Their Very Best
Abbey Graves | Buffalo Grove, Illinois United States | 03/05/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If 1980's "Kaleidoscope" proved that Siouxsie and the Banshees were far more than just another post-punk band that wouldn't live past their second album, 1981's "Juju" really proved that great things were coming their way. While the songs on "Kaleidoscope" were all unique in their diversity, "Juju" is their most cohesive album next to "The Scream". The most well known songs are the album's two singles: the storming, kinetic "Spellbound", and the narcotic, Eastern-influenced "Arabian Knights". But the album tracks manage to trump even those two classics. "Head Cut" is a rather disturbing song about Siouxsie wanting to take a severed head "back to the flat with me" . "Halloween" is actually extremely melodic, but it's still very menacing with the late John McGeoch's screeching guitars. "Night Shift" is my personal favorite on the album, and my favorite Banshees song of all time next to "Israel". Siouxsie manages to make a song about the infamous Yorkshire Ripper sound extremely moving. "Voodoo Dolly" is another favorite of mine, with Siouxsie's vocals predating Bjork's similar stylings years later; John McGeoch's guitars are just brilliant, and Budgie's tribal drums give the song a spicy rhythmic twist. The Banshees's later albums would show that they were growing out of their post-punk/goth past, and they never again repeated the sheer up-front intensity of "Juju". There's no other album in their catalouge like it."
Un classique!
Jean-Pierre Malo | Kinnear's Mills, Québec, Canada | 05/17/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Un album excellent du début à la fin et qui passe l'épreuve du temps avec brio. C'est un classique du genre et un des meilleurs de Siouxie & The Banshees. Une valeur sûre autant pour les mordus que pour les néophytes du New Wave. Merci à l'univers pour de la si bonne musique!"