Kaleidoscope (Siouxsie album)
Encyclopedia
Kaleidoscope is the third studio album by English post-punk
band Siouxsie and the Banshees, released in 1980. Following the departure of two band members, the band regrouped and redirected their sound for their third record. Departing from their previous work, the Banshees incorporated synthesizer
s and drums box for the first time. They particularly experimented in electronic music
on a couple of tracks, the electro-dance minimalism "Red Light" and the atmospheric synth-based piece "Lunar Camel". Kaleidoscope also marks the debut of guitarist John McGeoch
from Magazine
and new drummer Budgie
from The Slits
. The album hit number five in the UK album chart, the highest position the band has achieved.
' s Paulo Hewitt also praised the album, and qualified "Paradise Place" and "Skin" as "classic Banshee pieces. Hypnotic, relentless and incisive, both feature Steve Jones
on guitar, revealing a hitherto unknown side of the (S)ex-Pistol".
Critic David Cleary described it as a "strong record" with "extraordinarily imaginative production values featuring intricate synthesizer-flecked arrangements; psychedelic touches in "Christine
", spaceship synthesizer swoops in "Tenant," and rhythmic camera clicks in "Red Light" all enliven their respective songs".
frontman Robert Smith
named the album to Steve Sutherland in 1985 to describe The Head on the Door
: "It reminds me of the Kaleidoscope album, the idea of having lots of different sounding things, different colors."
Johnny Marr
from The Smiths
stated on the BBC radio 2 in February 2008 about John McGeoch's contribution on "Happy House":
Santigold said that she took inspiration from the song "Red Light". "'My Superman
' is an interpolation of a Siouxsie Sioux song, 'Red Light,'" she explained. "I love her song and I love this song." Santigold also later sampled
another song off Kaleidoscope, "Lunar Camel", on her Top Ranking
remix album. Jeremy Jay
covered
the same song on his Airwalker
EP.
Kaleidoscope was also praised by the singer of Suede
, Brett Anderson
.
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
band Siouxsie and the Banshees, released in 1980. Following the departure of two band members, the band regrouped and redirected their sound for their third record. Departing from their previous work, the Banshees incorporated synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s and drums box for the first time. They particularly experimented in electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
on a couple of tracks, the electro-dance minimalism "Red Light" and the atmospheric synth-based piece "Lunar Camel". Kaleidoscope also marks the debut of guitarist John McGeoch
John McGeoch
John Alexander McGeoch, , was a Scottish guitarist who played with a number of bands of the post-punk era, including Magazine, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Visage and Public Image Ltd....
from Magazine
Magazine (band)
Magazine are an English post-punk group active from 1977 to 1981, then reformed in 2009. Their debut single, "Shot by Both Sides", is now acknowledged as a classic and their debut album, Real Life, is still widely admired as one of the greatest albums of all time...
and new drummer Budgie
Budgie (drummer)
-External links:*...
from The Slits
The Slits
The Slits were a British punk rock band. The quartet was formed in 1976 by members of the bands The Flowers of Romance and The Castrators. The members were Ari Up , who died of cancer in October 2010, and Palmolive , with Viv Albertine and Tessa Pollitt replacing founding members, Kate Korus and...
. The album hit number five in the UK album chart, the highest position the band has achieved.
Reception
Melody MakerMelody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
Steve Jones (musician)
Stephen Philip "Steve" Jones is an English rock guitarist, singer and actor, best known as guitarist and founding member of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols.-Childhood:...
on guitar, revealing a hitherto unknown side of the (S)ex-Pistol".
Critic David Cleary described it as a "strong record" with "extraordinarily imaginative production values featuring intricate synthesizer-flecked arrangements; psychedelic touches in "Christine
Christine (song)
"Christine" is a song recorded by British rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees. The song was written by Banshees members Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin and it was released as the second single from the band's third album Kaleidoscope....
", spaceship synthesizer swoops in "Tenant," and rhythmic camera clicks in "Red Light" all enliven their respective songs".
Legacy
Kaleidoscope had an impact on several critically acclaimed musicians. The CureThe Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
frontman Robert Smith
Robert Smith (musician)
Robert James Smith is an English musician. He is the lead singer, guitar player and principal songwriter of the rock band The Cure, and its only constant member since its founding in 1976...
named the album to Steve Sutherland in 1985 to describe The Head on the Door
The Head on the Door
The Head on the Door is the sixth studio album by British band The Cure, released in 1985. The album is the first to feature drummer Boris Williams, it also features the return of Simon Gallup and is Porl Thompson's first album as an official member....
