Aug 16 2024
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5
Siouxsie Sioux and her band the Banshees are considered to be one of the first Goth Rock bands together with Bauhaus. They released their debut in 1978 and build a solid career start with the following albums but as they released Juju, Goth Rock became a much more comercial genre but became as experimental as ever, slowly drifting from the very strong Punk roots. Juju was a success and is seen as one of the best Goth albums of all time with a mix between Post-Punk, Goth as well of hints from Psychedelia.
The albums opening track 'Spellbound' already is easily the best song on the album. It's incredibly catchy and full of energetic and groovy delivery. It's so fun while still holding the obvious dark tones that they and Goth Rock are known for. It already shows the mystical and magical sound a lot of the album shares as well as some clear psychedelic influence and is without a doubt the most consistently enjoyable song on the album and also one of the best songs they ever made.
Following that is another incredible song, 'Into the Light' is a more openly dark and introspective track that has echoey verses that build up into more and more instrumentation that release into a great chorus full of emotional singing and dark sounding effects around it. It is a beautiful song that shares so much with what Goth Rock was at that point in its evolution and saying this song pushed it even further is not to overlook. And while I love so many moments, there are others that I kind of feel aren't as interesting as they should've been for the song to work perfectly.
'Arabian Knights' completes the incredible trilogy that are the first tracks. It adds much more cryptic themes in the lyrics that are portraied with such perfection that the song sounds as ominous as it could possibly have been. A wonderful showcase of what she and her band was able to create as the song is both full of dancable, rhythmic and melodic playing but still shows the clear dark themes and soul that is so present with the genre.
The very anxious guitar playing at the start of 'Halloween' really gets you into a state full of nightmarish magic that is broken up by Siouxsie's vocals that build up and finalise in a similar anxious playing that just adds to the overall build-up of the song. I think it's a gorgeous song with so much Post-Punk energy all throughout.
The albums first half closes with the noisy and hardcore sounding 'Monitor' that is another definitive album highlight. It perfectly blends the sounds of early Hardcore Punk with the atomspheric and dark sounds of Goth Rock to create a song that is so interesting with everything that happens at all time that it's pretty much impossible to not be interested with what is happening. Especially the bridge is done so well that I think it actually makes the whole song even better.
Side B starts with 'Night Shift', a dark and, compared to most songs here, long song at 6 minutes of runtime. But it works that way. The guitar that builds tension the whole way really makes this an anxious and surreal song that gives out a lot of unease as it both feels like being hunted at night and being locked up in a dark room. It is a perfect mix of emotions that result in a song so gripping that I think that this is the albums emotional highlight.
The following 'Sin in My Heart' is plays with even more tension and unease starting right at the start with dissonant guitar playing that slowly adds more and more until Siouxsie comes with energetic and raw vocals that are some of the punkiest on the entire record. The song keeps the dissonance but doesn't get to weird or avant-garde and keeps it just at the level of giving a feeling of discomfort. Another incredible song the whole way through.
'Head Cut' keeps the energy of before but doesn't really give the weird feelings of before. That doesn't mean that it isn't interesting as there are a couple of moments her vocals turn into something you'd probably hear at an exorcism ritual. It is probably the "least interesting" right of the bat but the song still is an incredible throughout with many great moments that still make this a one of a kind listen and another perfect song.
The album closes on the longest one it has to offer as 'Voodoo Dolly' is 7 whole minutes long. It starts slow and quiet but builds over the span of multiple minutes into a louder and with more and more tension provided song that builds up into a superb final moment. But the some moments that got the song where it ended do feel a little bit "left aside", if that makes sense. It's still a great song but when held side to side with the rest of the album it does pale a little bit.
favourites: Spellbound, Night Shift, Sin in My Heart, Monitor, Halloween, Arabian Knights, Head Cut
least favourites: Voodoo Dolly (if I HAD to pick one)
Rating: light to decent 10
https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes
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Oct 12 2021
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4
What 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
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Dec 27 2022
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5
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.
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Jul 25 2022
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5
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.
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May 07 2021
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5
A haunting goth odyssey. Loved it from start to finish
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May 30 2022
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5
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.
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Jul 26 2021
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5
I adore Siouxsie’s voice and the anxious, haunting atmosphere. An essential punk album
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Jan 19 2021
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5
Takes me back to the days of too much eyeliner and teen angst.
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Jun 19 2022
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5
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.
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Mar 28 2021
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4
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.
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Oct 05 2022
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5
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.
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Sep 03 2022
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5
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).
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Dec 16 2022
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5
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.
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May 10 2021
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4
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.
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Dec 16 2022
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5
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.
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May 31 2021
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5
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.
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Apr 26 2021
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5
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!
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Oct 15 2022
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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!
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Jun 22 2022
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5
I loved this....so moody and goth. While listening, I heard a lot of Willow Smith, I wonder if she is influenced by Siouxsie
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Sep 08 2022
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5
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!)
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May 21 2021
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5
Messy, exciting, passionate
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Jun 13 2021
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5
Love the punk goth vibes and the creativity truly the kinda album I live for
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May 05 2022
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5
Goths ruined the ozone layer with their hairspray
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Mar 28 2022
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5
03/27/2022
Hell yeah. Gets a little spooky as the album progresses. Def puts a spell on the listener.
