Giants And Gems: An Album Collection

This is a record of a band coming full circle. To my mind, the debut 'Rattus' still takes a lot of beating. Anything after that was going to be a little disappointing and all the other LPs have their weak points (as well as may highs). I have to admit pretty much to losing interest in anything after and just before Cornwell left (was it REALLY that long ago?); they started sounding like a band marking time. What is great then about this box set, and keeps it from being a wallow in nostalgia is the inclusion of the latest two LPs Suite 16 and Giants. While the former feels like the new line-up is finding its feet, but is full of promise, Giants is a new classic: Baz has the swagger and menace of early Cornwell and the band is on top form. The Men in Black are back for sure.

This is s fantastic box set of re mastered editions of the stranglers earliest albums. You can't complain at under £3 per disc for the quality you get here. It's difficult to choose the best album as they are all so good! Having recently seen stranglers on tour doing the black and white album, they certainly have still got it, even without hughie. I really recommend this box set to old fans and new. Most of their work is timeless. Buy it!

Fantastic album collection which I can't stop playing! Shows the diversity of the music released by this brilliant, rather underrated band, some true classics with some newer stuff and a couple live albums thrown in. Doesn't matter how old you are; whether it is music from your time or not- if it strikes a few chords with you, that's all that matters. Very good value for money too, I am very happy with this purchase.

Being a bit of a Strangs completist (at least in terms of having to own every recorded song in both vinyl and digital format since mid 77), I was in two minds about buying this. However, I was swayed by the fact that it contains the first UK issue (in the original sleeve design) of the b sides and oddities collection 'Off the Beaten Track' (plus I didn't have card sleeve issues of 'Xcerts' and 'Hope & anchor'). The release date was, however, going to coincide with the 24 bit remaster reissues on Culture Factory of four of the five Epic era albums, which meant a £100 month to help fill the boys' coffers for the 40th anniversary. Having decided to NOT attend the tour this year - I'm sick of hearing sets comprised of virtually nothing but hit singles I've seen the band play dozens of times in concert (come on, guys, play sets of album tracks and b sides, you're playing to the converted 99% of the time after all and most of us go to the toilets when 'Duchess' starts), I thought 'Why break a habit that's lasted for over 35 years?' and ordered the lot. Unlike some other reviewers here, I didn't have high expectations for £30-£40. After all, you get 11 CDs, so lack of a booklet came as no surprise (plus the new book by Robert Endecott with the unimaginative and pointless title 'Peaches' is due - except that it, like the Culture Factory remasters, is late being issued). So being a hardcore Stranglers nutter, I was happy with a nice little clamshell and some budget card sleeve editions for the archives. For casual listeners, this is an excellent buy: you get all of the UA albums, which are the truly essential flawless works (my only misgiving here being a few cuts on "La Folie" that have never really impressed me), two live albums, an unusual and interesting b sides album and the last two waxings by the 'new' four piece lineup, which is the best marque of the band since Hugh scarpered in 1990. Despite what many of the faithful will claim, these are patchy albums, but much better than pretty much anything around these days, though for me 'Suite XIV' is the better of the two. Some reviewers in the music press have praised the collection and the band, reminding casual punters how amazing the band are and how they were commercially and artistically peerless in their first 5 years of recording, but have bemoaned the lack of Epic era material here and mentioned the equal absence of tracks from the Paul Roberts marques. Well, be realistic, there were probably licensing issues and in my opinion, this set does contain the bands' best work. Regarding unreleased/rare stuff, I think what most of the fanbase would like is the following; 1) A CD issue for 'Social Secs', not some cruddy download. 2) A CD issue of the Owen Morris version of '10'- we all want to hear this. 3) A CD issue of the original UA live recording that would have been the bands' first album (the recording that yielded the live version of 'Peasant') but that was vetoed once the tapes we listened too - even if it was disdappointing, I for one would love to see it issued as 'Dead on Arrival' as originally planned, even if only for historical reasons. 4) A date for the issue of 'Here and There', the epic B sides compilation. 5) 5.1 versions of some (all would be nice, but it ain't gonna happen) of the albums on BRA, DVDA, SACD - or if not really good Blu Spec CD2 or SHMCD issues for those of us who like a bit of hi def.

A great collection for not a lot of Cash. You will discover the old songs still sounding fresh and as relevant today. Also be prepared if you are returning to the band after a break for some pretty good newer songs on Suite XVI and Giants as well. Worth every penny.

5 stars for the music 1 star for the product..the raven, the gospel and la folie seem to have copy protection or are faulty so cannot copy cd's to itunes so big waste of money for me

9 of the early stranglers albums and 2 recent ones. classic punk rock and hard rock with a few surprises. some very intelligent song writing. one gripe, straighten out is missing from the b sides cd. it is on the live album, the studio cut should have been included.

Eleven Stranglers albums remastered in miniature cardboard sleeves with the original artwork but no bonus or extra tracks. A superb value collection for the price. Essential if you don't already own these. An undisputed, highly recommended five star purchase.

Très très bel objet, 11 albums incontournables des Stranglers. Un coffret "collecter" que se doit d'avoir un man in black.

