Nice ‘N’ Sleazy Does It, a Review Of the Stranglers’ Third Album

The Stranglers third album “Black and White”, released in 1978, was a departure from their earlier work and can be regarded as a key album in their discography.

At the time the group were best known for their agressive biker antics and had had a blaze of bad publicity. (Overbearing sexism was just not done at the time, beating up journalists is never such a good idea...) This album was a departure from their earlier work, which I have heard being described as “pub-rock with an added Hammond organ”, being much more artistically ambitious in both music and lyrics, the songs are well-crafted, the lyrics have literary proficiency. These guys may be pretending to be societies’ worst misfits, in reality they’re much more sophisticated; half of them have university degrees and it shows on this album.

Originally released as an LP containing 11 tracks divided over a “white side” and a “black side” plus a limited edition 7” bonus EP on white vinyl, The white side songs are more upbeat, the black sides’ mood is dark and threatening. Don’t expect the mood on the white side to be cheerful however, this is an album by the Stranglers.

“Nice ‘N’ Sleazy” is a typical Stranglers anthem, and the most remembered song from this album, which is mostly forgotten. (Mind you, it did get to no.2 in the UK album chart, however.) To me an absolute highlight on the white side is the very punk rock “Hey! (Rise of the Robots)” featuring the anarchic saxophone play of Lara Logic (X-Ray Spex, Essential Logic). This song is as merry as the Stranglers ever got to be.

There is also the down-tempo “Outside Tokyo” were somebody in factory had apparently invented time, starting the craze for Japanese watches:

50 million watches with a

Strap to sell

50 million watches with a

Strap to sell

If people wanted proof to

Carry on they’d like to buy one

If they should ever sell out

That would be the end of (time)

Be the end of (time)

Be the end of time

On the overal very energetic black side the tracks “Do You Wanna/Death and Night and Blood” and “In the Shadows” really stand out.

“Do You Wanna” a strong bass-line and some strong advice for a young lady. “Death and Night and Blood” is a tribute to Japanese writer Yukio Mishima. In “Curfew” the Warsaw Pact have invaded the UK and Her Majesties Government have fled to Scotland; not altogether an unrealistic prospect during the late seventies...

The bonus EP has a cover of “Walk On By” (known from Dionne Warwick) getting the Stranglers’ treatment, Hugh Cornwell’s singing unusually melodic, breaking with the general mood of the rest of the material.

To wrap it up this album marked a departure for the Stranglers, adding new ideas and and more refinement to their hitherto raw and uncompromising musical style, making it a real classic. if you appreciate the Stranglers for their early material (“(Get a) Grip”, “No More Heroes”), or their later stuff (“Golden Brown”, “Skin Deep”), then here’s your essential listening.

PS: Should you decide to get the CD, make sure to get the ‘repack’, this one includes the all bonus tracks, single b-sides and what not.