Customer Reviews

Rapture

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Siouxsie & the Banshees - The Rapture (1995)

[updated review]

It's too bad that there's probably a lot of people out there who tried to listen to this album but couldn't make it past the first 2 or 3 songs -many of these tracks are on par with just about anything from the S&B catalogue.
Sadly, Siouxsie and the Banshees compromised their original vision (and alienated their old Goth fanbase) with overt pop leanings toward the latter part of their career. Their apparent attempt to entice more radio airplay like they had with the sensuous "Kiss Them for Me," actually a great song, spawned dreadful consequences in other respects. However, most of THE RAPTURE is worthy Siouxsie, so its reception has been unfairly cold.

The breakdown:

"O Baby" - Overt, cloying pop. I usually skip this.

"Tearing Apart" - another pop song but it works well. I might listen to this depending on mood.

"Stargazer" - a single, definitely poppy. A good song, very upbeat, but I actually like the techno remixes better.

"Fall from Grace" - O.K. tune, but kinda drags and has the same pop sound as the previous songs.

"Not Forgotten" - here's where the album starts to get REALLY good. This song has tribal rhythms and an ominous tone. It's also a really creepy tale.

"Sick Child" - one of the best on the album, a song of twinkling wonderment, beautifully rendered.

"The Lonely One" is another great one, this time upbeat and relaxed with slide guitar and weird French vocal overdubs.

"Falling Down" - good song with steady tension.

"Forever" - this one is an absolute dream, like passing through time portals in slow motion.

"The Rapture" - a real departure from traditional song structure, this song experiments with rhythm created by musical instruments like the violin. Impressive is the way it evolves into several different stages. A real beauty.

"The Double Life" - has a great "Jeckle and Hyde" atmosphere going for it. Except for the chorus, Siouxsie speaks the lyrics. Less successful than other similarly themed Siouxsie songs, but a good attempt.

"Love Out Me" - a great song and pretty intense - they really get that Dervish frenzy swirling again on this one.

Siouxsie still has that power over me - like she's a witch. Sometimes I wonder . . .

UPDATE - I actually wrote this review several years ago. Today I can appreciate the first three "pop" songs more, especially "Oh Baby" which I now consider to be a pretty great song and worthy single. Wanting to be popular and well-liked (as well as making some money) isn't really such a bad thing. Too bad it didn't exactly happen for them (although they no doubt did quite well for themselves even if they never became the superstars they deserved to be). I leave my review as is because part of me still feels that way, but I'm no longer so judgemental when a band doesn't sound the way I think they should.

The Velvet Underground legend John Cale produced five of these tracks while the band produced the rest on this 1995 album. We have Sioux as chanteuse so The Rapture isn't as firmly in the rock tradition as their earlier work. It's rather a progression from their 1991 album Superstition in its focus on creating moods and sonic textures. The opener O Baby is pure pop, a lilting, swaying track with a lovely tune, while Tearing Apart is rockier but in a dreamy sort of way.

With its killer hook, shimmering guitar work and appealing arrangement - especially the vocals - the melodic Stargazer is one of the highlights. I love the mid-tempo rocker Fall From Grace that sounds so distinctly Banshees yet somehow unique and innovative too. There are also the brooding slower numbers that impress, like Forever with its percussive texture and the tender Sick Child. The Lonely One is an atmospheric ballad with a lilting rhythm, appealing instrumentation & spooky whispered male backing vocals. Highly atmospheric too is Not Forgotten with its massed guitars.

Mournful and atmospheric, the title track is a searing lament. The tempo shifts halfway through, unleashing Sioux's voice to transform it into a rousing anthem before it slows down again. Fans of their earlier work may not appreciate Siouxsie as a singer (instead of a howler or screamer) but for me her career followed a logical progression from the harsh, uncompromising debut album through the varied & underappreciated Join Hands to an ultimate mastery of timeless, quality pop-rock in the 1990s. These melodies are particularly strong and the lyrics of high quality. The Rapture is a fine album of great musical depth.

