what, this is most inspired, articulate, musical effort that The Stranglers have put out since The Raven. Hands down. Oh did I mention that I love their early 80's stuff too? Golden Brown is one of my favorite songs....ever. It's just the nasty bass sound and the swirling keyboards that sway me back over, get this!

Kennyhel77"

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