Customer Reviews

Anima Animus

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have been an on-agian-off-again fan of Siouxsie and The Banshees for years. When I heard about this album, I was excited, but apprehensive. Being more of a casual fan, I was not sure what to expect. Finally, after I found it for a good price, I took the leap and bought it. I am so glad that I did. It is undoubtedly one of the most rewarding discs I have run across recently. It took a few listens to get the gist of it, but once I was hooked, I was REALLY hooked. The first half is a little on the slow side... except for "2nd Floor" (straight ahead dance pop, IMO) and "Say" (Beautifully melodic trippiness, with synthesizers to boot) this first side recalls the rhythmic emphasis of "Boomerang." But the second half picks up, takes off, and never comes down for air. "I Was Me" is one of the coolest tracks I have ever heard Siouxsie do. Its dark folk-sy strumming will take you completely off guard. The lyrics on this one are fantastic, too. Its a big genre step for Siouxie, and she handles it just fine, thank you. "Prettiest Thing" is so completely bleak, so tense... its pretty indescribable. Turn the lights out and sit in a dark room for this one... you will have a hard time sitting through this one... its just kind of menacing and creepy... very stalker-esque. This particular track is based around a muted and reverbed "ticking" drum beat - almost sounds like a heart beat, once the bass gets going with its "throb, throb, throb-throb, throb." And then there is the album's highlight... the brilliant, "Exterminating Angel." The music is incredible, and fits perfectly with the very "gothic" lyrics. All blood and gore and filth on this epic piece of armegeddon. The whining, harping synths are un-nerving, to say the least, and the rhythm is very hypnotic. Eerie. Next comes, "Another Planet," which kind of retreats into itself, and is over shadowed by its predecessor - but it is still a quality track... just not quite as memorable as some. The album closes with Siouxsie going a capella on "Don't Go To Sleep Without Me." This particular song brings me to another point... besides displaying wonderful lyrics and dense melody on this album, Siouxsie is in wonderful vocal form. Her voice sounds as good as ever, and she carries her songs with her well suited pipes... whether its her witch-like cackle as on "I Was Me" and "Exterminating Angel" her breathy, sexy whispers, as on "Prettiest Thing" or her smooth swooping croon, as on "Say" and "Don't Go To Sleep Without Me," Siouxsie's voice is no less the highlight than it was more than 20 years ago when the Banshees first began performing. I would recommend this album to anyone who likes Siouxsie and the Banshees, or anyone who is looking for an adventurous foray into dark, but not depressing, music. A real pleasure to listen to.

From the I'm-in-purgatory-and-I'm-proud-and loving-it attitude of the first track, "2nd floor" to the Oriental hot-mud-bath-for-two finisher, "Don't Go To Sleep Without Me", you'll fall painfully in love with Anima Animus. My personal favorite track is "Exterminating Angel", an all-out powerhouse that is part hysterical Judgement Day reckoning and part ode to menstral bitchdom. As far as our heroes are concerned, drummer Budgie is no Little Helicopter-he's a Stealth Bomber. As for Siouxsie, her vocals have taken on a delightfully buzzing raspiness that can be warm and crackling like a slow-burning ember on "Say"(compassion for a distant friend), "Prettiest Thing"(touch of self-loathing) and "I Was Me( detached self-analysis)" or omnipotent angry smoker's rants like on "Exterminating Angel" and "Turn It On" The Millenium Bug ("Disconnected") is a Black Widow in Anima Animus, and thanks to Carl Jung, Who's Afraid of The Big, Bad, 4-0? Not Siouxsie and Budgie! Buy it and weep! The great part is, you won't know why you're weeping, joy, pain, frustration, fear, paranoia, longing, love, ache- Its all here. Siouxsie says it best: It makes me laugh, in spite of it, just for the hell of it!

I am a Siouxsie Sioux fan of long standing; when The Banshees broke up I was sad, but given "The Rapture" they HAD to go. I then heard that Siouxsie & Budgie would continue with The Creatures.

Wow.

Okay, this is not Siouxsie's best album (I'll reserve that for Tinderbox), but this is exciting, interesting, and heavily textured music. Still following along the not-quite-Goth,not-quite- Punk, not-quite-Pop line, this album rolls off the presses strong and just keeps moving.

Anything involving Budgie directly is going to have interesting percussion work and this album proves the tale. But above all else it is Siouxsie Sioux's voice that captures. After a quarter century (think about it) of singing, her voice is still strong, haunting, dramatic, and, well, sexy.

If you have not tried them yet, give The Creatures a run with this album.

