Juju
Siouxsie And The Banshees
1981
Album Summary
Juju is the fourth studio album by English rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was recorded at Surrey Sound studio with Nigel Gray as co-producer, and was released on 19 June 1981 by record label Polydor. Two singles were released from Juju: "Spellbound" and "Arabian Knights". The album was commercially successful in the UK. It was acclaimed by critics upon its release, with praise given particularly to John McGeoch's unconventional guitar playing and Siouxsie's vocal performances. It remains a critical favourite and is seen as a landmark album of post-punk.
WikipediaWhat an album. This is where Siouxsie's punk roots, meld with their gothic stylings and pop sensibilities in a perfect mixture. As always Budgies drumming is captivating and powerful and John McGeogh's stabbing guitars are perfect. And Siouxsie's singing is absolutely sublime. This might be their strongest set of songs, just really hard to find a dud on the album. Arabian Nights, Spellbound, Into the Light ... side one is near perfect. I have always thought Keleidescope was their best album but Juju is right there and on many days it is my favourite. A great album from one of the great post punk bands. 4.5 stars
I adore Siouxsie’s voice and the anxious, haunting atmosphere. An essential punk album
Yes, more rock with female leads please. Honestly there's not enough female-led rock groups in this list, probably because there's not enough popular ones in general. Siouxsie has a tremendous voice that, before today, I'd never heard before. This album was a shocking, pleasant surprise. I'm not super familiar with post punk as a genre, but if this is what it's like, then I clearly need to delve into it some more, because 'Juju' is all kinds of haunting, fantastic, and brilliant.
The feeling here is part underground cathedral and part woods in the deep, deep night. I suppose that means that there is a reverent film across the entire album, both space and interiority. The first few tracks sound like rather by-the-numbers post-punk: Still good for my money, and the innovation in guitar playing is well-noted. But it rounds out by shooting off and blazing sonic trails. Those trails have been well-trodden, especially in Britain, but still sound fresh today.
The muscular riffs and angsty vocals saved this goth rock album from being a cheesy fad that's only listenable during Halloween. It's compelling and the fun never wears off as one goes deeper into the gothic mansion. Perhaps one of the best things that came out of post-punk, as well as the best ones that came out of the '80s music scene.
Begging to be rediscovered and reevaluated. If Stranger Things had a season set in 1981, the Duffer Brothers could have introduced "Spellbound" to a new generation, and today's youth would turn it into a Top Ten hit just like they're currently doing with "Running Up That Hill" by Kate Bush. This thing is front loaded, throwing 5 consecutive bangers right out of the gate. I hear everything from the B-52's to Polly Jean Harvey in those 5 gems. And then it takes you on a journey, ending with a daring 7 minute track that will alienate the masses. It's in the running for best album of 1981, and it might also be the best B-52's album.
I looooved this one, might just stop the generator for a week to enjoy this. Siouxsie's voice is sooo hypnotizing, the lyrics are super efficient and the melodies are straight up addictive.
5.0 - Listening to "Monitor" I imagine an angry sky of charcoal conjured by the jagged guitars. The brutal crashing of the drums beckon claps of thunder and I see green flashes of lightning brusting from the dark clouds. Then Siouxsie Sioux materializes from this stormy chaos, an oversized Medusa head fixing her glowing red eyes on me as she pronounces impending doom with her forked tongue. I think many contemporaries like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the Knife and the Killers (to name a few) have tried to capture the same drama and magic but not many come close to Siouxsie & The Banshees. Side note: I curse Robert Dimery often for recommending records I've found underwhelming (e.g. "The Rising" by Bruce Springsteen). But I'm equally thankful for his influence in getting me to listen to records like "Juju" that I may have avoided for stupid reasons (e.g. a weird band name like Siouxsie & The Banshees).
