Track Listing

1. Always the sun
2. Dreamtime
3. Was it you
4. You'll always reap what you sow
5. Ghost train
6. Nice in nice
7. Big in America
8. Shakin' like a leaf
9. Mayan skies
10. Too precious
11. Since you went away
12. Norman normal
13. Dry day
14. Hit man
15. Was it you (7" version)
16. Burnham beeches

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #47617 in Music
• Released on: 2001-10-01
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .23 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
Depending on your viewpoint, 1986's Dreamtime--the ninth and penultimate album from the original Stranglers line-up and the second to feature their not-always-necessary auxiliary brass section--is either an unfocused and overly-variant under-achievement or a case of a few good pop songs and a smorgasbord of half-baked ideas hinting at potential future musical directions. Complacent, or brave but terribly confused? It's difficult to tell. Either way, Dreamtime is ultimately a frustratingly unfulfilling album. Even so, it does contain The Stranglers' best single of the decade (yes, better than "Golden Brown") in the perfectly-produced, graceful "Always The Sun"--a song which proved to be every bit as much a renewable energy source as its title, hitting the UK Top 30 twice in the space of four years--and the beautifully contemplative "You'll Always Reap What You Sow", which featured pedal steel guitar from BJ Cole. JJ Burnel's bouncy "Nice In Nice" aside, too much of the rest--the clunking retro punk vibe of "Was it You?" (which cannibalised their own 1977 number "Dead Ringer") and the Santana-like instrumental jam on "Too Precious"--muddles-through in half-hearted fashion. However, this is an excellent reissue from Sony--great sound, informative sleeve notes from Strangled magazine contributor Neil Martin and bonus tracks featuring all the b-sides of the era. --Kevin Maidment

Customer Reviews

mellowed punks' last moments of greatness
After several years of risky experimentation in the aftermath of punk, the Stranglers gradually mellowed, the culmination of this maturation being "Dreamtime". The album opens with the classic "Always The Sun", a beautiful, haunting tune, inspired by JJ Burnel's interest in Zen Buddhism - the song is still performed live by the band today. "Dreamtime" reveals Hugh Cornwell's love of double entendre, combining an attempt at seduction with a desire to embrace Aboriginal beliefs! "Nice in Nice", JJ's irrevent look at the band's antics in Nice several years earlier, which earned them a spell in prison for inciting a riot, and "Big in America", Hugh's cynical take on pop bands' obsessions with breaking America (ironic given that the Stranglers' failure to do so was one of the reasons he cited for subsequently leaving the band!) show the Stranglers at their wittiest, and with great melodies! "Ghost Train" and "Too Precious" work less well, although providing ample evidence of the band's musical virtuosity, something which earned them much contempt from their punk peers! "You Always Reap What You Sow" a melancholy lament on slide guitar, and the swing combo "Shaking Like A Leaf" show Hugh pushing the band in new directions, with mitigated success. "Was It You?" shows JJ in punk mode again -a kind of 80s version of "Something Better Change" ... with a brass section! Ultimately, fans will want to buy this album for "Always The Sun" the band's last moment of glory and their swansong - after one more album Hugh left the band to focus on his solo career and the Stranglers continued, with lesser success, with a new lead singer, although both Hugh and the band remain incredible live acts.

THE DREAM PAYS OFF
A sublime offering.

The production, while not as gutsy or kinetic as '10', is full and rewarding and the band are at their most reflectively mature. ALWAYS THE SUN, a stunning example of soft-edged classic pop, is just one of eight superb tracks - and even that assessment is relative, because the bonus tracks are more than worth a listen. I must also single out JET BLACK's percussion on DREAMTIME - the expansive nature of the album's theme is perfectly complimented by his outstanding work here, especially on TOO PRECIOUS.

THE STRANGLERS haven't gone soft-centered, however. No, they've simply evolved and the sound they've created on DREAMTIME is a part of that process. Another wonderful album worth every last lasered groove. The dream pays off.

Best Tracks: TOO PRECIOUS; MAYAN SKIES and ALWAYS THE SUN.


HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

"Who gets the job of pushing the knob?"
In my opinion, his is the group's finest album. Produced by Mike Kemp and the group, it boasts an excellent palate of songs, all with a brilliant sound. There's an international flavour to the selection with tracks about France, America, Mexico, as well as the Australia of the title.

"Was It You?" has a raucous humour; "Shakin' Like A Leaf" is nothing special, despite a good brass arrangement; and "Mayan Skies" is too disjointed under the Mexican sun.

Things get much better with the aboriginal well-written and well-arranged title track; the country & western style ballad "You'll Always Reap What You Sow"; the incessant "Ghost Train", interesting and fresh every time its played; JJ's rocker "Nice in Nice"; Hugh's rocker "Big In America" (with sax solo); and the six-and-a-half-minute "Too Precious" with its jam carried along with infectious percussion.

But the best of all is the opening track, "Always The Sun", in my opinion the best song that this group ever produced. Intelligent lyrics - 'How many times have the weathermen told you stories that made you laugh? ... Who gets the job of pushing the knob?' - vie with an imaginative arrangement to produce a sound so sunny and positive.

The extras consist of six tracks, none of which are particularly worthy of especial mention. All could do with some polishing, and indeed "Norman Normal" and "Dry Day" might have been brilliant if they had deeper production.