Depending on your viewpoint, 1986's Dreamtime--the ninth and penultimate album from the original Stranglers line-up and the second to feature their not-always-necessary auxiliary brass section--is either an unfocused and overly-variant under-achievement or a case of a few good pop songs and a smorgasbord of half-baked ideas hinting at potential future musical directions. Complacent, or brave but terribly confused? It's difficult to tell. Either way, Dreamtime is ultimately a frustratingly unfulfilling album. Even so, it does contain The Stranglers' best single of the decade (yes, better than "Golden Brown") in the perfectly-produced, graceful "Always The Sun"--a song which proved to be every bit as much a renewable energy source as its title, hitting the UK Top 30 twice in the space of four years--and the beautifully contemplative "You'll Always Reap What You Sow", which featured pedal steel guitar from BJ Cole. JJ Burnel's bouncy "Nice In Nice" aside, too much of the rest--the clunking retro punk vibe of "Was it You?" (which cannibalised their own 1977 number "Dead Ringer") and the Santana-like instrumental jam on "Too Precious"--muddles-through in half-hearted fashion. However, this is an excellent reissue from Sony--great sound, informative sleeve notes from Strangled magazine contributor Neil Martin and bonus tracks featuring all the b-sides of the era. --Kevin Maidment