Eine solide Box ist das für kleines Geld, wenn man die STRANGLERS Alben noch mal in Pappe möchte. Ich möchte. Wie bei den meisten günstigen Album Collection Ausgaben sind auch hier die Vor- und Rückseiten originalgetreu auf einfachen Papphüllen abgebildet. Enthalten sind die ersten sechs Studio Alben bis LA FOLIE (FELINE, AURAL SCULPTURES, DREAMTIME und ALL LIVE AND ALL OF THE NIGHT sind ja bereits als Vinyl Replicas erschienen, der Rest folgt vielleicht irgendwann?) sowie die letzten zwei Studio Alben ohne Hugh Cornwell und das Live Album LIVE (X-CERT). Macht summa summarum 9 Alben bis hier her. Aber jetzt: das beste STRANGLERS Live Album ever LIVE AT THE HOPE AND ANCHOR (November 1977) ist ebenso als wahres Schnäppchen (die CD kostet einzeln ab 40 Euro aufwärts) enthalten wie das zum aller ersten Mal überhaupt als CD erhältliche OFF THE BEATEN TRACK Album von 1986. Natürlich hat man als STRANGLERS Fan der ersten Stunde die Stücke sowieso mehrfach verteilt auf diversen Alben, aber in dieser Form (eben so wie das Vinyl) ist das schon einmalig. Also insgesamt 11 CDs in einem stabilen WARNER Karton. Danke, 5 Sterne!

Cofanetto celebrativo di 40 anni di carriera di una band di eterni outsiders che hanno un percorso artistico fra in più originali e importanti della storia del rock, fra il punk di No More Heroes e il pop raffinatissimo di Golden Brown questo cofanetto raccoglie 11 album dall 'esordio di Rattus Norvegicus fino ai più recenti Suite XVI e Giants. Mancano all'appello alcuni album importanti della storia della band ma nondimeno questa raccolta mette assieme pietre miliari come The Raven o Black And White in un box dal costo anche economicamente interessante, adatto anche ai neofiti. Completano il paccchetto due live leggendari e una raccolta di raritù e B-side. Tutti i Cd sono in custodie di cartoncino che riproducono l'artwork degli LP originali.

ストラングラーズ（The Stranglers）の初期7枚のアルバムと、のちに発売されたライヴ、編集盤の2枚、それに近年の2作品を収めた11枚組ボックス・セット。中は最近よくある簡易紙ジャケで、質感は決して悪くない。ちなみにどのアルバムにもボーナス・トラックは入っていない。自分は初期作品から聴いたので、どうしても思い入れは最初の4枚が強い。シングルにアルバム未収録曲がよく入っていたので中古シングルも買ったなぁ。当時出現した数多のパンク・バンドと違い、年齢もキャリアもあった彼らは音楽ジャンルこそパンクと括られていたが、キーボードが肝になった骨太のサウンドで、他とはひと味もふた味も違った。でも後から初来日時などのエピソードを知ると、態度（アティチュード）はまさにパンク。ベースを構えたジャン・ジャック（Jean-Jacques Burnel）はどの写真も見てもかっこよかった。 このボックス・セットは40周年記念と銘打たれている。自分が知ったのはせいぜいその長い歴史のうち四半世紀程度だけれど、それにしたってけっこうな時間が経っている。欧米では初期よりも中期以降のヨーロッパ的なポップ・ミュージックとしての人気や評価が圧倒的に高いが、元ヴォーカル兼ギターのヒュー・コンウェル（Hugh Cornwell）脱退後はほとんど聴いてこなかった。その後のライヴ映像は何度か目にしたが、やはりヒュー抜きだとなぁ、と正直思っていた。このボックス・セットには近年の2作品が入っている。どうしてこの2作品なのか、基準は全然分からない。前ヴォーカルを抜いたか？でもそれなら「Feline」（1983）以降のヒュー在籍時までで揃えた方が…と疑問は残る（移籍したから無理か）。でも編集盤「Off The Beaten Track」とライヴ「Live at the Hope and Anchor」とを入れてくれたのは嬉しい。両方ともアナログ時代から愛聴している盤だ。 近年になっても、特にヨーロッパでの彼らの人気は不動で、ライヴはいつも盛況であることは知っていたので（だからか最近はライヴ・アルバムがやたら多い）、最近ライヴ映像を見てみた事があった。残念ながらドラムのジェット・ブラック（Jet Black）は不在だったが、デイヴ・グリーンフィールド（Dave Greenfield）のキーボードも相変わらず冴え、何よりヴォーカル兼ギターのバズ（Baz Waren）がしっくりとはまっていたのには驚いた。そしてこのボックス・セットに収められた2作品「Suite XVI」「Giants」。聴いてみてこの2作品が予想以上に良かった。そんな収穫もあり大満足。

Que dire sur ce coffret ... coffret moche!!! reproduction fade!! de quelques albums . Pas de livret ... pas de bonus... pas de remaster... aucun intérêt !!! Les fans des stranglers ont déjà tous ces cds en remaster avec des bonus !!! Sur chaque cd . l'achat indispensable des stranglers "testament. .." 5 cds regroupant les albums jusque 'la folie' ... bourrés de bonus .. raretés. .. la..... d'accord ... un must !!! A petit prix !!!!