The Stranglers - MenInBlack

This album would sit nicely in whatever the opposite of Easy Listening is. I first bought this on vinyl after seeing The Stranglers on the Feline tour. In the years leading up to that I had bought Rattus and a compilation called The Collection along with the Feline album, but nothing prepared me for the post-punk of the MenInBlack album. The only track I knew was Waltzinblack. I gave it a couple of listens but decided that this was not for me and took it to a second-hand record shop on Cockburn Street in Edinburgh. Shame, as it was in a nice gatefold sleeve. If I'd heard the preceding albums - Black and White and The Raven - then this might not have been such a challenging listen but most of the MIB album seemed a world away from Duchess and the like.

As I then worked my way backwards buying the earlier Stranglers albums, as well as subsequent releases like Aural Sculpture, I came to realise that maybe I should have kept hold of the MIB album. I did buy it again, this time on tape, and then when the band released The Old Testament boxed set, I also had it on CD. 

As I type this I am playing the cassette and it is an essential part of the Hugh Cornwell era Stranglers back catalogue. 

I didn't get to see the band on their 50th anniversary tour but saw that they started their sets with two song from the MenInBlack album. Despite the sad passings of Dave Greenfield and Jet Black it was good to see JJ Burnel and, now long time guitarist, Baz Warne carrying on the unpredictable nature of the Stranglers. Come to hear the hits? You'll have to f--king wait!