Best Of Siouxsie & The Banshees CD

Live Recording

Siouxsie & The Banshees: Siouxsie (vocals); John McKay (guitar); Steven Severin (bass); Kenny Morris (drums).
Includes liner notes by Mark Paytress.
Liner Note Author: Mark Paytress.
The Best of Siouxsie and the Banshees is a decent look into the eclectic world of Siouxsie Sioux. The band, however, really didn't need to release another hits collection. Once Upon a Time: The Singles (1981) and Twice Upon a Time: The Singles (1992) are comprehensive enough to stand alone. Universal aimed to make this a stylish set with glossy favorites such as "Dear Prudence," "Peek-a-Boo," and "Spellbound," but lesser-known classics like "Candy Man" and "Dazzle" are missing. ~ MacKenzie Wilson
Part of the infamous "Bromley contingent" of late-1970s UK punk, Siouxsie & the Banshees co-founders Siouxsie Sioux and Steve Severin went far beyond punk's three-chord roots in their decades with the group. The Banshees developed a highly textured sound and gloomy-yet-flamboyant look that helped define the goth subgenre, going on to incorporate world-music and cabaret influences for a unique aesthetic that was boldly exemplified by the unmistakable singing and charismatic presence of Siouxsie.
Although this BEST OF lacks a chronological order, the 15-song compilation does offer up an excellent representation of the Banshees' studio output (including a previously unreleased 2002 track, "Dizzy"). Highlights are the surging goth-dance classic "Cities in Dust," the frenetic "Spellbound," and the group's gauzy take on the Beatles' "Dear Prudence" (which features the Cure's Robert Smith on guitar). Though the combined collections ONCE UPON A TIME and TWICE UPON A TIME boast a more in-depth look at Siouxsie & the Banshees, THE BEST OF is an ideal single-disc introduction to these British post-punk icons.

Q (10/02, p.131) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...This Best Of will remind the world what an excellent singles band they were behind the gothic veil. They deserve to sit in the same paddock as Maddness, Squeeze and The Cure..."