Archive for MiB Forums Burning Up Time Forums
 


       MiB Forums Forum Index -> Stranglers Polls
ThruBeingCool

'UN JOUR PARFAIT' v 'WOLF'

O.K we've had 2 threads pitching Hugh & JJ's 1979 musical diversions against each other. Now let's move ahead a few years.

1988 was the year.

'Wolf' was pretty well publicised if I remember correctly. Have to say I didn't rate it much at all back then on first listening. With more plays a few tracks grew on me, namely 'All The Tea In China', 'Decadence' & 'Dreaming Again'. Overall though I wasn't that fussed about Hugh's solo stuff on this occassion.

A few months later whilst browsing The Stranglers section of my local indie record store I chanced up 'Un Jour Parfait'.

"What the fuck?"

Didn't know anything about this release at the time and I reckon 'Strangled' was late with the news (not for the first time!). But what a gem it turned out to be. Probably because it sounds just like a Stranglers album ought to.

Anyway, it's MY all time top fave Stranglers spin-off and I'll wager it trashes 'Wolf'in this poll.

BUT I COULD BE WRONG!?
Claireinblack

Funny enough i have just bought Wolf in the last few weeks, and i really like it. Hadn't heard it before, not being particulrly into Hugh as a solo artist.
I do like Un Jour Parfait, in fact i love it, but i find i can listen to wolf all the way through, and i can't do that with Un Jour.
ThruBeingCool

NURSE! Shocked

(shit! forgot...you are one!)
theraven1979

Un Jour Parfait for me

Wolf has a few gems on it though but it's too 80s pop for me.

Jim
theraven1979

Yeah I know what you mean Barry about Un Jour - I too was browsing HMV and spotted it - thought it was a bit weird and obscure as like you say no one seemed to mention it.


Jim
Claireinblack

ThruBeingCool wrote:
NURSE! Shocked

(shit! forgot...you are one!)



Laughing Rolling Eyes Laughing

But i remembered you love smiies....!!!
Andrew

No contest with this one. Bought both albums when they came out and could hardly bear to play "Wolf". Thought "Another Kind of Love", "Decadence" and "...China" were good, but "Getting Involved" and some of the other songs I can't remember were...well...shit. Totally not where I wanted to be at 21, and embarrassing to play it.

"Un Jour Parfait" was another kettle of fish. Not UK-commercial and whilst not exactly punk was different enough to make it more interesting.

So, JJ for me this time around. Haven't heard either for years as I haven't got them on CD. Are they available on CD?
Andrew

Actually, I remember now what really pissed me off about "Wolf" and that was the album title. When it was announced it sounded like we'd be getting something edgy and dark with a bit of bite - not what we ended up with at all.

I see from Amazon and Ebay that "Wolf" comes in around the £20plus mark on CD. Won't be adding it to the collection any time soon then :)
ThruBeingCool

I'd actually be up for a cd release of 'Wolf' if it contained all the other tracks that appeared on the singles.

'Wolf' wasn't really where I wanted to be at the time either. However,I still bought the singles as well as the album, apart from the cd one with 'The English Walk'.

Couldn't help finding the 'New York Mix' of 'Getting Involved' quite catchy and the likes of 'Blue Note' etc

I only have all this stuff on vinyl with no record player these days .....would be great to have all this stuff on one cd with, let's say..'Facts & Figures' and 'One In A Million' etc Idea
Alias

Haven't heard Wolf, but I got the singles TBC mentioned, and I was pretty impressed with the solo version of Decadence Hugh's been playing these days, but I did hunt down and source Un Jour Parfait, after hearing the brilliant Le Whisky, one of a few very Stranglers style songs on it, I thought.
ThruBeingCool

'Le Whiskey' was the first CD I ever bought. About a year before I bought a cd player in fact. Thought it might become another rarity like 'Girl FromThe Snow Country' if ya knowworrimean? So I snapped it up via 'Record Collector' methinks.

Also had the same feeling about 'Elle Assure'. Spotted this for sale in 'Record Collector' too, some kinda promo, can't remember exactly. Anyway,I remember writing to 'Strangled' to enquire about this release and to voice my concerns about this song becoming another that real fans wouldn't be able to get hold of. Received a reply from Pam Greenfield, which was nice Cool

Anyhow it turned up on a re-release of 'Un Jour Parfait'eventually. In fact,the inclusion of this track lead to my 3rd purchase of this album!

I was a bit miffed to say the least when then the album was re-released YET AGAIN with another previously un-released track a few years later! On this occassion I simply downloaded the extra trackfrom'Napster'. Serves 'em fucking right!

