"You hear laughter cracking through the walls, it sends you spinning, you have no choice."
If Kaleidoscope is the album on which Siouxsie and The Banshees began to fashion their signature sound, then Juju is the album on which they perfected it. More or less abandoning the spare arrangements and use of keyboards that helped their previous album to, in effect, re-invent the band, on Juju, The Banshees return to a darker, guitar-based sound, but instead of the abrasive Punk aesthetic of their early work, Juju exhibits a dense, lush, Goth-based sound that, while eventually becoming their trademark, finds its purest expression on this album. Much of the credit for this goes to Ex-Magazine guitarist John McGeoch, who by this time had become a full-fledged member of the band, although Budgie deserves mention as well for his brilliant tribal-like drumming that gives the album its eerie undertow. One of the album's most memorable tracks is "Spellbound," which combines Budgie's aforementioned drumming with McGeoch's dark-lit jangle that sounds as though it might have taught Johnny Marr a thing or two; however, the centerpiece of the song is one of Siouxsie Sioux's most commanding vocal performances. Even darker is "Sin in My Heart," an unsettling, frantic song employing razor sharp guitars and featuring Siouxsie at her manic and theatrical best. Juju is a relentlessly dark album, which is why many refrain from calling it Siouxsie and The Banshees' masterpiece; however, one would hard-pressed to find a purer or more lushly beautiful example of this band's distinctive sound.
Juju (2006 Remastered Edition)
1. Spellbound (3:17)
2. Into the Light (4:14)
3. Arabian Knights (3:06)
4. Halloween (3:41)
5. Monitor (5:35)
6. Night Shift (6:04)
7. Sin in My Heart (3:37)
8. Head Cut (4:23)
9. Voodoo Dolly (7:05)
-Bonus Tacks-
10. Spellbound (12" Mix) (4:42)
11. Arabian Knights (12" Vocoder Mix) (3:08)
12. Fireworks (Nigel Gray Version) (4:16)
YESYESYES!!!! Thank you!!! This so great...
ReplyDeleteThank you! I never got into Siouxsie & The Banshees music (shame on me!), so this perfect!
ReplyDeleteHave you listened to Siouxsie's solo album? It's called Mantaray and it's highly reccomendable.
Cheers!
Excellent - many thanks for sharing. Kurt
ReplyDeleteOne of the few Sioxsie albums that I never had. For some reason the vinyl doesn't pop up too often compared to their other early stuff. Much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteI was certain that the next Siouxsie album you posted would be Join Hands. Seems to fit your style.
yeahhhhhhhh
ReplyDeletethank you mister V !
i forget, your review is just PERFECT ! IMO
ReplyDeletePieter, my pleasure. I will post more Siouxsie very soon
ReplyDeleteDave, thanks for the recommendation. I have not heard her solo album
ReplyDeleteKurt, you're welcome :)
ReplyDeleteOl' Foggy, great to hear from you; I've missed you! Strangely, "Join Hands" isn't one of my favorite Siouxsie albums (though I like uit better than the poppy later stuff); however, you've put it in my mind to post it. I have the remaster, and I believe it may be the next Siouxsie post
ReplyDeletedouxee, good to hear from you! Thank you :)
ReplyDeleteI heard two days ago after a few years break...
ReplyDeleteMaybe you read my mind :-)
Join Hands is my favorite perhaps because it was so hard for me to get the vinyl. I finally picked it up one day at Amoeba while in SF. The availability of vinyl via the internet still amazes me. Hell, I bought my turntable, a Technics SL-1000, on eBay. I never thought I'd see one let alone own one. Amazing.
ReplyDeleteI had a hard time when I was in the Marines. I spent many long hours in the barracks getting falling down drunk, spinning records and plotting to kill G.W.B. I was playing Join Hands once and a guy banged on my door and asked me to play something other than Jefferson Airplane. At first I laughed but then I realized that Siouxsie does occasionally have a Grace Slick vibe.
Ol' Foggy, I think it's time I re-appraise "Join Hands." I'm also planning a Creatures double-post and a big Siouxsie box set. I had never made the Siouxsie-Grace connection, but you're right
ReplyDeleteAs a semi-serious Siouxsie fan I already have a fair collection of Siouxsie & The Banshees/Creatures/Solo CD's and vinyl that I've been hoarding since 1979...and I can't agree more with your review, only add that Siouxsie once mentioned in an interview that she was so astounded by John McGeoch's guitar work during the sessions that she wrote darker lyrics to match the feel of what was happening in the studio.
ReplyDeleteI would urge all the people who listen to JuJu to play it on the car stereo or on headphones as loudly as you can tolerate it...
cheers
Andie James, great comment, thank you. I've always been a Siouxsie fan, but going back and writing about some of these albums has made me realize all over gain how amazing this band was in its heyday.
ReplyDeleteFor Monitor alone this should be treasured.
ReplyDeleteJim, yes, a great song indeed!
ReplyDeleteWow ... great band!
ReplyDeleteIssi, I've always liked them, but the process of reviewing and posting some of their albums has reminded me how amazing they were.
ReplyDelete