Customer Reviews

Boomerang

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's been years since I bought this, and it remains one of my favorite recordings. The big hit, "Standing There," has a lazy bit of percussion that could be straight out of some late-night cocktail lounge, with Siouxsie sarcastically wailing, "Hey creepos, I'm talking to you." But then the song changes, becoming much faster with a whirling, infectious beat that positively throbs with energy. Other faves include "Speeding," with its zooming car effects, the languorous "Pluto Drive," and the mysterious "Simoom" that somehow sounds almost Moroccan to my ears. The world music influences on this recording only add to its infectious spirit.

This was one of Siouxsie's first forays into a style different from her work with the Banshees. As the Creatures, she and husband Budgie offer a more stripped-down style, heavy on the percussion. The assortment of instruments, electronics and other special effects used here is totally invigorating, with Siouxsie's inimitable voice sailing over it all. The sound, too, is excellent, with lots of glittering detail, and all the various layers coming through crystal-clear. I don't think it would be overstatement to call this one of the great rock recordings of the 1980's.

Not a bad song on here, you discover more as you listen each time on this wonderfully produced CD. I thought it wouldn't be as good as the regular Siouxsie and The Banshees CDs but much to my surprise I was completely wrong, this disc is BETTER then any regular Banshees LP. The percussion is fascinating, as are the layers of impressive synths and of course Siouxsies voice... which is really shown off here, and manipulated in some very futuristic/cool ways (The Prince like vocoding on You and Solar Choir). I cannot say enough good things about this CD! Best tracks: Every single one, the thing works as a package.

I was checking the spelling of the word "similar" in the dictionary the other day and there it was: "simoom" in the next coloumn! "A hot, dry, suffocating sand-wind which sweeps across the African and Asiatic deserts at intervals during the spring and summer" (OED). Ah, so Siouxsie!

The Creatures as a band is soooo much better than she and the banshees ever were. This is soooo marvelous. She and Budgie employ a "cafetieria style" approach to music, something electronica and trip-hop artists alike were to d0 full-time throughout the nineties.

Spanish trumpets on "Manchild" careen into drum loops; sampled traffic sounds swoon over siouxsie's vocals on "speeding;" and you are pummled with bongos on "standing there," right after you are soothed by the scratchers!

I already own "Anima Animus" by the Creatures (which I still maintain is the BEST of her oeuvre). So I guess it's time for "Hybrids"!

I remember reading a good review of this album back in 1989. It got me to check into this great recording. I was just 17 at the time, but what I heard blew me away. The music on this cd didn't sound like anyone else or anything else I had in my collection at that time. 11 years later it still sounds original, and I think it's a bit better than 1999's Anima Animus. Siouxsie and Budgie explore all types of rhythm and sound on Boomerang. At 16 tracks, most albums fall apart or become excessive, but not Boomerang. Unfortunately, no one but fans paid attention when this cd came out. But I think it's a must have for any music collector.

Siouxsie and Budgie are two of the most innovative artists in the alternative music world. This album is the best effort from the Creatures. There are so many different sounds on this CD and they all still scream "Siouxsie!". The fusion of island music, alternative and pop are seamless in this collection and would be appealing even to non-fans. Some of my favorites on this one are "You!", "pluto drive", "fruitman", "untiedundone" and "solar choir" (which was originally a b-side to Standing There). This album is different from "Feast", their first album as the Creatures, but stays true to the sound that made them so original to begin with. They are in a class by themselves.

I agree with most of the reviewers here: you're not likely to hear anything else quite like this. Fantastic rythms, electronics, steel drums, vibes, all kinds of quirky instruments and sounds and, as can be expected from Siouxsie, atmospheres that transport you to different worlds. Excellent lyrics (as usual). Much more light-hearted than your average Siouxsie and the Banshees fare. An all-time favorite that I'll be listening to 'til I'm old and deaf.

If you are reading this, you already have a great respect for the creatures and their total disregard for "mainstream" music that we hear now and again when we're trying to listen to something "good". This CD is one of the most authentic and unique pieces of music ever written. I highly recommend a listen. Each and every song has it's own life of otherworldlyness. Incredible!

Absolutely beautiful music! Complex-yet-smooth, futuristic-yet-timeless, experimental pop that still sounds fresh 11 years later. Alternately rhythmic and ethereal, even non-Siouxsie fans will like this.

A desert island classic that sounds as if it was actually recorded on that desert island.

Call me crazy, but I prefer The Creatures to The Banshees anyway. When I was 19 I wasn't too familiar with either one. Then I won tickets to see The Creatures live on the tour for "Boomerang", and I was immediately won over. How could something as simple as one man drumming and one woman singing be so damn cool?

Well, they do more than that on the album, but the style is very minimalist. Simply put, this record is amazing, a genius blend of cultures and ideas, held together by Siouxsie's strong voice and Budgie's tribal rhythms. Their act seemed gloriously wild on the debut album "Feast", but on "Boomerang" they stay between the lines, for the most part, and create a gorgeous picture.

Although the Creatures employ elements like the cheeful marimba, the bluesy harmonica, and bright horns, the whole album is infused with a strong sense of ennui, right down to the artwork. Tracks like "Pluto Drive" and "Willow" are haunting in the best way, while "Standing There" and "Fury Eyes" are upbeat tracks worthy of the singles treatment they got.