276) Siouxsie and the Banshees - Kaleidoscope

As you all know my country Scotland has given you the Bay City Rollers, The Krankies, Wet Wet Wet and my reviews. It’s also the place, Aberdeen to be precise, where Kenny Morris and John Mckay, quit the Banshees just before the band toured their second album, join Hands.

For many bands that would be the end but Siouxsie and Steve completed the tour and looked to recruit new members, first in the door was drummer Budgie, ex of The Slits (ironic as part of the fight in Aberdeen was Mckay putting on The Slits Cut in the record shop where they were signing copies of their new record). 

John McGeogh ex of Magazine came in as the bands new lead guitarist although he only plays on five tracks on this record with ex Pistol Steve Jones stepping in as well.

Happy House from the opening second is recognisable a near perfect single dripping with sarcasm and the first showings of what McGeogh would bring to the band and they followed this up with Christine a nice acoustic from McGeogh as the band showed thy could provide the hits as well as redefine their sound.

Tenant is one of those songs with minimal going on, paired down but haunting to keep you hooked and Trophy and Hybrid has an eerie mixture of guitar and saxophone with Lunar Camel laidback and almost ambient.

Desert Kisses is a slow burner of a song, the band performing well behind Siouxsie, Budgie and Severin one of the UK’s most underrated rhythm sections, this is progression from a band moving on from their early punk days. Red Lights is synths and camera’s clicking throughout, Polaroids and kodak get a  mention as we remember the time of this record and how much this new line up were gelling.

Steve Jones is all over the final two tracks, Paradise Place is fine, good but after the excellent Red Lights fails to enthral however the album has a magnificent ending with Skin as Budgie propels us along and Siouxsie lets loose, possibly making them think they could work, just together, hello The Creatures.

Losing half a band and then releasing their best, so far, album is some achievement but probably also shows Siouxsie and Severin’s belief, talent, and determination.

8/10

GIVE IT A STREAM: Happy House