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Aug 16 2024
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5
"Juju" is the fourth album by British rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees. Post punk, gothic rock, art rock and pyschedelic rock are listed genres. The album was a return to more guitar-based music then the electronic bent of their previous album "Kaleidoscope." The band realized this was sort of a "concept album" as they were working on it since it really drew on the darker elements. The band members included Siouxsie Sioux (vocals, guitar), Steven Severin (bass), Budgie (drums, percussion) and John McGeoch (guitar). The album did well commercially reaching #1 in the UK and was a critical favorite, cited as a landmark of post punk.
An eerie guitar and a prodding bass open their first single "Spellbound." The music kicks in with a great strumming acoustic guitar. Siouxsie's vocals are strong and forceful as she tells the story of child growing up to become a violent adult. The second single "Arabian Knight" has an echoing guitar and pounding drums. Siouxsie initially comes in softy. The pace ramps up as Siouxsie sings of the abuse of women in the Middle East. "Monitor" closes out Side A with some classic and urgent post punk guitar by McGeoch. The bass is forward in this fairly hypnotic song. The lyrics are prescient as they describe the idea of real violence seen in short circuit TV as entertainment.
High-pitched guitar slashes highlight "Sin in My Heart." Bass forward. The guitars become layered and the pace picks up. The idea of the male as submissive. This is a great and chilling song. Creepy guitar notes and Siouxsie whispering open the the seven-minute closer "Voodoo Dolly." The drumming is almost tribal. Siouxsie gains momentum as she describes listening to that drum in your ear as the voodoo doll transfixes your fear.
This music is haunting, dark, hypnotic and rocking. All the musicians are top notch equally contributing to these songs. The lyrics are dark as Siouxsie sings about serial killers, voodoo dolls, violence, abused women and women and men submissiveness. This album pretty much defines post punk, goth and especially the dark wave. This is a great, great album. I'm not sure the whole goth scene would have existed without this album.
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Aug 09 2024
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5
Also not my normal thing, but very good!
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Apr 30 2022
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5
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.
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Mar 24 2021
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4
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.
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May 13 2021
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4
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.
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Apr 26 2021
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4
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.
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Jan 19 2023
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5
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)
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Dec 10 2022
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5
An unexpected gem
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Jan 22 2023
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5
SIOUXSIE DIOSA
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Jan 19 2023
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5
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.
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Jan 09 2023
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5
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.
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Jan 04 2023
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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
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Dec 13 2022
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5
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
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Nov 01 2022
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5
Just about the perfect post-punk album. Should also appeal to fans of punk, new wave, and of course goth rock.
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Oct 31 2022
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5
Dark brooding and frankly a little scary. But recommended
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Oct 08 2022
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5
BITCH, taking me back to my early 20’s
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Oct 05 2022
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5
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.
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Sep 22 2022
View Author
5
0 complaints
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Sep 20 2022
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5
Guitar by McGeoch out of this world. What a fantastic album. Siouxsie really finds her voice on this one.
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Aug 20 2022
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5
Perfectly dark and chaotic, no skips.
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Jul 06 2022
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5
Fantastic, every song a highlight
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May 24 2022
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5
This is cracking. A real taste of my adolescence - Goth 101. Great tunes, great atmosphere.
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Jul 16 2022
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5
Sooo insanely good
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May 09 2022
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5
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.
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Jul 06 2022
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5
Excellent!
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Feb 03 2021
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5
I really enjoyed this record. Reminisces of some newer punk
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Apr 08 2021
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5
❤️💘💓💕💗❣️💘💓💕💗❤️
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Sep 17 2020
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5
Really enjoyed this album!
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Jul 14 2022
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5
So far ahead of its time that I don't think its time has come yet.
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Jul 15 2021
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5
Qué pinche discotote.
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Apr 16 2021
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4
Very enjoyable. Her voice is captivating.
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Jan 27 2021
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4
gothy autumnal post punk. sounds like they're conjuring a spell.
fav track: arabian knights
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Nov 26 2021
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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.
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Jul 29 2021
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4
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.
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Jun 29 2021
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4
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.
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Mar 26 2021
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4
Reminds me of The Pixies I think? Not bad for just a little offbeat uptempo rock.
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Apr 08 2021
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4
this was very strong. wanna be friends with Siouxsie. really enjoyed :)
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Oct 19 2021
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3
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.
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May 14 2022
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2
Couldn’t get into it. Too avant-grade try hard and inaccessible. Meh.
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Aug 06 2024
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2
Siouxsie Sioux sounds like Kate Pierson from the B-52s; except it sounds like she isn't having any fun at all. The guitars are cold and soulless, lacking midrange warmth, and drenched in modulation, ensuring that it always sounds unsettling. I don't mind mopey bands and all; but I did not have any fun listening to this.
