Suite XVI

Suite XVI is the 16th studio album by The Stranglers and sees the band return as a four piece after the departure of Paul Roberts. Lead Vocals are shared between guitarist Baz Warne and Bassist Jean-Jacques Burnel. The album was released on September 18, 2006 and was supported by an extensive UK tour by the band. The album peaked at number 89 on the UK album chart.

The album continues, but also builds on, the shift to a more recognisable sound seen in the previous album, Norfolk Coast with a sound much more akin to the band’s earlier sound during the 70s and early 80s.

Tracks range from the in-your-face aggression and Raven-era quirkiness of “Summat Outanowt”, through the catchy “She’s Slipping Away” to the machine-gun punk delivery of “A Soldier’s Diary” (which, according to Drummer, Jet Black, is the fastest track yet recorded by the Band) and back to the melodic ballad of “Bless You (Save You, Spare You, Damn You)”. There’s a foray into country with the biting “I Hate You” and the album finishes off with “Relentless” — a sonically relentless exploration of the passing of time. “See Me Coming” was originally recorded by Jean-Jacques Burnel for the Japanese animated TV series Gankutsuou.