[saminblack]

OK guys now everyone is tucking into their oh so suite new album I thought I would get early impressions.

So what is the best track then on first few hearings?

[saminblack]

Aah. It seems you can only put ten tracks into a poll (I did write Relentless but it didn't add for some reason).

This is a bit of a problem as Relentless IS my favourite track.

We will just ahve to count the votes here!

[steveareno]

Love the keyboards in 'A Soldier's Diary'. Very 1973 Prog. Rock. Superb.

Steveareno.

[Fredib]

The intro of Unbroken is awesome and we've got here some great JJ/Baz duo regarding vocals.

[gizzard]

The whole album!

Bless You and Relentless for me but as a whole it really is a superb album and just gets better and better.
I've been lucky enough to have a copy for quite a while and it does get better with each hearing and you hear so much more.

Dave's keyboard work on this album is I'd say his best ever.

[paulinblack]

Relentless followed by Unbroken.

Paul

[stranglersfan]

Dunno yet, I'll let you know when I actually get my copy next week!!
HMV Canada appears to order from HMV UK, then sends the little package to me, so it's about an extra 10 days ( but cheaper somehow?)
Oh well, nowt I can do aboot it!!

[Organ Grinder]

RELENTLESS!

[PaulinLondon]

I can't wait to get home tonight to listen to the album !

If Jonathan Ross is getting a copy, may "Wewentwus" will be his favourite track too.

[briinblack]

relentless and bless you

[mctownie]

Relentless is the best Stranglers track i have heard since the 70's it is fuckin awesome!

[graingerman2]

Relentless and Bless you

Unbroken in third place

[andyinblack1]

Relentless, then Bless you. Absolutely awesome.

[yellowcakeuf6]

I wouldn't know. Those cnuts @ HMV haven't delivered it yet!!!

Should have heeded the alarm bells from you lot on here regarding the late delivery of SOL. But, the last time I used HMV, for when you simply have to have an album on the day of release, (Norfolk Coast), it arrived on the day , no problem.

I fear I'm destined to be the last MiB to get a listen to Relentless. Heard most of the other tracks in different guises but have been purposely avoiding Relentless thanks to the general concesus of it being the 'stand-out' tune. Sort of wanted it to blow me away on Monday September 18th.

Posty had better wake me up tomorrow with, "Ere mate, this'un won't fit thru' your letter box!"

[spaceace]

Relentless!!!

[Cola Can]

Relentless

[adam_neil]

Relentless isnt on the list so I voted for Summat Outa Nowt.

[ladpinblack]

Relentless, Unbroken, Bless You

[SmallPaul]

Relentless. Although as it's not on the list I went for Spectre.

Paul

[Mad Hatter]

Unbroken and Relentless

[yellowcakeuf6]

Don't know! HMV cnuts!

[Alias]

[Arthur Streeb-Greebling]

I was gonna say 'Summat Outanow' but I think Ive changed my mind.

'The Spectre of Love' is a real 'Feely good' uplifting type of song, it gives me a buzz and makes me feel good, I love songs like that.

[Alias]

It is a grower aint it?
I can't wait to hear some of these live, I think it'll give them some extra bollocks.

[gizzard]

[StanInBlack]

There were a lot of standouts for me this time around, but upon first listen it was definitely 'A Soldier's Diary' which chuffed me the most!

[yellowcakeuf6]

[jem750]

I'll go for She's Slipping away just now, but that is bound to change as I've only played the album twice! Was such a buildup to Relentless that first time round I wasn't sure - maybe not quite what I was expecting. Have just heard for the second time, and it's started to infect me

Jez

[PaulinLondon]

Relentless is incredible. I'm about to go into my third listen of the album and I'm shitting myself. You know what I mean.

[StanInBlack]

[Alias]

[Cola Can]

[yellowcakeuf6]

[Alias]

[pigeon]

"Anything can happen" & "bless you" for me.

[graingerman2]

astonished Barbara isn't get a look in. This is the album's "sleeper" track, the one you'll want to hear first in four months time when the rest becomes over-familiar. It's a real grower, slow to reveal its charms and in its own way every bit as sophisticated as Relentless.

heed my words..

[nickinblack]

Here you go.Barbara all the way at the moment.

[50millionwatches]

Summat Outanowt....but Shes Slipping Away/Relentless on its heels...

[The Sewer The Sewer]

I have to say See me coming is an excellent track.

PS I used to be theresurearealotofthem.... but cannot log in anymore - Does anyone know why??

Cheers

Nick

PS Cookie in Finchley - My daughter has got into Dorset Youth Orchestra and wants to teach them all Rattus on the Trumpet.
She is going to her first IV gig at Bournemouth

[PaulinLondon]

[wadey1]

definetley Anything Can Happen, what a lovely song. just listened to the whole lp for the first time. got paid today so purchased it. very thrilled with it. so refreshing. best album sinced dreamtime definetley

[glasgeo]

[doninblack]

Summat Outanowt

[PaulinLondon]

[moosedog]

[gizzard]

It is very hard to pick one as my fave track so I'll go for three instead

Summat
Bless You
Relentless

[Tom]

Summat Outanowt, just for its power really.

