No More Heroes

The Stranglers' debut, Rattus Norvegicus, served as their introduction to both the recording studio and the punk era, where they were more artful and more traditional than their peers. No More Heroes, however, is a complete manifestation of their powers. Recorded just three months after the debut, it's a more focused album, though three of its best songs were recorded during the earlier sessions. "I Feel Like a Wog" mocks racism. "Bring on the Nubiles" skewers sexism while leaving the line so blurry that it made their audiences uncomfortable when the strippers came out. "Something Better Change" is three and a half minutes of punk-pop perfection, done without softening the blow a bit. "Burning Up Time" is similar, also featuring bassist J.J. Burnel on lead vocals and simply destroying everything near it. The title track again lets Dave Greenfield doodle with his keyboards to hilarious results. "Dagenham Dave" pays tribute to a friend who'd committed suicide. "Straighten Out," "Five Minutes," and "Rok It to the Moon" were the singles and b-sides from the same sessions added here. It's a career highlight.