What is most striking about early Stranglers music in contrast to most of their punk peers is the prevalence of Dave Greenfield's organ sounds. His rapid arpeggios and swelling rhythms, along with JJ's jagged bass lines, formed the core of The Stranglers distinctive sound during most of their punk phase. Album opener 'I Feel like a Wog' shows this to full effect with Greenfield's pumping organ riffs driving the song along in an urgent fashion forming a suitable backdrop for Cornwell's guttural vocals. The Stranglers always had the capacity to throw out a hit single or two throughout their varied career and this is evidenced on the punk-lite 'No More Heroes'. Greenfield is again the star contributor here and his wonderfully melodic main keyboard motif is obviously the reason why this particular song climbed the charts. He is busy throughout its entirety with his brisk arpeggios and lead fills. Not to be outdone, Cornwell treats us to some suitably abrasive rhythms and sneeringly laments the passing of such 'heroes' as Trotsky, Shakespeare and Sancho Panzer.
The Stranglers were often treated with an element of suspicion by the rabidly traditional Brit punk set of the times due in some part to their middle-class roots but also for their willingness to venture outside traditional musical structures from the outset. They could almost be described as an art rock band with punk attitude, especially when you listen to tracks such as the seven minute 'School Mam' with it's busy bass lines and choppy mutating guitar licks. The band would justify the 'mistrust' placed in them by branching out into new wave, europop and even flirting with progressive rock on later releases. But their willingness to adapt and explore certainly held them in good stead in the post-punk world and they went on to further successes during the '80s, at least within the confines of Europe. On this release, however, their toes were still firmly planted in the punk bedrock.
Tracklist for No More Heroes:
1.I Feel Like A Wog
2.Bitching
3.Dead Ringer
4.Dagenham Dave
5.Bring On The Nubiles
6.Something Better Change
7.No More Heroes
8.Peasant In The Big Shitty
9.Burning Up Time
10.English Towns
11.School Mam
12.Straighten Out (CD bonus track)
13.Five Minutes (CD bonus track)
14.Rok It To The Moon (CD bonus track)
The Stranglers were often treated with an element of suspicion by the rabidly traditional Brit punk set of the times due in some part to their middle-class roots but also for their willingness to venture outside traditional musical structures from the outset. They could almost be described as an art rock band with punk attitude, especially when you listen to tracks such as the seven minute 'School Mam' with it's busy bass lines and choppy mutating guitar licks. The band would justify the 'mistrust' placed in them by branching out into new wave, europop and even flirting with progressive rock on later releases. But their willingness to adapt and explore certainly held them in good stead in the post-punk world and they went on to further successes during the '80s, at least within the confines of Europe. On this release, however, their toes were still firmly planted in the punk bedrock.
Tracklist for No More Heroes:
1.I Feel Like A Wog
2.Bitching
3.Dead Ringer
4.Dagenham Dave
5.Bring On The Nubiles
6.Something Better Change
7.No More Heroes
8.Peasant In The Big Shitty
9.Burning Up Time
10.English Towns
11.School Mam
12.Straighten Out (CD bonus track)
13.Five Minutes (CD bonus track)
14.Rok It To The Moon (CD bonus track)