A seminal gothic album. Incredibly polished with a dark mood, with parts being both fun and eery. It's incredibly fast-paced and dense, with plenty of strange sounds that contribute to the horror and sometimes psychedelic feel of the tracks. This is further characterized by the cold distant drums, the lofi compressed guitar, and Siouxsie's shrieks and mystical voice. It's very accessible, with pop and dance tracks put at the beginning to entice new listeners, making this a perfect entry point for the genre. At the same time, it's tense with moments of anxiety and resolution that reward you well. The songs transition well from one to the next, carrying the mood. Second half slows down with a creepier and colder sound that I love. Despite how strange it gets, it never becomes too abrasive to scare listeners away. Personally I think every song is great, and so is the order. Out of all their albums, they really knocked it out of the ballpark with the dark horror approach they were going for in both their sound and lyrical content. As much as I like how varied their discography is, I wish they had a record as consistent in its gothic tones as this one.
I feel like the sound that so many of the other post-punk groups on this list tried for, this album achieved in mastery. Even after getting so bogged down by soooooo manyyyyy of them here, this stood out like a beacon. Mastery of punk image and sound with experimentalism and art feel.
Wonky, tremulous, unnerving. I love how Siouxsie's voice sounds like it is trapped halfway between demented and distraught. Perfectly anxious and paranoid post-punk.
In the past I've struggled to article why this mob have not quite done the business for me, but now I think I have an answer. For all their invention - hell, some of Juju really points to new ways that rock can be played - there's an absence of humanity or soul. It's fun when Kraftwerk pretend to be robots, but it's just a touch dismal here. Nonetheless, Juju is bursting with ideas and Siouxsie is an arresting vocalist. Maybe I'll come round.
Siouxsie And The Banshees deserve a lot of credit. They've come up with a truly original sound here. The standard chord progressions of rock 'n roll are nowhere to be found, replaced by an emphasis on minor seconds, tritones and overall dissonance. The rhythms are tribal and relentless, particularly Budgie's drums. McGeoch's guitars lines are serpentine or jagged, and often drenched in reverb--he develops new ideas and concepts for every song. The lyrics are disturbing and evocative. Siouxie's vocals are impassioned. The entire band gives a sustained and committed performance throughout the entire album. The energy never flags, so much so, that the overall effect is claustrophobic. And yet, despite all of the skill and passion involved, not one melody or lick or chord sequence or rhythmic sequence stuck to my brain. That's a mystery, but unfair as it might seem, I'm going to dock Juju a star for that. Even free jazz or avant-guarde classical music needs to provide a point of entry for the listener. Who knows, maybe with repeated listens, Juju would magically become more accessible to me, but at this point, I admire it more than like it.
Thoroughly enjoyed this album. Reminds me of a decent amount of post-punk music I’ve listened to that came out more than 30 years later. Not every track is great but some (Spellbound, Monitor, Night Shift) are what I’m always in the mood for listening to. Great singing, great guitar and bass. Had never listened to Siouxsie before and this definitely exceeded my expectations. Not giving it 5 stars because it’s not perfect, just good, but 3 seems too low so 4 it is.
I loved pretty much every second of this. (Yeah, that last tune kind of makes the record feel like it doesn’t quite stick the landing.) Easily one of my faves that we’ve done to date! Good shit. Which most likely means we’re getting some hot turds this week just to balance things out. Enjoy!
Pleasantly surprised by this one. I'm between a 4 and 5 on this, so I'll give it a 5 just because it significantly exceeded expectations.
03/27/2022 Hell yeah. Gets a little spooky as the album progresses. Def puts a spell on the listener.
A stellar album. A Goth classic. John McGeoch helps brings the Banshees to new heights through his creativity. If you can find the demos with just drums and bass and Siouxsie's vocals, you can see what I mean.
I know they dispute the Goth Rock descriptor, but there is something so good about the sounds here that reminds me of those other Goth Rock acts.
Reminds me of The Pixies I think? Not bad for just a little offbeat uptempo rock.
gothy autumnal post punk. sounds like they're conjuring a spell. fav track: arabian knights
this was very strong. wanna be friends with Siouxsie. really enjoyed :)
Spellbound is a cool opening track and I am excited for it. I am digging the dark moodiness, very like The Smiths. Night Shift is a great moody tune. Head Cut is another cool spooky tune.
I've heard about Siouxsie And The Banshees before of course, as a wildly influential band for gothic music and multiple metal subgenres. However, this was the first time I listened to them. I liked what I heard. Haunting post-punk with a good amount of depth and some interesting ideas and techniques. Not quite varied or catchy enough for a 5, but definitely a very good 4.