...but i love this cd! I'm probably one of the only SATB fans of long ago who love this cd...It's poppy and at times such a departure from SATB of the past (late 70's early 80's) but it works (for me) I think O Baby is great...as is the rest of the disk (the only song is skip is Fall from Grace....too annoying for me to listen to for some reason) It is a lot better than the overproduced schlock of Superstition and it stands on it's own..unlike any other in the SATB collection, which is why i enjoy it so much and continue to enjoy this 10 year old overlooked gem! I dont have a SATB favorite ...to me they are all great (minus superstition, although a few great tracks on there as well)...There is only one siouxsie and we are blessed to have her here as well as in the creatures!

I read last year on their official website that Siouxsie and the Banshees were finally calling it quits after 20 years. They cited the " commercialization of punk " as their main reason ( hear that, Blink-182 fans?). Being somewhat old school myself, I could only nod my head. This is perhaps their sweetest album. I say that in a positive way. It seems to be one of their most commercial albums also. Whether this was intended or not, only the artists know. At first I was taken aback by this one, being somewhat disappointed. The Banshees, however, often fail to resemble themselves on their previous albums. "Rapture" is perhaps their most pop offering to date, yet it was not a carbon copy of the pop music of the early nineties. Sioux gave up screaming for crooning years ago. My recommendation for new Banshees fans: buy this one and work backwards. Few artists are as versatile and indestructable as Siouxsie and the Banshees. Prick up your ears, they're touring again!

The Rapture was the Banshees' return to form, after going a bit mainstream with Peepshow and a bit glossy with Superstition. We were now back rougher production and focus on a more traditional Banshees sound.

Two singles were released from The Rapture; the bland background music of 'O Baby', (which is the Banshees' worst music video), and the wonderfully catchy New Wave of 'Stargazer'. I credited the Banshees for releasing a very 1982 sounding single in the mid-90's, when New Wave considered an embarrassment to those who now immersed themselves in the vile Grunge scene. Unfortunately for it, Stargazer achieved the lowest chart position of any Banshees single, and signaled the end of the most amazing career in music history.

Some low points certainly exist on The Rapture. 'The Lonely One' has to the worst Banshees song ever. 'The Double Life' and 'Falling Down' are not much better.

On the up side, 'Forever' and 'The Rapture' are the album highlights. 'Forever' is a gorgeous tear jerker, while 'The Rapture' is an 11 minute epic with three distinctive breathtaking parts. As long as the song is, it's never tedious for a second, and just as daring and stunning all these years later.

The distance Siouxsie and Budgie lived, as well as long time in-fighting (and most likely diminishing sales) resulted in The Banshees calling it quits after The Rapture. Some fights seemed to revolve around Budgie's occasional stabs at lyric writing and Severin's disapproval of them. As a result, one of the better songs from the sessions, 'Hang Me High' (lyrics by Budgie) was relegated to a B side.

Siouxsie and Budgie continued on as The Creatures, releasing the terribly trendy and bland Anima Animus, followed by the dull and forgettable Hai. The Banshees briefly reunited in 2002 for the release of their Best Of CD, as well as a series of live shows. The shows concentrated heavily on the first couple of albums, and also showed that Siouxsie's voice no longer fit the material. She had lost much of her upper register which resulted in her signing being way off key. Most of it was painful to listen to, but I don't understand how a person who makes her living as a vocalist didn't realize that she would have to stop smoking if she wanted to retain her pipes. Now they're gone forever...
Once Budgie and Siouxsie divorced, Siouxie released her first solo album. After hearing sound samples of the album, I opted not to purchase it. If the Banshees reunited, I have no doubt that they would deliver another amazing album. As talented as Siouxsie and Budgie are, if Severin's not there then neither is the magic.

Sure the Banshees changed over time. They certainly did more happy stuff towards the end (well, the music at least...the lyrics might not be so happy).
Anywho, this album is amazing. I admit, some of the songs are just not my thing. Never liked Tearing Apart (too nineties) and Stargazer. But O Baby and Lonely One I still like.

But for most fans, the other songs would do better.

