Siouxsie And The Banshees - Kaleidoscope
Original Release Date
1980
Release Information
UK LP 1980 (Polydor - 2442 177)
US LP 1980 (PVC - PVC 7921)
UK CD 2006 (Polydor/Universal Music Catalogue - 983 691-3)
1 Happy House 3:52
2 Tenant 3:41
3 Trophy 3:19
4 Hybrid 5:32
5 Clockface 1:52
6 Lunar Camel 3:02
7 Christine 3:00
8
Desert Kisses 4:14
9
Red Light 3:23
10
Paradise Place 4:33
11
Skin 3:54
CD Bonus Tracks
Warner Chappell Demos
12 Christine 2:02
13 Eve White/Eve Black 1:59
14 Arabia (Lunar Camel) 2:54
15 Sitting Room 1:26
16 Paradise Place 2:28
Polydor Demos
17 Desert Kisses 4:23
18 Hybrid 5:43
19 Happy House 5:26
-
20 Israel (7" A-Side) 5:00
Chart Placings
UK Chart Hit: 5, 6 wksCredits
LP:
Happy House: Siouxsie - vocals. Severin - bass, vocals. Budgie - drums, harmonica, vocals. McGeoch - guitar
Tenant: Siouxsie - vocals, acoustic guitar. Severin - electric guitar, electric sitar, rhythm box. Budgie - bass, drums.
Trophy: Siouxsie - vocals. Severin - bass. Budgie - drums, harmonica, vocals. McGeoch - guitar, ellaphone
Hybrid: Siouxsie - vocals. Severin - bass. Budgie - drums. McGeoch - guitar, sax
Clockface: Siouxsie - vocals. Severin - basses, piano. Budgie - drums. Jones - guitar
Lunar Camel: Siouxsie - vocals, droma-derian, finger cymbals. Severin - bass, rhythm box
Christine: Siouxsie - vocals. Severin - bass. Budgie - drums. McGeoch - 6+12 string guitars, Farfisa
Desert Kisses: Siouxsie - vocals. Severin - bass. Budgie - drums. McGeoch - guitar, sitar, string synth. The Sirens - backing vocals
Red Light: Siouxsie - vocals, camera. Severin - bass, synthesizers, rhythm box. Budgie - drums
Paradise Place: Siouxsie - vocals, rhythm guitar. Severin - bass, vocals. Budgie - drums. Jones - lead guitar
Skin: Siouxsie - vocals, melodica. Severin - bass, "the force". Budgie - drumsdrumsdrums. Jones - guitar
Produced by Nigel Gray and Siouxsie And The Banshees
Recorded at Surrey Sound, The Coach House and Polydor January-May 1980
John McGeoch and Steve Jones are exclusive Virgin Records recording artists and appear courtesy of Virgin Records
___________________________________________________
Additional CD Credits:
Chappell demos produced by Siouxsie Sioux & Steven Severin, February 1980
Polydor Demos produced by Siouxsie & the Banshees, recorded by Carlos Ohms at Stratford Place, March 1981
'Israel' produced by Nigel Gray & Siouxsie & the Banshees, recorded at Surrey Sound Studios, October 1980
Digitally remastered by Gary Moore at Universal Digital Mastering, London
Additional Credits
None yet
Reviews & Opinions
PUNKY GIBBON: On a tour of England to promote 1979's Join Hands, John McKay and Kenny Morris quit during an almighty strop, with ex-Spitfire Boys/Slits drummer Budgie and The Cure's Robert Smith filling in for the rest of the tour. Budgie became a permanent member and the Banshees carried on as a trio. Aided and abetted by guest guitarists Steve Jones and John McGeoch (ex-Magazine), with the line-up shift comes a distinct move away from the screeching, piercing wall of noise formula, and Kaleidoscope is more varied and increasingly melodic and atmospheric, with more inventive production fillips. 'Happy House' and 'Christine' explore dark psychedelic waters with much success, 'Red Light' utilises the sound of a camera shutter as its foundation, 'Lunar Camel' is a lengthy drone with a catchy twist, while 'Skin' gives Siouxsie a chance to air her disdain for the fur trade. Another classic.
ALASTAIR MACAULEY, SMASH HITS, AUGUST 1980: Not a significant move in a new direction so should satisfy their fans. The distinctive Banshees sound is still there - soaring Siouxsie vocals and air of modern mystery - with the exceptions of 'Red Light' which uses drum machine and clicking camera to great effect. Both recent singles are included and side two is excellent. A fair album by their own standards, good by anyone else's, but where do they go from here? (7 1/2 out of 10).
NME, 1980: Patchy and incomplete. Only half the album activates the desired, condensed clarity. But when all components click into place the signs are unmistakably constructive. its a view that's infinitely more promising than anything the old incarnation of the Banshees ever revealed.
THE NEW MUSIC RECORD & TAPE GUIDE, 1987: Kaleidoscope marked a bilateral move away from the group's original wall of noise; many of the songs are softer and more melodic (e.g., 'Happy House' and the flower-powery 'Christine'), and there is an increased use of framing concepts ('Red Light' is built around the whirr-click of a camera auto-winder).
DAVE THOMPSON, ALTERNATIVE ROCK, 2000: Recent personnel problems disturbed the band's equilibrium some, but Kaleidoscope triumphed over instability regardless. The highlights, of course, were the doomily dancey 'Happy House', the poppier 'Christine', and the invocation of often ethereal acoustic guitars.
Additional Notes
The CD was also issued in a jewel case (Polydor, 984 351-0).
Images
UK LP 1980 (Polydor - 2442 177). Click here for more
US LP 1980 (PVC - PVC 7921). Click here for more
UK CD 2006 (Polydor/Universal Music Catalogue - 983 691-3). Digipak. Click here for more