Pretty great album, honestly. I'm here for the riot grrl thing and Souxie delivers that in spades. It's fun, witty, and well put together.
Robert Dimery nous assomme ces-temps ci d'albums punk et post-punk dont on se serait bien passés. Si la série noire actuelle ne s'arrête pas dans les prochains jours, j'annonce que j'entamerai la toute première "Grève du Générateur" dont j'expliquerai les modalités dans une éventuelle critique ultérieure. Robert est prévenu.
This has always just been a name to me and never consciously listen to them. More fool me, I really liked it. Sounds sick considering it's older than me! Really influential too. 9/10
Love the punk goth vibes and the creativity truly the kinda album I live for
Increíble! Este álbum es una joya. La voz, la guitarra, el concepto del disco. No conocía a la banda, pero este disco ya me abrió las puertas para más música verdaderamente buena
Wow, glad I revisited this. I listened to Siouxsie and the Banshees when I was younger and was big into punk - but I always found most of this punk-adjacent stuff was lacking the raw energy. I also never got into gothic rock and it's still not a genre I care for. Having said all that: holy shit this is a strong album. More interesting, artistic and consistent than 90% of "classic" punk records, so teenage me was wrong to dismiss it. I've long enjoyed the dark, menacing restraint of post-punk which this has down to a tee. But it also makes them work with softer new wave elements. Favourite track is probably "Monitor", but this album is solid from start to finish. 5*
Side one of this album is amazing, genuinely a 10/10 - exactly my type of music. Side two does get a bit fillery and I'm not a fan of the final track. The entire album would probably be like a 8.5/10 at worst. Really great.
Like the crosspoint between early Cure and early U2 and extremely my shit. Can’t believe I hadn’t listened to this sooner.
This album was so good I hit my thumb with a hammer at least 4 times and didn’t even care
This was so good! Energetic, boppy music from start to finish. Loved the vibe and Siouxsie's voice, a few songs have gone straight into my halloween playlist.
Maybe I'm biased because I'm listening to this while walking and that puts me in a good mood, but this is absolutely *chefs kiss* I feel like I've been steamrollered and I mean that in the best possible way Spellbound is an EXCELLENT intro and everything else just flows from there, I particularly love the bounciness of Monitor! Basically it's my favourite album on here so far (I know we're only a few days in but hey)
Nunca escucho lo suficiente a ellos, aunque siempre me gustan cuando los oigo. 10/10
This album rocks! I love the Halloween aesthetic about the whole thing. Plus the vocals, being female, make it sound pretty badass.
Dark and gothic, but also driving and catchy. A clear inspiration for some of my favourite artists, with great singles to boot.
Bardzo klimatyczny album, pierwsza wokalistka spośród wszystkich albumów do tej pory z niesamowitym głosem. "Into the light" "Voodoo Dolly" i "Spellbound" niesamowicie wpadły mi w ucho i są teraz regularnie słuchane na przestrzeni ostatnich paru dni. Poza genialnym wokalem niesamowicie ciekawe i bogate tło muzyczne. Moim zdaniem najlepszy do tej pory album.
First time listening to Siouxise and the Banshees, loved this album ,really starts with a bang, dark and melodic with great female vocals gives it a right badass feel. Been swaying between and 4 and a 5 all day, but this really is an album I’ll listen to a lot now, so due to personal taste this gets 5 stars.
Ever since I started getting deeper into music listening, I've noticed that I tend to find the Post-Punk genre (and some extent Gothic Rock) to be a mixed-bag. Some bands I can dig, but frequently I'll find particurally acclaimed bands that I can't really get behind all too well. With bands like Joy Division, Wire, and The Cure, I'll find myself enjoying them from time to time, but I never find enough in them to really stick with me for long. With this in mind, Juju was a great surprise to me. Nearly all of the tracks are crafted incredibly well in its dark, yet somehow inviting atmosphere with just the right kind of production. If there's one thing here that stands out the most though, it would be Siouxsie's vocal work across this record. Such a perfect voice for this style of music in my opinion. Fantastic Album. Would recommend. Favourites: "Spellbound", "Into The Light", "Monitor", "Night Shift"
Shame on me, I had never taken the time to listen to this band until today. What a wonderful discovery! I really like post-punk, but I really love the "goth rock" style, so I was delighted. Unique vocals and powerful percussion alongside all you need in great gothic and dark 80s music. I will certainly buy this record and listen to it over and over again.