Falling Down, Not Forgotten, and Double Life have the usual Banshees sound.

Forever - a tearjekrer - I listen to this song too much.
Sick Child - love this song, just amazing'
The Rapture - i would die to this!THe song has like 3 parts, all amazing.
It is EPIC.

This album is post-punk new-romantic music at its best. The opening mix of Oh, Baby has a nostalgic 80s-girl feel, as does track two. The album then takes a darker turn down to the tribal rhythms of Not Forgotten, through a flayful French beach on Lonely One, and through a dreamlike epic seascape of Forever and the title track. The album wraps up with the gothic revival tale of Double Life and the rocking Love Out Me. Other highlights of the record include Sick Child, which was featured in the film The Craft, and the totally danceable Fall from Grace. This album is a must have for my fellow Siouxsie worshippers!

I first heard the title track of this album in a music store and was entranced. I had never heard anything like it, asked what it was, bought the album right then, and some eight years later still find it absolutely absorbing. I added several other Siouxsie and the Banshees CDs to my collection and enjoy all of them, but none has topped The Rapture. Check out the two singles collections, too -- also superb.

The Velvet Underground legend John Cale produced five of these tracks while the band produced the rest on this 1995 album. We have Sioux as chanteuse so The Rapture isn't as firmly in the rock tradition as their earlier work. It's rather a progression from their 1991 album Superstition in its focus on creating moods and sonic textures. The opener O Baby is pure pop, a lilting, swaying track with a lovely tune, while Tearing Apart is rockier but in a dreamy sort of way.

With its killer hook, shimmering guitar work and appealing arrangement - especially the vocals - the melodic Stargazer is one of the highlights. I love the mid-tempo rocker Fall From Grace that sounds so distinctly Banshees yet somehow unique and innovative too. There are also the brooding slower numbers that impress, like Forever with its percussive texture and the tender Sick Child. The Lonely One is an atmospheric ballad with a lilting rhythm, appealing instrumentation & spooky whispered male backing vocals. Highly atmospheric too is Not Forgotten with its massed guitars.

Mournful and atmospheric, the title track is a searing lament. The tempo shifts halfway through, unleashing Sioux's voice to transform it into a rousing anthem before it slows down again. Fans of their earlier work may not appreciate Siouxsie as a singer (instead of a howler or screamer) but for me her career followed a logical progression from the harsh, uncompromising debut album through the varied & underappreciated Join Hands to an ultimate mastery of timeless, quality pop-rock in the 1990s. These melodies are particularly strong and the lyrics of high quality. The Rapture is a fine album of great musical depth.

The Velvet Underground legend John Cale produced five of these tracks while the band produced the rest on this 1995 album. We have Sioux as chanteuse so The Rapture isn't as firmly in the rock tradition as their earlier work. It's rather a progression from their 1991 album Superstition in its focus on creating moods and sonic textures. The opener O Baby is pure pop, a lilting, swaying track with a lovely tune, while Tearing Apart is rockier but in a dreamy sort of way.

With its killer hook, shimmering guitar work and appealing arrangement - especially the vocals - the melodic Stargazer is one of the highlights. I love the mid-tempo rocker Fall From Grace that sounds so distinctly Banshees yet somehow unique and innovative too. There are also the brooding slower numbers that impress, like Forever with its percussive texture and the tender Sick Child. The Lonely One is an atmospheric ballad with a lilting rhythm, appealing instrumentation & spooky whispered male backing vocals. Highly atmospheric too is Not Forgotten with its massed guitars.

Mournful and atmospheric, the title track is a searing lament. The tempo shifts halfway through, unleashing Sioux's voice to transform it into a rousing anthem before it slows down again. Fans of their earlier work may not appreciate Siouxsie as a singer (instead of a howler or screamer) but for me her career followed a logical progression from the harsh, uncompromising debut album through the varied & underappreciated Join Hands to an ultimate mastery of timeless, quality pop-rock in the 1990s. These melodies are particularly strong and the lyrics of high quality. The Rapture is a fine album of great musical depth.