Mantaray

After 30 years in the music biz Siouxsie Sioux has released her first solo album, Mantaray. She started out as the post-punk ice queen with The Banshees, then mutated into the experimentation of The Creatures, a duo with her long time partner in life (and Banshees drummer) Budgie. That marriage is over, and Siouxsie is moving on with this album. It is easily the most straight forward album of her career; this is not arty experimentation but actual pop music. It ranges from the industrial edged rock of lead single Into A Swan to Goldfrapp-y glitter and stomp, with jazzy bits (Drone Zone), a Shirley Bassey moment on Here Comes That Day and a swoony Bond film song in Sea Of Tranquility. It is a gleaming modern rock record, ably produced and played by Goldfrapp collaborators Charlie Jones and Steve Evans. They have a firm grasp on what sounds good today, while retaining key snippets of the post-punk and spookiness of old. Siouxsie is in fine voice too, capable of sounding hard as nails and then soft and gentle. It is refreshing to hear a more commercial album that retains the Siouxsie edge. I have really been enjoying this record. Not bad for the 50 year old rocker.
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