(Rock, Punk) [LP][24/96] The Stranglers - 3 LP's - 1977, 1982, 1982, FLAC (tracks), lossless

Rattus Norvegicus is the first album by The Stranglers, released in 1977. The band's name was printed as "The Stranglers IV" on the sleeve. The album was originally to be entitled "Dead on Arrival" but was changed at the last minute. It was one of the highest-selling albums of the punk era in Britain. Some websites incorrectly list the album as IV by a band called Rattus Norvegicus.
It was produced in one week by Martin Rushent, and was basically a snapshot of the band's live set at the time.
The original vinyl release included a free 7" single, containing "Peasant in the Big Shitty (live)" and "Choosie Susie". Two singles were taken from the album: "Grip", and "Peaches" (released as a double A-side with the non-album track "Go Buddy Go"), which gave the band their first major hit single. A remastered version of the album was reissued on CD in 2001, including these three additional tracks.
The album peaked at no.4 in the UK album chart, eventually spending 34 weeks on the chart.

As with most bands who have been around for as long as the Stranglers, there are many compilation albums available of varying quality. This however, was the first compilation released in 1982 which covers the early punk singles of 1977 such as 'Peaches' and 'Something Better Change' up to the mellow sounds of 'Golden Brown' and 'Strange Little Girl' in the early 1980s.
In between there are such classics as 'Duchess' and 'Bear Cage' as well as their menacing re-working of the Dionne Warwick song 'Walk on By'. This latter song was a strange choice of single as it had been given away free with their album "Black and White" and it was also well over the standard 3 minute length of your average single due to the extended guitar and keyboard solos, but the Stranglers have never been all that concerned about such minor details. The final track also demonstrates how they've never played by the music industry's rules as it is sung and spoken in French by their bass player Jean Jacque Burnel. Not exactly likely to get much daytime airplay on Radio 1!
They have always lived up to their reputation of being the 'Lepers of Rock' but have recorded consistently good singles which this compilation demonstrates. I'd certainly recommend it as a good starting point if you are new to the music of the Stranglers.