Norfolk Coast re-issue (out 21st Apr 2023)
“A must-have for any STRANGLERS fan” – MOJO
“Easily their best work in years” – Q
“Their best album in years” – UNCUT.
“A dark, brooding album with many a trick up its sleeve…don’t be scared, the boys are back” – BBC Music
With the rights to the Norfolk Coast album returning to the band, The Stranglers are proud to announce the reissue of Norfolk Coast which includes for the very first time a ltd heavyweight numbered vinyl (with art card) and a special 2CD digipack edition jam packed with bonus material.
JJ and Baz have also signed the five test pressings that recently arrived at Stranglers HQ and there is a new Norfolk Coast themed t-shirt design, exclusive to the Stranglers store.
PRE-ORDER NOW FROM THE STRANGLERS STORE HERE
NORFOLK COAST became THE STRANGLERS’ 15th studio album when it was released in February, 2004 via Liberty/EMI. Appropriately, it coincided with their 30th Anniversary. It had been over five years since their previous album and thirteen since they were last signed to a major label. Two years in the making, it proved a real return to form and was hailed at the time as “Their best album in years” (UNCUT).
The album’s release was preceded in January, 2004 by the single, BIG THING COMING. It reached #31 on the UK Charts, giving the band their first “hit” single for over a decade. From the album’s mood-setting title track opener, it was immediately clear that all the classic Stranglers’ musical trademarks were shining proudly.
Recorded in their West Country studios, NORFOLK COAST features the stalwart trio of original members Jet BLACK (drums and percussion), Jean Jacques BURNEL (Bass and vocals) and Dave GREENFIELD (Keyboards and vocals). Paul ROBERTS, frontman for over 12 years by this point and this, his fifth Stranglers’ album, whilst always consummate had never sounded better. For guitarist Baz WARNE, who had joined in 2000, this was his first album release with the band and it’s easy to hear how much it mattered to him.
NORFOLK COAST was co-produced by Mark Wallis (Travis, U2, Talking Heads, The Go-Betweens, The Proclaimers, amongst many others) alongside Ruts DC drummer Dave Ruffy (Aztec Camera, The Proclaimers, Levellers). Pete Glenister (Kirsty MacColl, Alison Moyet) co-produced the track NORFOLK COAST.
CD1 features the original eleven track album. CD2, entitled TREASURE FROM THE NORFOLK COAST includes EIGHT previously unreleased recordings. There are three live takes of title track, NORFOLK COAST. One is from Hammersmith in 2010 and originally featured on the Live at the Apollo DVD. It is now released on CD for the first time. The second is a blistering take from a festival in Corsica in 2019. The third is an early acoustic performance by JJ from London’s Union Chapel, recorded on his Songs and Stories Solo Tour in 2000. I DON’T AGREE and TUCKER’S GRAVE were both recorded at La Trabendo in Paris, on the French leg of the tour in April 2004. LOST CONTROL is from Tivoli, Utrecht in 2012. I’VE BEEN WILD is from the above-mentioned 2019 Corsica festival. The second of two performances of the jazz-tinged beauty DUTCH MOON was recorded at The Star, Guildford in January 2019 on the occasion of the PRS inducting the band into their Hall of Fame. It features JJ and Baz, who performed it in the presence of, amongst others, Jet and Dave! The other recording of DUTCH MOON plus SANFTE KUSS are acoustic performances from THEMENINBLACKINBRUGGE, in 2007. LONG BLACK VEIL and MINE ALL MINE are also acoustic versions from THEWEEKENDINBLACK in London in 2011 that first appeared on the GIANTS bonus CD in 2012. BIG THING COMING was recorded on the UK leg of the NORFOLK COAST tour in Spring, 2004. The second single from the album, released in April 2004, was LONG BLACK VEIL (UK #51). The Radio Edit, which first appeared on the CD format of the single, is here along with bonus track, LIFE’S TOO SHORT. PEACHES (2004) a (then) new take on the classic 1977 Top 10 single, completes the second CD. PEACHES (2004) was both B-side & bonus track on the BIG THING COMING 7” and CD single. It was also a bonus track on the Canadian edition of the NORFOLK COAST album.
CD Tracklist
Disc 1:
1. NORFOLK COAST
2. BIG THING COMING
3. LONG BLACK VEIL
4. I’VE BEEN WILD
5. DUTCH MOON
6. LOST CONTROL
7. INTO THE FIRE
8. TUCKER’S GRAVE
9. I DON’T AGREE
10. SANFTE KUSS
11. MINE ALL MINE
Disc 2: ‘TREASURE FROM THE NORFOLK COAST’:
1. NORFOLK COAST (Live 2010)*
2. BIG THING COMING (Live)
3. I DON’T AGREE (Live)*
4. TUCKER’S GRAVE (Live)*
5. LOST CONTROL (Live)*
6. I’VE BEEN WILD (Live)*
7. NORFOLK COAST (Live 2019)*
8. LONG BLACK VEIL (Live acoustic)
9. DUTCH MOON (Live acoustic 2007)
10. MINE ALL MINE (Live acoustic)
11. SANFTE KUSS (Live acoustic)
12. DUTCH MOON (Live acoustic 2019)*
13. NORFOLK COAST (Live acoustic 2000)*
14. LONG BLACK VEIL (Radio Edit)
15. LIFE’S TOO SHORT
16. PEACHES (2004 version)
Vinyl Tracklist
Side A
1. NORFOLK COAST
2. BIG THING COMING
3. LONG BLACK VEIL
4. I’VE BEEN WILD
5. DUTCH MOON
6. LOST CONTROL
Side B
1. INTO THE FIRE
2. TUCKER’S GRAVE
3. I DON’T AGREE
4. SANFTE KUSS
5. MINE ALL MINE