Giants (The Stranglers album)

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Giants
StranglersGiants.jpg
Studio album by
The Stranglers
Released5 March 2012
Recorded2011–2012
GenrePunk rock, post-punk
Length43:07
LabelAbsolute, Ear Music
ProducerLouie Nicastro, the Stranglers
The Stranglers chronology
Suite XVI
(2006) 		Giants
(2012) 		Dark Matters
(2021)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic3/5 stars[1]
AU Magazine3.5/5 stars[2]
BBC Music(8/10)[3]
FMV Magazine4.5/5 stars[4]
Mojo4/5 stars[5]
MusicOMH4.5/5 stars[5]
Q3/5 stars[5]
The Skinny2/5 stars[6]
ThisIsNotAScene(9.5/10)[7]
ThisIsFakeDIY(4/10)[8]
Uncut3/5 stars[5]

Giants is the seventeenth and most recent studio album by English rock band The Stranglers and continues the band's return as a four-piece after the departure of Paul Roberts. Lead vocals are shared between guitarist Baz Warne and bassist Jean-Jacques Burnel. The album was released on 5 March 2012 and was supported by an extensive UK tour by the band.

The album continues the shift to a more recognisable sound seen in the previous album, Suite XVI, but also builds on a sound much more akin to the band's 70s era.

The album was released in the formats of digital download, CD and vinyl with the a deluxe edition of the CD being released with an additional live acoustic disc for the same price. In an interview, Burnel stated that the album has few overdubs so that they can play all the songs live without using any 'trickery', he also stated that 'Time Was Once on My Side' is a single of sorts, continuing to question what makes a single in 2012.

The release was better promoted than previous albums with Burnel appearing on The One Show and also appearing on BBC Breakfast with Baz Warne to talk about the album. There were also 19 billboard advertisements put up around London using an alternate image to the album art.[9] The controversial image, featuring head-shots of the four band members dead, with nooses around their necks, was banned from the London Underground and only permitted on digital billboards between 9:00 pm and 5:00 am.[10] The equally controversial album cover photograph, showing the band hanging from swings in a children's playground, was also banned in some countries and replaced with an version showing empty nooses.[11] Photographer David Boni declared it to be one of the best photos he'd worked on.[12]

The band worked on the album for two years on and off between festivals, gigs and going off places. "...But some of the ideas stem back to 10 years ago. You can't always make a decent song with just one idea and we've been mulling over some ideas for quite a few years," Burnel remarked.[13]

The bassist said he was delighted with the initial reaction to their album in the media. "This record seems to be taking off big time. We're having to go to Paris to do 50 or 60 radio shows and they've asked us to do a dozen live performances. After that we've got to go to Berlin because interest's picking up there well so this record – which hasn't come out yet – seems to be getting quite a lot of attention," he remarked prior to the release.[13]

Reception[]

Upon its release, the album received generally good reviews from music critics. Aggregating website AnyDecentMusic? reports a score of 6.3 based on 9 professional reviews.[5]

Track listing[]

All tracks are written by Jet Black, Jean-Jacques Burnel, Dave Greenfield and Baz Warne, except where noted.

Standard Edition
No.TitleLength
1."Another Camden Afternoon"4:05
2."Freedom Is Insane"6:20
3."Giants"3:44
4."Lowlands"3:16
5."Boom Boom"3:24
6."My Fickle Resolve"5:34
7."Time Was Once on My Side"3:33
8."Mercury Rising"3:39
9."Adios (Tango)"4:41
10."15 Steps"4:58
Deluxe Edition: Acoustic set convention 2011 live
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Tits"Black, Burnel, Hugh Cornwell, Greenfield5:50
2."English Towns"Black, Burnel, Cornwell, Greenfield2:58
3."Southern Mountains"Black, Burnel, John Ellis, Greenfield, Paul Roberts3:33
4."European Female"Black, Burnel, Cornwell, Greenfield3:50
5."Instead of This"Black, Burnel, Cornwell, Greenfield4:34
6."Long Black Veil" 3:57
7."Dutch Moon" 4:15
8."My Fickle Resolve" 4:41
9."Don't Bring Harry"Black, Burnel, Cornwell, Greenfield3:49
10."Cruel Garden"Black, Burnel, Cornwell, Greenfield2:41
11."Mine All Mine" 3:38
12."Bitching"Black, Burnel, Cornwell, Greenfield4:37
13."Old Codger"Black, Burnel, Cornwell, Greenfield3:18
14."Sanfte Kuss" 2:50

Personnel[]

The Stranglers
Additional musicians
  • Neil Sparkes – additional percussion on track 6 & 7
Technical
  • Louie Nicastro – production
  • Dave Mullen – artwork, design
  • David Boni – photography

References[]

  1. ^ Giants at AllMusic
  2. ^ "Giants album review". AU Magazine. Archived from the original on 1 June 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
  3. ^ Winwood, Ian (2 March 2012). "Punk survivors return with a reassuringly odd 19th studio album". BBC Music. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
  4. ^ Butler, Mark (1 March 2012). "The Stranglers: Giants". FMV Magazine. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "Giants album reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
  6. ^ Toolan, John (28 February 2012). "The Stranglers – Giants: Review". The Skinny. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  7. ^ Wiseman, Sam (28 February 2012). "The Stranglers: Giants". ThisIsNotAScene. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  8. ^ Hunt, El (5 March 2012). "The Stranglers: Giants". ThisIsFakeDIY. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
  9. ^ "Stranglers Official Site › Giants billboard displays in the Capital". Thestranglers.net. 25 February 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  10. ^ Savidge, Jane. "The Stranglers release Giants..." Jane Savidge PR. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Life's black and white for punk legends The Stranglers". Falkirk Herald. JPI Media. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  12. ^ Drumgoole, Kelland. "The Importance of Album Art in the Digital Age". Music Think Tank. Music Think Tank. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b "Life as a Strangler". www.dunfermlinepress.com. Retrieved 1 June 2011.

External links[]

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