Now, where was I Question Razz
ThruBeingCool

Alias wrote:
Le Whisky, one of a few very Stranglers style songs on it, I thought.


I think the whole album is very Stranglers-ey. Alot to do with Dave Greenfield on keyboards I suppose but it's also a cross between Taxi Girl & Feline with a bit of 'Fire & Water' thrown in, sort of. Or maybe it's just JJ's contribution to The Stranglers being isolated and developed.

'Un Jour Parfait' was never a radical departure from The Stranglers musically as 'Euroman' was, for example.
Alias

First cd I bought was Heaven or Hell.
I had to take it round to mate's houses to hear it Laughing
ThruBeingCool

That's o'k, you're Scottish Exclamation
Alias

It's more than ok mate.
ThruBeingCool

Of course it is














NURSE!!!!!!!
Alias

ThruBeingCool wrote:







NURSE!!!!!!!





You sounded just like Charles Hawtrey there mate. Laughing
ThruBeingCool

I meant to say..................




"MATRON!"
wadey1

WOLF. GREAT SONGS, ITS JUST THE 80S TREATMENT IS DATED. IF HED DONE THEM TRACKS BUT LESS CORNY (SOME OF IT IS A BIT MICHAEL JACKSON LIKE WITH THOSE TYPICAL 80S DRUMS.) ITD BEEN A GREAT RECORD. SAYING THAT I LOVE DREAMING AGAIN, ANOTHER KIND OF LOVE, ALL THE TEA, DECADENCE (ALTHOUGH I PREFER THE ACOUSTIC VERSION), BREAK OF DAWN IS GREAT, AND EVEN CLUBLAND. SO IT SEEMS I LIKE THIS ALBUM A BIT. UN JOUR IS TOO PRETENTIOUS FOR ME, ALTHOUGH, I DO LOVE THE UN JOUR THEME MUSIC ( AS HEARD IN THE BEAST AND ON JJ SOLO ACOUSTIC GIG FROM 2005). DONT LIKE THE REST OF THE ALBUM THOUGH.
Claireinblack

ThruBeingCool wrote:
I meant to say..................




"MATRON!"



And don't expect a response from me,i'm sulking.... Laughing
theraven1979

Although Wolf sounds dated it does take me right back to 88 when I play it - memories come flooding back

Jim
bry

WOLF WAS JUST COMMERCIAL PAP!! it was well put together etc.. but jeez, COMMERCIAL PAP!!! even worse thanccw Shocked

un jour parfait pisses all over it!!!
gizzard

bry wrote:


un jour parfait pisses all over it!!!


Perfectly put Bry.

Not played Wolf since the day I got it back in 1988.
wadey1

un jour parfait sounds dated now. sounds like the soundtrack to a daft french film. any way, the stranglers were a commercial band and did a lot of commercial stuff. pop dont always have to be bad..
plus ccw is a great little album
gjinblack

Couldn't decide in the Nosferatu/Euroman poll but this time it's Un Jour Parfait by a long way.
mantheylovetohate

UJP everytime for me. Wolf is very dated & has the unwelcome presence of Mr Boogie Woogie Jools bloody Holland Twisted Evil The UJP theme is a lovely piece of music & I think that it's a special moment whenever JJ plays this acoustically. The album's 2 live outings in France 89 were both memorable evenings. I'm still not sure about Garden of Eden though...
paulinblack

I quite like Wolf. I don't like listening to songs in foreign languages, which puts me off UJP to be honest.

Paul
PaulinLondon

UJP for me.

I love UJP.
LAFOLIE

Forget Wolf, UJP is in a league of its own. Its funny, but JJ's solo stuff seams to go down better than HC's solo work
Fredib

" A perfect day" for me above all, but I'm French, so... Wolf, as Jim said, really was 80's pop. Good melodies but what the point ? Nothing original and very middle of the road pop music. Confused
MULLY

Quelle suprise (no pun intended!!) - Un Jour Parfait pour moi Wink

I liked some of the Wolf-era material - As TBC says, some of the B-sides were better than some of the stuff released on the album. 'Real People' is a great track - I would have liked to have heard a Stranglified version.

But UJP has a more 'universal' appeal. Love 'Via Dolorosa' (again would like to hear the band do a version of that track).

I also saw the 'Elle Assure' promo in Record Collector - in fact I bought it, but was ripped off as I never received it!! Then again it was within the last 20 years so the postal service in Belfast could still be delivering it!!
theraven1979

Can't say I'm Jools Hollands' biggest fan but Hugh's choice to include him isn't a bad one. What was that The The track he did around that time? - stunning.


Jim
paulinblack

theraven1979 wrote:
Can't say I'm Jools Hollands' biggest fan but Hugh's choice to include him isn't a bad one. What was that The The track he did around that time? - stunning.