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Feb 25 2024
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2
Siouxsie has a good vocal but it's the same exact pitch and flow on every song. The same can be said about the basic formatting of each song. Siouxsie gets a loud clashing cymbal laden post-rock mess in the background wherein she continually repeats the title of the song. There are certainly some interesting parts like the usage of a harmonica in a brit-rock band and the exceptionally timed pause before the chorus on Night Shift. Overall I think the album holds up to be run of the mill brit-postpunk. The history and timing of the album release does show as they did bring about new concepts for what songs should be like, but unfortunately I am a listener past her time who already heard a million songs like it so it just doesn't stand out.
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Apr 11 2023
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5
I really liked it and it's no surprise given how much I like Metric and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Cool to hear their precursor.
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Apr 20 2023
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5
Spellbound c’est un fucking banger! Pour l’instant chaque chanson est génial. L’instru est super cool sur chaque chansons, la chanteuse a une voix cool et malgré que certaines chansons se ressemblent, elles reste distinctes. Pour l’instant c’est mon album préféré de ce qu’on écouter (peut-être même tout court, qui sait), je le réécouterai sans problème.
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Jan 31 2022
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5
Nunca escucho lo suficiente a ellos, aunque siempre me gustan cuando los oigo. 10/10
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May 04 2023
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5
Amazing album, love it. Saved the first 6 songs, I think the last 3 are bit weaker. But overall siiick
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Apr 07 2023
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5
This is the reason I'm signed up for this. Love this album and have never heard of the band before this.
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Jan 29 2022
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5
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.
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Mar 24 2023
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5
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.
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Jan 29 2022
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5
This album was so good I hit my thumb with a hammer at least 4 times and didn’t even care
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Mar 13 2023
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5
love it
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May 09 2023
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5
A total 5. One of the most influential artists and a pilar of post punch and goth rock. Juju is a fantastic, flawless album that set the tone of the 80s dark wave music. Before The Cure made this sound, Siouxie already crafted the formula. Love all her phases and the journey she went during the 80s and early 90s. These songs are regular in my playlist.
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Apr 04 2023
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5
This album is a post-punk masterpiece with tinges of goth rock. The album is dark, especially the back half and features some of the best rhythm work in the genre. The guitar work is phenomenal and utilizes drones and arpeggios to create a mood. The use of noise is similarly atmosphere building. Overall, this album is probably one of the best post-punk albums I’ve ever heard.
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Mar 23 2023
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5
The first Banshees album I bought and it's still great over 40 years later!
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Jan 29 2022
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5
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)
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Mar 04 2023
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5
Oh! So much better than the last Siouxsie and the Banshees' album we had. I love this one!
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Feb 28 2023
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5
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.
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Mar 12 2023
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5
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!
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Feb 09 2023
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5
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.
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Jan 22 2022
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5
Like the crosspoint between early Cure and early U2 and extremely my shit. Can’t believe I hadn’t listened to this sooner.
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May 20 2023
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5
Great album with a lovely early-80's lo-fi sound that compliments airy, melancholy tones while still maintaining an upbeat post-punk feel.
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Mar 12 2023
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5
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.
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Dec 25 2021
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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.
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May 22 2023
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5
The best album that I discovered here so far... I didn't know the band before besides their popular song, Happy House, which I love.
After a few listens it's definitely going to be among my favourites.
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Nov 30 2022
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5
Really liked this, and didn't know it already.
4.5/5
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Dec 04 2021
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5
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*
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Jun 03 2021
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5
This somehow influenced city of caterpillar and ghost. Love this 5/5
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Jul 10 2021
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5
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
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Jul 02 2021
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5
Brilliant!!!
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Sep 28 2022
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5
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.
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Jul 19 2022
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5
Пост панк и пост панк
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May 09 2022
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5
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.
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May 04 2022
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5
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"
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Apr 20 2022
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5
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.
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Mar 18 2022
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5
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.
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Jun 20 2023
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5
My internal goth felt ecstatic.
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Jun 15 2023
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5
I've never listened to any Siouxsie and The Banshees' music before, but based on what I've heard about them, I had an idea of what to expect. I'm happy to say that my expectations were met and exceeded with this album. I imagined that S&TB would sound like some sort of hybrid of The Cure and Echo & The Bunnymen, and not to pat myself on the back too much, but I'd say my imagination was pretty spot on. This album reminded me of what I love about both of those bands (cavernous and complex sounds with haunting lyrics and vocals), but still managed to sound completely unique. Just like The Cure, S&TB manages to produce their distinct sound in several different ways; sometimes its with guitar riffs, like on "Into The Light," or sometimes it's with percussion, like the booming bass drums and cymbal riding on "Arabian Knights." Other times, the band uses something else entirely to produce their haunting sound, like the building tempo of "Sin In My Heart." No matter how they do it, S&TB does it well. I love their use of distortion and sounds like breaking glass to create such a sense of unease and dread with their music. Siouxsie Sioux's vocals are absolutely incredible, and it's a nice change to hear a female voice in a post punk band. I think this album was probably a huge influence on several artists, especially Chvrches, who are probably my favorite currently active band, and that just makes me love this album even more. I'm so glad I got to experience this album today, and I know it'll be in my permanent rotation, especially in October.
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