I've listened to this cd for years and years, and as I sit at my desk and listen to it once more, I'm still shocked that I love it this much. There's not a flawed song on the album, and it would be incomplete were a single tune missing. My absolute favorite song is "Exterminating Angel," a little ditty nothing short of the end of the world and an absolute lesson in humility. "I Was Me!" is my other favorite song, an acoustic mystery involving duel personalities. This is a fantastic Creatures cd and I'd recommend it to any SATB fan.

I must say I had little knowledge that Siouxsie & Budgie had formed a side project (from Siouxsie & the Banshees, SATB) prior to buying this ablum. I wish I had known. I remember walking into the store the day it was released and it was on the listening station. I thought, "didn't they break up?" I had a listen to just the first track and bought it. This is an amazing album. I have since bought every album from The Creatures to compliment my SATB collection and been very pleased. I have had to buy this 3 times because of ruining it in transportation, loaning it, or just misplacing it. I will keep buying it (until I get a CD burner!) It is alive everytime I listen to it. Even 4 years after it's release it couldn't get much better.

When I first heard Siouxsie in the mid 80's, I quickly became a Banshees junkie. And in my need for a fix, I stumbled across my first Creatures album (albums~remember those?) It was "Feast"~ and what a wonderful mix of stuff it was, and a sure depart from the "Banshees" sound. In itself, it was a interesting side project, remained unpolished, and held its gloomy appeal. It was good for the occasional listen, but nothing for serious rotation. Then came "Boomerang", which was a bit more pop. ("Fury-eyes" was remixed into a dance version)~ It still held to the Creatures "idea"~ where Budgie can showcase his percussion talent, but this one was more polished, and in my opinion, was a wonderful album. After the banshees split, and everyone suffered through "The Rapture" hearts were broken, and I though we would never hear from Siouxsie ever again..... but here comes "Anima Animus"~ Rejoice! I must admit, when I first popped the CD in, I felt like I was let down, sort of like getting underwear for Christmas, "great, but wheres the good stuff?" If you expecting the Banshees, okay.... they are REALLY gone! This is The Creatures, as they always were, this CD stuck to me quick, perhaps its a bit over hyped, and packaged way too pretty. But all aside, this is a good CD, Siouxsie who is the first lady of punk (who started that "goth" rumor anyhow?) and she remains full of angst, after all these years~ and she still sounds good doing it!

This is definitely their most solid work since the early 80's. Those disappointed by the lacklustre records the Banshees had been putting before their timely demise should give this a try. And don't be fooled by the opening track's ("2nd Floor") dance beat - Siouxsie's lyrics are razor-sharp. The album reads like a descent into obsession, desire, pain, loss - one song flowing seamlessly into the next, all shards of the same broken mirror. Budgie's drums lead the way, as in "Turn it On", where the thundering rhythm perfectly underscores the Siouxsie's stormy words. Other outsanding tracks: "Say", with its broken feelings and lost friendships, and the Apocalytic "Exterminating Angel" ("There are just Black Holes / Where the stars should've been..."). At one point, Siouxsie asks: "Are you happy now?". YES!

This pair, has always exuded a peerless, sexually charged charisma, that remains unchallanged to this day! It's a bittersweet love affair, however; since they have ruined me for all others!

With this latest offering, they have decided to indulge my carnal appetites once again. Thank the stars! She's a versatile and ultra-modern animal: works in the car, on the dancefloor, in that dark, dank leather-bar on the outskirts of the red-light district (hurt me)! The choice is yours. From sublime radiance to fits of fury, there is enough here to meet or beat any mood. Plenty of catchy hooks blended with Sioux and Budgies'inimitable take on life, and all that makes it so interesting.

My only sorrow is that it comes and goes too quickly...no doubt, exactly what these wicked creatures had intended all along! Perhaps if I ask nicely, they will continue to spur my soul for years to come.

Considering Siouxsie has always projected an "ice queen" image, it should come as no surprise that she would eventually find her way into the world of electronics. The results are nothing short of amazing. This CD is a must-have for any fan of electronic music.

What a raw, refreshing delight. FINALLY, someone from "da old skool" releases a cd that is in NO way anemic or watered-down. Streamlined, yet rough-edged and electrified, ANIMUS ANIMA packs a solid punch. Siouxsie sings with a totally un-self-conscious assuredness, and uses her (as usual) twisted words sparingly, to better effect. Budgie, well, he's a monster drummer, and how nice to hear ACTUAL drums with no unnecessary frills. The sound is stripped-down, without all the eclectic excesses of the later Banshees stuff. Apocalyptic blues for the next century! YEAH!