Jim


Uncertain Smile

Paul
theraven1979

No I'm pretty certain Jools did something with The The Laughing Laughing

Jim *5 bottles of Tiger and still unfunny!*


paulinblack wrote:
theraven1979 wrote:
Can't say I'm Jools Hollands' biggest fan but Hugh's choice to include him isn't a bad one. What was that The The track he did around that time? - stunning.


Jim


Uncertain Smile

Paul
PaulinLondon

paulinblack wrote:
theraven1979 wrote:
Can't say I'm Jools Hollands' biggest fan but Hugh's choice to include him isn't a bad one. What was that The The track he did around that time? - stunning.


Jim


Uncertain Smile

Paul


Well done Paul.

What a great song. And the band are in black, like. Cool
ThruBeingCool

MULLY wrote:
'Real People' is a great track - I would have liked to have heard a Stranglified version.



I wouldn't! That song in particular is fucking awful imho.

"Don't like the phoneys
Don't Like The Creeps
Don't like the people who play hide and seek!"

Even though I've not played this song for the best part of 2 decades those awful lyrics and that twee vocal still disturb me. Apalling record.
theraven1979

Yeah Real People is pretty good - I quite like that one. Blue Note as well ain't bad.

Jim

ThruBeingCool wrote:
MULLY wrote:
'Real People' is a great track - I would have liked to have heard a Stranglified version.



I wouldn't! That song in particular is fucking awful imho.

"Don't like the phoneys
Don't Like The Creeps
Don't like the people who play hide and seek!"

Even though I've not played this song for the best part of 2 decades those awful lyrics and that twee vocal still disturb me. Apalling record.
ThruBeingCool

theraven1979 wrote:
Yeah Real People is pretty good - I quite like that one.


Now, there's a surprise Razz
theraven1979

I know - I'm not keen on Wolf like a mentioned previously (in this thread!)

Jim

ThruBeingCool wrote:
theraven1979 wrote:
Yeah Real People is pretty good - I quite like that one.


Now, there's a surprise Razz
wadey1

blue note and realpeople are great tracks

one in a million is an under rated gem,
adam_neil

Never heard Blue Note or Real People but I much prefer Wolf to Un Jour Parfait. Some decent moments on the latter but as far as Wolf's concerned, it's one of my favourite Cornwell solo albums. I like it from beginning to end and personally don't find the standard 80's pop production annoying at all. Ditto the album that came a few years later 'Wired'. Dated sounds one might say but the songs shine through. That said the cheesy intro of The Story Of He & She never fails to crack me up. I'm glad tunes such as that one, Break Of Dawn, Decadence have been aired acoustically over the years as it's cool to hear 'em all stripped down, like.



Adam
theraven1979

One In A Million - yeah another cool track (not from Wolf though) - You heard the 12" mix with twangy geetar?

Jim

wadey1 wrote:
blue note and realpeople are great tracks

one in a million is an under rated gem,
ThruBeingCool

adam_neil wrote:
Never heard Blue Note or Real People but I much prefer Wolf to Un Jour Parfait. Some decent moments on the latter but as far as Wolf's concerned, it's one of my favourite Cornwell solo albums. I like it from beginning to end and personally don't find the standard 80's pop production annoying at all. Ditto the album that came a few years later 'Wired'. Dated sounds one might say but the songs shine through. That said the cheesy intro of The Story Of He & She never fails to crack me up. I'm glad tunes such as that one, Break Of Dawn, Decadence have been aired acoustically over the years as it's cool to hear 'em all stripped down, like.



Adam


So says a man who went to see 'NAZARETH' 3 times last week.

"M'Lords, ladies and Gentlemen...I rest my case!"

Very Happy
theraven1979

This coming from a Devoid!!

Jim

ThruBeingCool wrote:
adam_neil wrote:
Never heard Blue Note or Real People but I much prefer Wolf to Un Jour Parfait. Some decent moments on the latter but as far as Wolf's concerned, it's one of my favourite Cornwell solo albums. I like it from beginning to end and personally don't find the standard 80's pop production annoying at all. Ditto the album that came a few years later 'Wired'. Dated sounds one might say but the songs shine through. That said the cheesy intro of The Story Of He & She never fails to crack me up. I'm glad tunes such as that one, Break Of Dawn, Decadence have been aired acoustically over the years as it's cool to hear 'em all stripped down, like.



Adam


So says a man who went to see 'NAZARETH' 3 times last week.

"M'Lords, ladies and Gentlemen...I rest my case!"

