White Stallion

[Bear Cage]

Yeah I like the song tbh, one of the best on the album ... but .... don't really think it works 'Live' albeit just going from phone videos Ive seen, and going back to 'TA" on whatever tour..... I'm not a fan of dad dancing
I'll make my mind up at the Leeds gig, if it happens due to the Covid carry on.

Agree you need to be at a gig to make your mind up. Video, especially phone recordings, never capture a live performance, so you can’t really tell unless you’re there and properly experience it live.

[jonimac]

Tremendous song.
The material that I like the most on the album is where it’s different but definitely the band.

Water - Stranglers no doubt, but not trying to regurgitate old stuff, like Golden Boy or Valley OTB

If You Should See Dave - no keyboards for a start! And if you don’t have wry grin at the “solo should go” line, then you shouldn’t be registered member of this site.

If Something’s Going - hits my Kraftwerk soft spot . And possibly Baz’s best ever vocal.

White Stallion - throw the kitchen sink at a pretty normal song and BOOM! ( note, NOT Boom Boom)

Breathe - leaving the covid connotations aside, I just love this as the album closer. Wonderfully atmospheric, great vocal, and nothing like anything they’ve done before.

In my own head I can draw a musical line from Rattus to Dark Waters. It’s not a JJ album, nor a Baz, Paul, John album. It’s a Stranglers album, with a few little musical signatures that hopefully fire some neurons of recognition in the die hards - that’s you btw.

[StanInBlack]

In what way was "Valley of the Birds" a regurgitation of old stuff? It sounds - like everything on Written in Red - like a different band entirely.

[toilerinblack]

Tremendous song.
The material that I like the most on the album is where it’s different but definitely the band.

Water - Stranglers no doubt, but not trying to regurgitate old stuff, like Golden Boy or Valley OTB

If You Should See Dave - no keyboards for a start! And if you don’t have wry grin at the “solo should go” line, then you shouldn’t be registered member of this site.

If Something’s Going - hits my Kraftwerk soft spot . And possibly Baz’s best ever vocal.

White Stallion - throw the kitchen sink at a pretty normal song and BOOM! ( note, NOT Boom Boom)

Breathe - leaving the covid connotations aside, I just love this as the album closer. Wonderfully atmospheric, great vocal, and nothing like anything they’ve done before.

In my own head I can draw a musical line from Rattus to Dark Waters. It’s not a JJ album, nor a Baz, Paul, John album. It’s a Stranglers album, with a few little musical signatures that hopefully fire some neurons of recognition in the die hards - that’s you btw.

Yep..i agree with a lot of what you are saying the thing is everything this band has done from the very start to the present is that being the sound of the Stranglers the entity's ongoing journey where fans will always have time,members and material preferences along the way but you can never say that this is not the Sound of the Stranglers or it's a tribute band to the original one,the band that has produced albums from 77-21 is that being the sound of one ongoing Strangles band not matter what changes along the way for me,its' purely down to what fans either like or dislike to the very same entity until the entity ceases to exist and when it does and only then we will only have tribute bands to the one that once was.

[jonimac]

In what way was "Valley of the Birds" a regurgitation of old stuff? It sounds - like everything on Written in Red - like a different band entirely.

Regurgitation indeed Stan.

[StanInBlack]

In what way was "Valley of the Birds" a regurgitation of old stuff? It sounds - like everything on Written in Red - like a different band entirely.

Regurgitation indeed Stan.

So what "old stuff" is "Valley of the Birds" regurgitating, then? Like, which specific songs?

[jonimac]

Look up arpeggio Stan

[Greatkudu]

Stranglers do Disco,Punk, Opera a fantastic song. Lt Kudu.

[StanInBlack]

Look up arpeggio Stan

Yes, as someone who has studied music as an academic subject I'm aware of what an arpeggio is. Given that arpeggios are a signature part of Dave Greenfield's style, this should hardly be surprising. What I'm asking you is which specific songs is "Valley of the Birds" regurgitating?

[jonimac]

Stranglers do Disco,Punk, Opera a fantastic song. Lt Kudu.

Cannot wait to see this live. Although it made me laugh watching the live footage, with JJ trying not to look awkward while waiting for a bit where he could play his bass.
A forthcoming highlight I’m sure. Whenever that will be…

[StanInBlack]

Cannot wait to see this live. Although it made me laugh watching the live footage, with JJ trying not to look awkward while waiting for a bit where he could play his bass.

Which, of course, he THEN goes on to NOT do for the majority of the song.

[alaninblack]

Which, of course, he THEN goes on to NOT do for the majority of the song.

Very true, but he actually plays more live than he does on the record. The odd strum now and again by the looks.