Feline (Deluxe Edition)

By the time of 1982's FELINE, the Stranglers had left behind the raucous, bad-boy pub-punk of their '70s albums and had moved firmly into the arena of New Wave. FELINE is dominated by synthesizers, and has the moody, lilting feel of the British electro-pop of the era. Setting the tone of the album is the opener, "Midnight Summer Dream," which floats on a wiry synth progression backed by a strummed acoustic guitar and programmed drums. The burbling post-punk pop of "It's a Small World" is haunting and highly melodic at once, while hit single "The European Female (In Celebration Of)" sounds like a cross between Kraftwerk and Antonio Carlos Jobim. Also here is "Golden Brown," a moody, waltz-time tune (possibly about heroin) that evokes late-'60 psychedelic pop and became one of the Stranglers' biggest charts hits. FELINE may not appeal to fans of the Stranglers' early work--it's more nuanced and less boisterous than their punk material--however, it shows the band keeping apace with the times, and admirably reaching for new sounds and directions.