Very Happy
adam_neil

ThruBeingCool wrote:
adam_neil wrote:
Never heard Blue Note or Real People but I much prefer Wolf to Un Jour Parfait. Some decent moments on the latter but as far as Wolf's concerned, it's one of my favourite Cornwell solo albums. I like it from beginning to end and personally don't find the standard 80's pop production annoying at all. Ditto the album that came a few years later 'Wired'. Dated sounds one might say but the songs shine through. That said the cheesy intro of The Story Of He & She never fails to crack me up. I'm glad tunes such as that one, Break Of Dawn, Decadence have been aired acoustically over the years as it's cool to hear 'em all stripped down, like.



Adam


So says a man who went to see 'NAZARETH' 3 times last week.

"M'Lords, ladies and Gentlemen...I rest my case!"

Very Happy


Oi Punkfucker Very Happy
When Devo have been goin' 40 years and are still doin on average 150 gigs a year mostly to audiences of several thousand a night as a headline band then let me know.. bird (That isn't even a worthy comeback but it's late & I could not be arsed thinking up a better one)

Apart from Purple I can't think of many other seasoned acts with such a rigorous tour schedule, fucking insane..christ knows how their health permits it.
Well..Chain puffin' on Marlboro Reds & dranin' large Cognac's. Doh! Wink


Adam

PS Rest your case? You had no fuckin case! Laughing

...I actually like Devo! Very Happy
Pity it's not such a beautiful world we live in... Sad
theraven1979

Spooner is like that school nerd who you insult in the morning then he spends all day trying to think of something to come back at you with - Then finally on your way home he comes back with some pathetic litle reply and thinks he's the dude or something

Jim
ThruBeingCool

theraven1979 wrote:
Spooner is like that school nerd who you insult in the morning then he spends all day trying to think of something to come back at you with - Then finally on your way home he comes back with some pathetic litle reply and thinks he's the dude or something

Jim


Ooh, listen to the school bully! Bet they were all shitting theirselves when you walked in the classroom hardman!
adam_neil

ThruBeingCool wrote:
theraven1979 wrote:
Spooner is like that school nerd who you insult in the morning then he spends all day trying to think of something to come back at you with - Then finally on your way home he comes back with some pathetic litle reply and thinks he's the dude or something

Jim


Ooh, listen to the school bully! Bet they were all shitting theirselves when you walked in the classroom hardman!


Nah - the only dood to throw a real hissy fit round here were that Griff fella, kinda creeeeeeepy!



Adam
theraven1979

Not really but I bet your English Creativity assignments sucked big ones - might go over your head that one

Jim


ThruBeingCool wrote:
theraven1979 wrote:
Spooner is like that school nerd who you insult in the morning then he spends all day trying to think of something to come back at you with - Then finally on your way home he comes back with some pathetic litle reply and thinks he's the dude or something

Jim


Ooh, listen to the school bully! Bet they were all shitting theirselves when you walked in the classroom hardman!
Alias

Fuxake- is this catfight on every thread?
Arthur Streeb-Greebling

The handbags/manbags are out in force tonight I'll tell thi.
ThruBeingCool

He started it Razz
Arthur Streeb-Greebling

Laughing
Alias

Good Evening.
Arthur Streeb-Greebling

Good Streebling.
yellowcakeuf6

Kick him oopside the heed Bazza.......................... Laughing






whoops ........sorry.................
yellowcakeuf6

It's a toughie this'un.
I like Wolf and I like UJP...................




Impossible to choose between the two............... Question







































saynomore
ThruBeingCool

GET OFF THE FENCE MARTIN AND CLICK ON THE 'Un Jour Parfait' bit Cool


ferfexake Exclamation Razz
Mad Hatter

Bloody hell, this hand-bagging is everywhere. I'm glad I went out last night!

Getting back on topic, I am going to go against the popular opinion on this thread and put my vote in for Wolf. This certainly isn't Hugh's best solo album, but it laid a really good foundation for things to come. It showed that he wasn't afraid to experiment with dance styles on New York Groove, stripped back songs such as All the Tea in China, etc. He still plays excellent decadence in his acoustic solo concerts, but I would like to see a few more of these come back into the full band live set.

I enjoy UJP, but don't find it so accessible.
wadey1

well said mate
evonx

Wolf is so weak, I couldnt beleive it when i first heard it.... even a bigger dissapointment than Aural Sculpture.
The definite proof that HC totally went for commercial middle of the road after 1984.

Un Jour Parfait is a lovely album. Sounds a bit outdated now like many other records from that era but shows JJs great talent for writing melodies and I really enjoy him hearing singing in French.

Easy choice!
       MiB Forums Forum Index -> Stranglers Polls
Page 1 of 1