Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A first class tribute to the Stranglers, 3 Nov 1999
By A Customer
This remarkable debut CD, from the Nottingham UK based Stranglers tribute band, No More Heroes, is filled with 17 classic Stranglers songs, covering albums from the late 70's to the mid 80's. From the first track, the re-programmed Waltzinblack until the final song Outside Tokyo, your aural extremities are in for a delight. No More Heroes have angled in on the unique sound that pervaded the Stranglers' early albums, with an eerily close resemblance to the meninblack themselves. JJ's throbbing, chugging bass lines, Hugh's unique guitar riffs, Dave's swirling keyboards, compounded with Jet's staunch drumming precision are mimicked in similar and somewhat eager fashion by these four energetic lads from middle England. Any dubiousness I may have had, melted away as the CD unfurled before my ears. After all, I have been a Stranglers fan for 21 years now- reckless thoughts and visions of 'Blasphemy' swirled away in my mind, but these were immediately repressed upon hearing such classics as The Raven, No More Heroes, Thrown Away et al. All 17 songs are dutifully played, note for note, with a diligence not seen or heard in most other tribute bands around. No backing tapes here! There are obvious omissions to this album. I'm sure that you all have your own ideas of what a perfect album of 'Stranglers' songs would be. Nevertheless, there is more than enough talent within these four bright young individuals to make another one, and hopefully more! Accomplished musicians they certainly are: - Rob Holmes' bass lines are so similar to JJ Burnels' it is difficult to distinguish between the two! Ash Reynolds' drumming is as precise as Jet Blacks. Sprocks keyboards (Ash's brother by the way) are as close as you can get, considering Dave Greenfield was using customised equipment in those days. Dave Berridge has Hugh's unique, quirky guitar riffs down to a tee! The vocals are all very strong too. Shared between Rob and Dave, all the tracks are sung in the same vein as when they were originally recorded by the Stranglers. The aggressive vocals on "London Lady" emulate JJ Burnel at his 'spit roaring' best. No More Heroes have obviously emulated their 'heroes' with extreme accuracy. Even the artwork for the album cover, is an accurate mimic of the Stranglers' Gospel according to the Meninblack album. A superb debut CD that deserves a lot of success
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An accurate interpretation of the Stranglers early years, 10 Feb 2001
By A Customer
Having heard No Mo Heroes live supporting the Stranglers at Rats Rally, I just had to buy this album.'Rats, Ravens and Men in Black' covers the Stranglers most successful period from 1977 to 1983. It features the best singles and selected albums tracks from the first 6 Stranglers albums. I would recommend this album to anyone!
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
WAY PAST YOUR STATION, 14 Mar 2008
I don't usually like to tackle something I feel so negative about because a negative review tends to generate negative feedback. Oh well, there go the votes, if any...
RATS, RAVENS AND MEN IN BLACK by NO MORE HEROES is neither easy to sum up nor to categorise. Musically, it sounds like THE STRANGLERS MK1 but the vocals are decidedly off-beam. The arrangements are quite faithful but the production is lacking. Remind me again: when original recordings are readily available, easily obtained and cheap into the bargain, the point of this cd is what, exactly? In a LIVE situation, fine, the resemblances ought to be good enough to risk lacing up those Doc Martens, spiking up the hair and pogoing until senseless. And THAT, surely, is the legitimate definition for 'tribute': a homage to, or a reminder of. Job done, book the next gig. The cd on the other hand is 100% spurious - the equivalent of a Geoff Love Big Black and White Punk Rock Themes - for friends and relatives, Travel Tavern lifts and the terminally curious...it is NOT a product for the genuine 1977-1990 Stranglers fan.
What I expected, therefore, is precisely what I got and hardly the fault of NO MORE HEROES, who clearly love the band as much as I do. No, it's more a case of shame on me for choosing to go near the damn thing in the first place. I daresay we all have our own ways of preserving the memories of Hugh and the boys but, really, this shouldn't be one of them. Don't get me wrong: the merits of a touring 'tribute' band playing early to mid-period STRANGLERS material is not in question here - continued good luck, keep the spirit alive, etc, and no problem with that. As for the existence of this cd...Rola-Cola, anyone?
BEST TRACKS: None. All. Whatever.
NOT RECOMMENDED
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