[Freddie Laker]

Relentless gets my vote, closely followed by every other track on the album.

[alan baty]

All good but bless you could be a monster!!!!!!

[hoopinblack]

there isnt a weak song on the album but for me barbara is growing on me with every listen.

[straightenout]

Relentless closely followed by Summatoutanowt

[hans]

Relentless !

[MULLY]

Whilst I rate Relentless, I can understand why it is not the obvious choice for a single release - but reading comments and looking at the poll, why did Radio 2 choose 'Spectre' as the debut release???

They are just not 'down' with the 30-40 year old kids!!

[Homer]

Fave has be 'Relentless'........and am I the only one that loves 'Anything can happen' . Never struck a chord with me on the first listen but have grown to love it today

[ThruBeingCool]

Luv yer signature Mr C! Keep singing those lines to the wife...and the opening ones to 'She's Slipping..'..dunno why really...amuses me but I still get the 'Sad Bastard' looks as a retort!

[mabus]

Relentless
She's Slipping Away
Anything Can Happen

And a special mention to

I Hate You

Classic black comedy Stranglers, very much in the same vein as Old Codger & Peaches.

[ghostdog]

Relentless.
But there is not a bad track on this album. It's gonna be a classic.

[Andrew]

I voted for Summat, simply because Relentless isn't listed. In order of preference, my choice would be:

Relentless
Summat Outanowt
Unbroken
Barbara
Anything Can Happen
She's Slipping Away
Spectre of Love
A Soldier's Diary
I Hate You
Bless You
See Me Coming

Although to be honest, apart from Relentless being the top track and See Me Coming being the bottom, the order of the other excellent songs changes each time I play the album! It's a superb return to form!

[PjInBlack]

mine keeps changing one minute its bless you then relentless then see me coming then she's slipping away then spectre etc. too many good songs to choose one from!

[paulinblack]

Relentless & Unbroken (not just because of Grayo's pants !)

Paul

[black and white]

changed a few times but Relentless seems to be the one....

[PjInBlack]

gotta be she's slipping away - the most stand out track for me - superb!

[Alias]

Spectre Of Love is the one I keep coming back to these days.

[daniellameijvis]

1. Unbroken
2. Relentless
3. Anything Can Happen
4. I Hate You
5. Spectre of Love
6. Summat Outanowt
7. A Soldier's Diary
8. Bless You
9. Barbara
10.She's Slipping Away
11.See Me Coming [/list]

[PaulinLondon]

"She's Slipping Away" is currently top of the Dog's Bollocks hit parade and is likely to remain there for a while.

[johnsa]

AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH TISHU BLESS YOU. Stay in your bone domes Johnsa

[Mazec]

Summat's my choice. It actually sounds like the Stranglers back when they were in top form.

After that....

Spectre
Relentless
Unbroken (would be no. 1 or 2 if the lyrics were a bit better)
Barbara
Hate you
Anything
Slipping
Bless you
Soldier
See me coming

Hard to hammer it out precisely, I still like most of the ones toward the bottom.

[Samarkand]

Still think that Suite XVI isn't as good as NC. The writing is a bit unadventurous in places. However it's still a fine album.

Unbroken - Still my favourite track.
Spectre - has its critics, but I think it sounds like a proper Stranglers song
She's slipping away - I think it's over-rated, a bit AOR (if anyone remembers that term). Verse is good, but chorus is bland.
Summat - my 2nd fave, it gets away with lack of melody in the verse due to the chorus (plus it has the bonus of a JJ solo)
Anything can Happen - liked a lot at first (better than the comparitive Dutch Moon on NC) but I'm losing interest - rules rhyming with fools is too cliched a lyric)
See me Coming - I think this is better than most give it credit, although I agree the E-D-M-O-N-D bit doesn't wotk out of context.
Bless You - has grown on me. A fine song, but the Mark Knoffler guitars at the end are lame, the song needed a stronger finish.
Soldiers Diary - Excellent stuff - sod these slow/quiet songs!
Barbara - in similar style to Slipping Away but much better. Stronger chorus. Rubbish title though.
I Hate You. - OK for a laugh. Thought it would be quickly tiresome, but I still enjoy it. I thought it went down best of the new tracks at Glasgow ABC.
Relentless- Good track, but over-rated. The bridge section is great (Particularly DG's keyboards, which were lost live) but the chorus isn't as strong.

All in all, a good album but I think NC had more punch. It maybe tries to cover too many styles?

Still, I hope they bring more tracks (eg Soldiers Diary) into the live set for the French tour!

[BazinBlack]

I know its not on the list but Relentless is fucking brilliant!!!!

[bine247]

Most of this album hits the spot, however "Relentless" by a mile followed by "Bless You" and "Unbroken"