Let me tell you about Sweden ... (Black And White - Stranglers)

Name: Pinotage

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Product:	Black And White - Stranglers
Date:	18/01/01 (68 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Classic Stranglers - superb keyboards

Disadvantages: none

Black and White was released in 1978, the year following the Stranglers' first two magnificent albums, 'Rattus Norvegicus' and 'No More Heroes'. Their record company, perhaps influenced by their chart success, packaged it with a bonus white vinyl single record. One black vinyl LP, with a black label on one side and a white label on the other, plus a white single. Truly Black and White.

I listened to these records and I didn't like them. I put them away and forgot about them. Other albums came which I played while Black and White languished forgotten.

Many years later I was working in Stockholm, living in a rented apartment with a hi-fi player. On the way to the airport I grabbed a stack of records and Black and White was amongst them. I played it and thought to myself 'this is brilliant'. And so I was a late convert. I just cannot understand now why I didn't take to it at first - except it wasn't like the first two.

There is cracking fast rock and roll, with that swirling deep electric organ weaving in and around that so reminds me of 'The Doors'. I think this album has the best keyboard playing of all the Stranglers records. For three months in Stockholm I listened to this album every day; it was on continuous play. Let me tell you about Sweden ??

The CD also has 'Mean to Me' and 'Walk on By' from the white single, as bonus tracks. It is hard to select favourite tracks, but 'Death and Night and Blood (Yukio)'s anthem like chant has me joining in every time, and of course 'Nice 'n' Sleazy' and 'Tank'.

If you haven't got this album, look for it. Over twenty years old and it is as fresh as the day it was released.

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