Title: magnificent debut
Product review: Ah, the heady days of misogyny. Or was it really misanthropy? Rattus is already archetypal Stranglers within the first minute, punk-ish but obviously a band who knew how to play and keep a tune going amid the attitude. There are three undeniable classics here - the sweaty "Hanging Around", the sneering pseudo-reggae "Peaches", and the stomping "Grip" - but plenty more besides. "Sometimes" propels itself along Dave Greenfield's organ (as it were), "London Lady" audibly drips with contempt, and "Goodbye Toulouse" manages to be a thumping, melancholy ballad. "Down in the Sewer" is a wondrous marriage of punk and prog rock, with a bit of Hank Marvin thrown in. The lyrics throughout the album are probably offensive at times but then if you're the sort of person who listens to the Stranglers you can probably handle it. It's all a bit tame by today's standards anyway. "Ugly" is, however, rubbish.
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