Suite XVI
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Suite XVI is the sixteenth studio album by The Stranglers, and saw the band 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 18 September 2006 and was supported by an extensive UK tour by the band. The album peaked at number 89 in the UK Albums Chart.
The album continues, but also builds on, the shift to a more recognisable sound seen in the previous album, Norfolk Coast with a sound much more akin to the band's earlier sound during the 1970s and early 1980s.[citation needed]
Tracks range from the aggression of "Summat Outanowt", through the catchy "She's Slipping Away" to the machine-gun punk delivery of "A Soldier's Diary" (which, according to drummer Jet Black, is the fastest track yet recorded by the band) and back to the melodic ballad of "Bless You (Save You, Spare You, Damn You)". There's a foray into country with the biting "I Hate You" and the album finishes off with "Relentless" — a sonically relentless exploration of the passing of time. "See Me Coming" was originally recorded by Jean-Jacques Burnel for the Japanese animated TV series Gankutsuou.[citation needed]
The album was released in Japan with two bonus tracks (taken from the B-side of the UK Single "Spectre of Love").
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Unbroken" | 3:47 |
| 2. | "Spectre of Love" | 3:34 |
| 3. | "She's Slipping Away" | 3:29 |
| 4. | "Summat Outanowt" | 2:14 |
| 5. | "Anything Can Happen" | 3:54 |
| 6. | "See Me Coming" | 3:56 |
| 7. | "Bless You (Save You, Spare You, Damn You)" | 5:35 |
| 8. | "A Soldier's Diary" | 2:19 |
| 9. | "Barbara (Shangri-La)" | 3:44 |
| 10. | "I Hate You" | 2:58 |
| 11. | "Relentless" | 5:02 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Instead of This" (Live Acoustic) | |
| 13. | "Death & Night & Blood (Yukio)" (Live) |
Singles
- "Spectre of Love" (released 11 September 2006) – #57, UK Singles Chart
Personnel
- The Stranglers
- Jet Black - Drums
- Jean-Jacques Burnel - Bass, Vocals
- Dave Greenfield - Organ, Keyboard
- Baz Warne - Guitar, Vocals
References
- ^ Deming, Mark. "The Stranglers: Suite XVI > Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved 5 October 2011.