Huge fan of the old post-punk / gotic rock. It has been a while since I listen to this one, felt so good listening to it. I need this in vinyl. Pleas more gotic rock in this list.
This is cracking. A real taste of my adolescence - Goth 101. Great tunes, great atmosphere.
I loved this....so moody and goth. While listening, I heard a lot of Willow Smith, I wonder if she is influenced by Siouxsie
Absolutely stunning. Featuring some trippy guitar sounds, pounding TomTom drums, exotic scales and melodies topped off by some powerful vocals (reminiscent of Grace Slick from Jefferson Airplane). A decade earlier this would have been called psychedelic or raga rock and it's better than a lot of the albums from that era. I'm stunned (I'll be seeking a vinyl copy of this!)
Guitar by McGeoch out of this world. What a fantastic album. Siouxsie really finds her voice on this one.
Jom ik had hier allerlei dingen ingevuld. Het was niet slecht ofzo, maar precies ook niet zo memorabel? Denk wel dat ik erdoor op de dinge Mephisto Walz & Danse Society ben uitgekomen dus dat maakt het wel weer verdienstelijk.
Post punk is such an amazing genre in my opinion but siouxsie and the banshees is honestly not a band that I really know though so this is going to be fun… Lead single (and biggest hit) spellbound opens up the album with a memorable banger to get the listener hooked! Into the light is cool, her vocals are perfect on this one and those drums are awesome. Arabian knights is what I expected for a post punk song the bass/drum combo on the verses is so brooding. Halloween (or any public holiday) isn’t really a songwriting theme that I would call good but instrumentally the track is cool. Monitor ending side one was a brilliant choice definitely one of my favourites from side one! Side two track one is night shift a bloody incredible track! The guitars on this are so fucking sick! Sin in my heart is also a banger I love the minute long intro only to be cut by some of the most aggressive drums I’ve ever herd. The metallic guitar tones in head cut are brilliant the rest of the song isn’t necessarily one of my favourites on the album but it’s cool. Voodoo dolly is horror music the track is so tense and I love how it bursts into a ball of insanity. This was great might regret later but i’am gonna give it a 5.
Finally! An album to convince this website that I don’t hate post-punk; only their shitty choices of the genre so far. I simply can not praise the guitar playing of McGeoch enough. “Spellbound” easily ranks among the best guitar tracks of the 80’s and for the rest of the album there’s never a track where he doesn’t deliver something truly unique and interesting. Siouxsie sounds as great and gloomy as ever and the songs seem as fresh today as they would have done more than 40 years ago. An absolute masterpiece!
Just about the perfect post-punk album. Should also appeal to fans of punk, new wave, and of course goth rock.
Siouxsie and the Banshees is one of those bands that I've heard about forever, but have never actually knowingly listened to them. In some ways, I'm glad I waited as long as I did because I feel like it gave me a new appreciation for this album because I'm much more well versed in subgenres like post-punk, art-rock, and goth. I wouldn't say that this album sits comfortably in any of those genres, but it certainly influenced each of them after it was released. It's a great album. Apparently it's more electronic than their previous work, but it feels completely natural in this album. This album feels really advanced for 1981. Songs like Monitor remind me of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Overall, a really stellar album that I'm surprised I haven't heard more about. It seems like a titanic achievement for the era in which it was made 5/5
My favorite Siouxsie And The Banshees album, a band I didn't know I needed so badly before undertaking this project and consulting Dimery's list online (the man should be thanked a thousand times for this, in spite of all the "wrong" albums he or his team singled out). *Juju* is not so much gothic "post-punk" as *pop-punk as it should actually be defined in popular consciousness*. Budgie's drumming is dynamic and powerful, John McGeogh's jagged guitar lines vibrate with an intensity rarely heard in this overall genre, and Siouxsie's voice is haunting. This is, for me, their strongest set of songs. *The Scream* and *Kaleidoscope* also have great moments, but none of those records are as cohesive and impressive as *Juju*. No dud to be found in here: "Arabian Nights", "Monitor", "Spellbound' and "Into the Light", especially, can get stuck in your head for hours after listening to the LP. Have I already used the word "haunting" in this short review? I hope I did, because *Juju* is the perfect illustration of it, in all its many senses. 5 stars, nothing less. Number of albums left to review: 687 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 153 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 71 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 88
What can I say, I love post-punk. The guitars here are next level, and Siouxsie's vocals are simply mindblowing. Well deserved to be on this list.
