Cannily subtitled “thirty years hard labour”, the self-explanatory '4240' celebrates the fact that Punk survivors THE STRANGLERS have weighed in with hit singles across the course of an incredible four decades.
We've been here before, of course, because The Men In Black's behemoth of a back catalogue has already been packaged for the Hits market on several occasions courtesy of 'The Collection',' The Very Best Of..', several versions of the inevitable 'Greatest Hits' and EMI'S far-reaching, but now difficult to obtain 'The Hit Men' 2CD set. This latter is probably still the jewel in the crown where Stranglers' anthology sets are concerned because it presents us chronologically with all the singles, many of the double-A's, significant album tracks and even stuff like 'Was It You?', which was earmarked as a single but then never happened. As Hugh Cornwell said in a MOJO interview at the time of 'The Hit Men”s release, “it's a nice collection – EVERYTHING'S on it.”
So how does '4240' stack up by comparison? Well, let's pick a few holes first. The 22 tracks are arranged apparently randomly in a chronological sense, although aesthetically there's no denying that a Stranglers' collection opening with their no-nonsense version of The Kinks' 'All Day & All Of The Night', the world-weary brilliance of 'Always The Sun', the fire-in-the-belly second wind of 2004's 'Big Thing Coming' and the evergreen, Cliff Richard-baiting 'Duchess' has plenty going for it. However, there ARE glaring omissions. For example, while tracks like 'Skin Deep' and 'European Female' still have a whiff of efficient Euro-pop cool, much of the band's '80s output (reeking of Laurie Latham overproduction and Jet's ill-advised detour into using Simmons kits) has actually dated quite badly and there's too much reliance on those days here. Yes, 'No Mercy' and the lush 'Let Me Down Easy' still cut the Colman's, but it's hard to condone the inclusion of anaemic stuff like 'Paradise' and 'Shakin' Like A Leaf' when the incendiary likes of '(Get A)Grip (On Yourself)', 'Nuclear Device', 'Bear Cage', 'Don't Bring Harry' and 'Who Wants The World' are omitted. Besides, shouldn't any Stranglers' collection truly worth its' salt automatically include their magnificent 6 minute-plus take of Burt Bacharach's 'Walk On By'? It is, after all, The Stranglers' very own 'Light My Fire' and remains one of their greatest achievements.
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Nonetheless, though, '4240' is a tidy and largely generous collection and reminds us yet again that The Stranglers have the sort of enormous, hit-addled back catalogue most bands would sell 20 years of guaranteed hot and cold running groupies for. And, in fairness, much of the defining stuff's present and correct, whether it's the earlier, thuggish delights ('Five Minutes', the deliciously lairy 'Peaches', 'Something Better Change') or the more mature gear ('Strange Little Girl', 'Midnight Summer Dream', the inevitable 'Golden Brown') that floats your boat. Besides, any Stranglers compendium decent enough to remember to include JJ's super-yobby 'Go Buddy Go', strategically ignore a couple of the less-memorable near-misses ('Sweet Smell Of Success', 'Big In America') and bring us full circle with the band's post-Millennium smash and grabs courtesy of 'Spectre Of Love' and the vintage 'Big Thing Coming' emerges with its' kudos intact, thank you very much.
So, while '4240' is by no means comprehensive, it's a solid and impressive collection in its' own right. It's a further reminder that The Stranglers have survived everything from drugs and prison through to certain journalists' attempts to airbrush them from Punk history and the gnawing pains of Hugh Cornwell's departure and lived to fight another day. Far greater respect is way, way overdue.
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