: "It reminds me of the Kaleidoscope album, the idea of having lots of different sounding things, different colors."
Johnny Marr
Johnny Marr
Johnny Marr is an English musician and songwriter. Marr rose to fame in the 1980s as the guitarist in The Smiths, with whom he formed a prolific songwriting partnership with Morrissey. Marr has been a member of Electronic, The The, and Modest Mouse...
from The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
stated on the BBC radio 2 in February 2008 about John McGeoch's contribution on "Happy House":
Santigold said that she took inspiration from the song "Red Light". "'My Superman
Santogold (album)
Santogold is the self-titled debut studio album by American alternative artist Santigold...
' is an interpolation of a Siouxsie Sioux song, 'Red Light,'" she explained. "I love her song and I love this song." Santigold also later sampled
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
another song off Kaleidoscope, "Lunar Camel", on her Top Ranking
Top Ranking
Top Ranking: A Diplo Dub is a mixtape by American artist Santigold and Philadelphia-based DJ Diplo, released on July 15, 2008.-General information:...
remix album. Jeremy Jay
Jeremy Jay
-History:Jay grew up in Los Angeles. His first release, the Airwalker EP appeared in 2007 courtesy of K Records. It included a cover of the Siouxsie and the Banshees song, "Lunar Camel." The EP was described by Pitchfork Media as "cryptic, compelling short" with "half-crooned, half-spoken vocals...
covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
the same song on his Airwalker
Airwalker
Airwalker is the debut release by Jeremy Jay, released by K Records. The EP included two covers: '"Lunar Camel" by Siouxsie and the Banshees and "Angels on the Balcony" by Blondie.- Track listing :# "Lampost Scene" – 0:40# "Airwalker" – 3:35...
EP.
Kaleidoscope was also praised by the singer of Suede
Suede (band)
Suede are an English alternative rock band from London, formed in 1989. The group's most prominent early line-up featured singer Brett Anderson, guitarist Bernard Butler, bass player Mat Osman and drummer Simon Gilbert. By 1992, Suede were hailed as "The Best New Band in Britain", and attracted...
, Brett Anderson
Brett Anderson
Brett Lewis Anderson is an English singer-songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the band Suede. After Suede disbanded in 2003, he briefly fronted The Tears, and has released four solo albums...
.
Track listing
Personnel
- Siouxsie SiouxSiouxsie SiouxSiouxsie Sioux is an English singer-songwriter. She is best known as the lead singer of the critically acclaimed rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees and of its splinter group The Creatures . The Banshees produced eleven studio albums and a string of hit singles including "Hong Kong Garden",...
– vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, droma-derian, finger cymbals, camera, melodica - Steven SeverinSteven SeverinSteven Severin , is an English musician, composer, bassist and co-founding member of Siouxsie and the Banshees....
– bass, electric guitar, vocals, rhythm box, piano, synthesizers, electric sitar - BudgieBudgie (drummer)-External links:*...
– drums, harmonica, bass, percussion - John McGeochJohn McGeochJohn Alexander McGeoch, , was a Scottish guitarist who played with a number of bands of the post-punk era, including Magazine, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Visage and Public Image Ltd....
– guitar, ellaphone, sax, Farfisa organ, sitar, string synth - Steve JonesSteve Jones (musician)Stephen Philip "Steve" Jones is an English rock guitarist, singer and actor, best known as guitarist and founding member of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols.-Childhood:...
– lead guitar on "Clockface", "Paradise Place", and "Skin" - Nigel GrayNigel GrayNigel Gray is a British record producer. His album credits include "Outlandos d'Amour" , "Reggatta de Blanc" and "Zenyatta Mondatta" for The Police; "Juju" and "Kaleidoscope" for Siouxsie & The Banshees, as well as five albums for Godley & Creme.-Surrey Sound Studio:In 1974 Gray converted a...
, Siouxsie & The BansheesSiouxsie & the BansheesSiouxsie and the Banshees were a British rock band formed in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bassist Steven Severin. Initially associated with the English punk rock scene, the band rapidly evolved to create "a form of post-punk discord full of daring rhythmic and sonic experimentation"...
– producers