The Gospel According to the Meninblack
| The Gospel According to The Meninblack | ||||
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| Studio album by The Stranglers | ||||
| Released | 7 February 1981 | |||
| Recorded | January–August 1980 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 44:07 | |||
| Label | Liberty | |||
| Producer | The Stranglers | |||
| The Stranglers chronology | ||||
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| Allmusic |
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The Gospel According to The Meninblack (or sometimes referred to as just The Meninblack) is the fifth album by The Stranglers, an esoteric concept album released in 1981. The album deals with conspiratorial ideas surrounding alien visitations to Earth, the sinister governmental Men in Black, and the involvement of these elements in well-known biblical narratives. This was not the first time The Stranglers had used this concept; Meninblack on the earlier The Raven album and subsequent 1980 single-release "Who Wants the World?" had also explored it, though not to the same level.
The album is an elaboration of concepts first introduced by the band on the aforementioned track from their preceding LP, The Raven. The Meninblack showcases the ideas and moods of the band stemming from the creative and intellectual freedom gained from the commercial success of previous releases. The music is progressive, macabre and abstract, powered by hypnotic drum and synthesizer loops, while the lyrical content is dark and witty. The original gatefold LP release features as its inside artwork a reproduction of The Last Supper, altered to depict a solemn Maninblack standing watchfully to Jesus's left, in place of Philip.
Hugh Cornwell, former singer-songwriter and guitarist with the group, has stated his belief that the album is the pinnacle of The Stranglers' artistic and creative output, and he cites it as his favourite album by the band. The Stranglers' bassist, Jean Jacques Burnel, regards the album as often techno in essence, though The Meninblack predates the emergence of that genre by some years.
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Wikipedia