My best experience in the past with this band was Hyaena, and I even about that album I had mixed feelings. However, Juju today has turned out to be an excellent album and my new favourite. I particularly liked Siouxsie's powerful vocal delivery, the galloping rhythms, and the dark guitar sounds. Everything just worked for me on this album, and makes me want to check out their back catalogue again.
Must be one of the best post-punk albums ever made, and one of my favourite albums all time, and it is just one of the many 5-star Siouxsie & The Banshees albums... (best track: Into the Light)
I'm not that familiar with this band, apart from their major hits. However, I loved this from start to finish and will definitely be revisiting it. Love the overall aesthetic, the vocals, and the unusual guitar sounds. This seems to have been really original for the time.
A marked improvement from their debut album. This feels more deliberate and constructed, as if they've honed in on their signature sound after some experimentation. I'll certainly be returning to this album soon! Standout tracks were Spellbound, Arabian Knights, and Monitor.
Oh! So much better than the last Siouxsie and the Banshees' album we had. I love this one!
What a cool album. This will take a few more listens to really sink in, but love it already. I was vibing to the whole thing while cleaning, but Monitor really stood out in my first listen through!
I first heard and was enraptured by Siouxsie And The Banshees a couple of years after this first came out. When working through the back catalogue, this album was initially overshadowed for me by the two albums immediately before and after (Kaleidoscope and A Kiss In The Dreamhouse). But over time it's come to be my favourite. Was delighted when the website selected this for me today, and no question about the score.
This is a band that I had heard so much about but never explored their music. I will be going deeper into their discography because it's a great example of early post-punk. Good listen.
Creo que no había oído más de una canción o dos de Siouxsie And The Banshees y no tenía idea de qué esperar, por lo que este disco fue una muy muy grata sorpresa. Me encantó el sonido complejo y oscuro sin tirarse a la depresión como The Cure o a un exceso de lujuria como Depeche Mode. Al contrario, es oscuro pero con su personalidad y con mucho movimiento, ritmo y variedad en la instrumentación. La voz de Siouxsie es muy adecuada para el estilo. Bonita sin dejar de ser agresiva cuando se requiere. La guitarra me pareció excelente, y el detalle de usar el Gizmotron en Into The Light me gustó más. La batería, con cambios y adornos interesantes y el bajo acompañando de manera simple, pero choncho y sólido. Y bueno, lo que hace que no le dé la 5 estrella es que hacia el final sentí que duró un poco más de lo necesario y que el último par de rolas ya me habían perdido.
A mí parecer una de las mejores bandas de goth, tienen una textura más agradable que the cure por ejemplo, el disco tiene canciones muy bien equilibradas, no lo había escuchado completo y monitor fue una gran sorpresa
Este disco tiene una vibra que combina a los Yeah Yeah Yeahs con un poquito de Rage Agains the Machine. Un disco muy agradable e interesante. Mi canción favorita fue Spellbound, en la versión de 12”
4.5 | Aquí debería de ir una reseña bastante comprehensiva sobre el rock gótico, Siouxsie, cuánto me gustó el disco y cómo a veces no se toma al rock gótico en serio por lo ridículo de su subcultura pero musicalmente la verdad es que es bastante bueno. Hablaba sobre lo chingón de Spellbound como sencillo y lo sólido del disco en general. Y luego le piqué mal y borré todo y me deprimí. Así que ahora solo dice esto... Gran disco, oigan más Siouxsie.
Went down a treat in our houses. Considered a 5. Arabian Knights and Sin in my Heart were bloody bangers.
This album surprised me. I only really knew Spellbound before listening to it, but really enjoyed the other tracks too.
V glad to have discovered these guys. Will def listen to more. Aged v well. Can’t believe this album is as old as me!