Siouxsie Sioux

Following on from revisiting some old Banshees stuff, I finally got round to getting her solo album, Mantaray, which came out in 2007.

I didn't really know what to expect, but it is actually really terrific. You could perhaps sum the record up as Goldfrapp blended with Banshees (although this does Mantaray a disservice). There are definate echoes from her musical past, not surprising considering how distinctive her voice is, and a real Goldfrappy feel to many of the songs, both in the glammy stomp of the opening tracks and the rhythms and moods of the closing tracks.

On the negative side, I feel the record does sag a little in the middle after a storming start, but it finishes really strongly - the final track is truly uplifting. I also like the fact that the album takes you on a musical and thematic journey, the tracks seem to have been sequenced very deliberately.

Anyone else heard Mantaray? If not, you might like to check it out on LastFM or something.

It is quite ironic that the so called queen of the ultimate youth movement, punk, is gracefully producing some of her best work as she enters her sixth decade tending roses in the south of France.

I saw her on television recently and she sounded a bit rough-but she is a legend and everyone has an off-day.

Well on this album her voice is definately "smokey" and her approach still unorthodox, but it all sounds good to these ears. In fact on the track "Here Comes That Day" her performance is akin to Shirley Bassey with a loaded gun.

By the way Mrs K hates the album (and she likes some of the Banshees more gothy stuff) - she says that it is "witchy" music and when it's on the stereo she can't think straight, it messes her head up. I think Siouxsie would quite like that!

Siouxsie Sioux. Easy on the eye, not so easy on the ear.

I've never heard her or the Banshees... but yeah, very nice to look at.