Dark Matters has it stood the test of time?

[Greatkudu]

Nothing really wrong with 10, just the overblown production that spoils it for ne.

Agree

[toilerinblack]

I think JJ's vocals could have been a slightly better on this album. I think it's down to it being recorded remotely.

I agree Sir,as I keep on saying and I do repeat myself,it's the best we could have had at the time,I still think it's a good album not a great album,the greats of course are the Holy Grail of 9 fucking great albums, until the infamous 10 which even Hugh acknowledges that everyone hated it,and even on that album their are some Gems.Major General Kudu,I've promoted myself as no other fucker seems to want to.

10 great Mk1 studio albums for me and some better than others and i'm not leaving 10 out of the good ones and as Hugh has also once said defending it that I don't see anything wrong with that album with great pop songs on it or words to that effect and he's right I think the songs sounded even better live too i think it's better that AS overall for sure,I think they tried to up the anti and game with the Brass and additional guitars from JE and production side of things even if it was overworked for the states but it never worked out and I think at that point Hugh was right to leave as there wasn't anything else new to try but stay with much of the same and I think as a guess he had taken the Stranglers forwards as much as he could and as big as they were going to be with the states failier and had Poisonality & Instead of this had made the final version instead of a few other poorer ones that did then 10 for me would of been overall a blinding I feel....but I know most think it was overworked and I fully respect that.

[ThinkTank]

I think JJ's vocals could have been a slightly better on this album. I think it's down to it being recorded remotely.

I agree Sir,as I keep on saying and I do repeat myself,it's the best we could have had at the time,I still think it's a good album not a great album,the greats of course are the Holy Grail of 9 fucking great albums, until the infamous 10 which even Hugh acknowledges that everyone hated it,and even on that album their are some Gems.Major General Kudu,I've promoted myself as no other fucker seems to want to.

10 great Mk1 studio albums for me and some better than others and i'm not leaving 10 out of the good albums because it is for me and I don't see the fuss or criticalness of the production side of it as Hugh also has said on his defence of 10 that I don't see anything wrong with that album with great pop songs on it or words to that effect and he's right there's some great songs on there that sounded even better live to me only,10's songs are better for me than AS for sure,10 is not the worst Mk1 album in just my view quite the opposite but I know i'm in the minority but will always defend it and it's great tour that I enjoyed,I think they tried to up the four man band sound with the Brass and the extra additional styled guitaring with JE and production side of things even if it was overworked for the states but it never worked out and I think at that point Hugh was right to leave as there wasn't anything else new to try or carry on with except of much of the same and Hugh gets board with that apart from members not getting on too and I think as a guess he had taken the Stranglers forwards as much as he could by trying to up the anti with10 but it failed with the most but I liked it and still do and will always defend it and most of all i like most on that album apart from a few bad ones and if poisonality & Instead of this had been on there too for a few other poorer ones that made the final version then 10 for me would of been overall a blinding album for me only....but I know most think it was overworked and I fully respect that.

Hugh likes 10.
I have to say i like 10 too always have done and I listen to 10 more than i do Aural Sculpture. I don't know what has changed over the last 30 odd years but at all the gigs i was at those 5 tracks that they played including Lets celebrate went down really well with the fans. Even Lets Celebrate the audience had a real bounce to them chants and all. I really like the bass lines and what a great sound they have musically i think it has quite an uplifting feel to it as an album. It didn't have any standout singles on the album like previous albums but i have said this before that is part of its charm as well. Its just the drum machine that spoils it but i have got used to it these days and sounds better when played though a quality speaker.

[toilerinblack]

I agree Sir,as I keep on saying and I do repeat myself,it's the best we could have had at the time,I still think it's a good album not a great album,the greats of course are the Holy Grail of 9 fucking great albums, until the infamous 10 which even Hugh acknowledges that everyone hated it,and even on that album their are some Gems.Major General Kudu,I've promoted myself as no other fucker seems to want to.

10 great Mk1 studio albums for me and some better than others and i'm not leaving 10 out of the good albums because it is for me and I don't see the fuss or criticalness of the production side of it as Hugh also has said on his defence of 10 that I don't see anything wrong with that album with great pop songs on it or words to that effect and he's right there's some great songs on there that sounded even better live to me only,10's songs are better for me than AS for sure,10 is not the worst Mk1 album in just my view quite the opposite but I know i'm in the minority but will always defend it and it's great tour that I enjoyed,I think they tried to up the four man band sound with the Brass and the extra additional styled guitaring with JE and production side of things even if it was overworked for the states but it never worked out and I think at that point Hugh was right to leave as there wasn't anything else new to try or carry on with except of much of the same and Hugh gets board with that apart from members not getting on too and I think as a guess he had taken the Stranglers forwards as much as he could by trying to up the anti with10 but it failed with the most but I liked it and still do and will always defend it and most of all i like most on that album apart from a few bad ones and if poisonality & Instead of this had been on there too for a few other poorer ones that made the final version then 10 for me would of been overall a blinding album for me only....but I know most think it was overworked and I fully respect that.

