Here it is - the debut album in all of its' dumb, mongrel glory. People absolutely love or hate it, which to me, can only mean that it is undoubtedly a gross, stupid, lazy, slobbering, yet somehow supremely well-executed shock rock classic. The first of two records produced by the Kenny Kerner-Richie Wise production team (ex-Dust). Hard to say if this or the next album is the best raw/unfiltered KISS record (they are damn close) but you get the idea.
Building from the song “Meninblack” on The Raven, the Stranglers found themselves with the time and resources to riff on that idea however they wanted to, and this album was the end result. JJ Burnel has claimed that it may be the first “techno” album, but as usual, the truth is far harder to ascertain. Certainly, the music is keyboard-emphasized, but not exactly the danceable New Wave most people think of when they think of the genre. Not with the obscure references to aliens, the often-confusing rhythmic patterns, and the deadpan and/or hollowed-out delivery coming from the vocalists on all of these tracks. And to think, the band actually thought something like “Thrown Away” would be a hit? Yeah sure – if the chart was on Hades, or someplace similar. This is, for all intents and purposes, the Stranglers’ indulgence album. And more power to them, I say, because many tracks here are quite interesting and need quite a few listens to properly sink in. The cover itself looks like a complicated tome for an even more overwhelmingly complicated volume of work within. Of course, when one hears the aural content, the only real confusion arises from the theme, which like most of these affairs, is rather undefined to begin with.It is Greenfield and the rhythm section doing yeoman’s work, not only holding it together for the sake of pure comprehension, but also giving life to what could have been otherwise staid textures and moods.
After three successful releases in their native UK this was supposed to be the record that put them in the big time, but the cover alone suggests a darker corner has been turned. What I found fascinating about early Stranglers efforts is the interplay between Dave Greenfield’s tricky keyboard work and the working class take on punk rock from the rest of the guys in the band, many of whom had been professional musicians for years before punk rock even was a thought in people’s minds. But The Raven is a different animal altogether. Certainly, the only “punk” element left might be some of the political commentary, but even then, the Stranglers choose to stay in their observational lane, more often than not. Greenfield has traded his keyboard for video game sound-a-like synths and even a piano in one particular case. The end result is still fascinating, albeit in a decadent, blissfully drugged out kind of fashion. It’s clear the band wanted nothing to do with us foolish Americans, judging by “Dead Loss Angeles” and the incredulous “Shah Shah a Go Go”, and the fact that the record was not released in the US originally. Actually, on the average, this purportedly big market product is much the opposite of what an executive’s dream album would be subject matter-wise. The band would follow along this line undeterred with a follow-up album, which would sell far less units than this one. In the very least, The Raven did hit Top 5 in the UK and there was still enough normalcy for a catchy tune like “Duchess” to keep old time fans coming back.
The title track is a white-trash classic; the rest of this is a mixed grab-bag of homespun storytelling and warm tones that used to feel out of place on a Prine album. Or so I thought.
By this time, bygones were bygones, Corky Laing was back as the drummer of Mountain, who were touring and recorded this one last studio effort with Felix in the group, before he lived out the rest of his days in a weird retirement-limbo which would end in his tragic demise. Additionally, a fellow named David Perry took over the rhythm guitar role, to give more space for the spotlight musicians to flourish elsewhere. Which does take place here - easily this is the most vigorous, yet efficient album since Climbing!, even though it's all basically "Mountain-ized" takes on then-current trends, plus their own familiar material. So, I tend to view Avalanche through a slightly suspicious lens, because their classic days are behind them. Arguably, the best material here consists of moderately radical interpretations of two covers - the opening "Whole Lotta Shakin` Goin` On", and a very slowed-down take on the Rolling Stones "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction". Both tracks, it goes without saying, are filled to the brim with mastodonic fuzz and brutality, with the latter even sporting the same cowbell pattern as "Mississippi Queen". This is Mountain crunch at its finest, acting as if the calendar was still stuck on 1970. The good thing here is, Felix and Leslie can still cut it on a lighter level, too. "Sister Justice" and "I Love to See you Fly" are Felix's domain, but West brings in the pretty and agile "Alisan" to match up. The surprise here is Felix contributes a few tunes that are out of his normal wheelhouse, like "Swamp Boy" and "Thumbsucker". Both of these are mildly humorous, especially "Thumbsucker", which is distorted in what seems like six different kinds of ways. They also end the album with this "Last of the Sunshine Days" deal which sounds like a goofy update of Cream's "Wrapping Paper". Quite the music-hall exercise and a very odd way to end things...or maybe that was their intent? Overall, likeable but more like a mid-grade rumble compared to the albums from earlier in the decade.