Hugh likes 10.
I have to say i like 10 too always have done and I listen to 10 more than i do Aural Sculpture. I don't know what has changed over the last 30 odd years but at all the gigs i was at those 5 tracks that they played including Lets celebrate went down really well with the fans. Even Lets Celebrate the audience had a real bounce to them chants and all. I really like the bass lines and what a great sound they have musically i think it has quite an uplifting feel to it as an album. It didn't have any standout singles on the album like previous albums but i have said this before that is part of its charm as well. Its just the drum machine that spoils it but i have got used to it these days and sounds better when played though a quality speaker.

Yes I think so too but we all differ and rightly so with music and for me I liked it and I do understand most who like that rawer Stranglers sound and with 10s production some of the guitars was squashed out but was so much better live I do get and understand that side of the album which is a shame because it does have some great songs to it's name and maybe they got the production side very wrong that was costly to them...I feel that with Hooverdam too even though it's not a Stranglers album but again an album also that also was full of good songs that i felt was ruined a bit with the production side of things.

[jetblacksdad]

I know we keep going on about 10, but I am a fan. The rawer Stranglers sound really had been refined since La Folie onwards and I think 10 had more punch than the two albums preceding it. Big drums, big bass, big everything. I like the sound. Bits of AS and Dreamtime are a bit lame sonically here n there.

[toilerinblack]

I know we keep going on about 10, but I am a fan. The rawer Stranglers sound really had been refined since La Folie onwards and I think 10 had more punch than the two albums preceding it. Big drums, big bass, big everything. I like the sound. Bits of AS and Dreamtime are a bit lame sonically here n there.

In my view only I agree you are so right with the 10 songs and I for one don't get why it wasn't more well recieved I am puzzled because even with the production side of things why it didn't work out more musically succesful for them in the states I really have no idea because they I believe had produced great songs that should of but that's music I suppose you can't read or write it lol the music buisness is very strange with what makes it and what doesn't I mean away from Mk1 for a bit why Mk11 never had success with the likes of Heaven or Hell and say In Heaven she walks is beyond me too because they should of with tracks like that...strange but 10 for me was great with it's great tour and that's how I felt at the time and still do but we all differ and as long as the one individual listening likes what they hear and gives them personally enjoyment then that's all the matters and that is what music is all about ....enjoyment for the listener.

[Ruby]

To me Ten still sounds as fresh today as the first time I heard it in 1990.I don't know why fans keep going on about the production,it sounds great.

[toilerinblack]

To me Ten still sounds as fresh today as the first time I heard it in 1990.I don't know why fans keep going on about the production,it sounds great.

Agreed, I've never understood it then personally and I still don't but that's only my view and seeing Hugh at his last gig as a Strangler performing the likes of Sweet Smell was brilliant especially the opening drumming the place was buzzing and all the 10 songs on that tour for me only sounded great if not so much better than say the album was maybe that's where the right production did come into play there and it's the same for Hugh too away from the Stranglers with the whole of the studio Hooverdam songs were so much better too than it's final albums worth for me only and I for one will always be a massive 10 fan ....but each to their own on that one .

[Greatkudu]

I know we keep going on about 10, but I am a fan. The rawer Stranglers sound really had been refined since La Folie onwards and I think 10 had more punch than the two albums preceding it. Big drums, big bass, big everything. I like the sound. Bits of AS and Dreamtime are a bit lame sonically here n there.

Big drum Machine.Major Kudu.

[Greatkudu]

To me Ten still sounds as fresh today as the first time I heard it in 1990.I don't know why fans keep going on about the production,it sounds great.

Because RTB killed the sound,the original with Owen Morris was rejected by CBS,live the songs were great,it's not a bad album but it is badly flawed IMHO,but certainly better than WiR,Coup etc.Major General Kudu.

[Palais23]

Back on track....has DM stood the test of time? Well, I don't think one can really tell only after a couple of years.

However, I will give it go. My enthusiasm for album as a whole has wained slightly - I was very excited when it was released. Album cover is excellent. Production is good. Now the songs...well 6 very good songs is good result for me and in no particular order (well the order of the album!) these are Water, This Song, Dave, Something Gonna Kill, Moon, Stallion and Breathe. Very good musically these ditties with lyrics a little lacking.

Therefore, not up with the big first 4 albums but contending with Feline, Aural Sculpture.

So there!! Bring it on!

[toilerinblack]

Back on track....has DM stood the test of time? Well, I don't think one can really tell only after a couple of years.

However, I will give it go. My enthusiasm for album as a whole has wained slightly - I was very excited when it was released. Album cover is excellent. Production is good. Now the songs...well 6 very good songs is good result for me and in no particular order (well the order of the album!) these are Water, This Song, Dave, Something Gonna Kill, Moon, Stallion and Breathe. Very good musically these ditties with lyrics a little lacking.

Therefore, not up with the big first 4 albums but contending with Feline, Aural Sculpture.

So there!! Bring it on!

I think your review is pretty fair and how I see it too and yes I thought itmwas a cra ker when it came out I was playing certain tracks for some time but the novelty has worn off nowday's but you could say that about any album after a while I suppose.
But it's still a great album I would say with about 6 great tracks and great cover and production which is all the same points that you have made.....i agree with you.