Tinderbox (Siouxsie and the Banshees album)

Tinderbox
File:Siouxsie & the Banshees-Tinderbox.jpg
Studio album by Siouxsie and the Banshees
Released	21 April 1986
Recorded	1985
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	38:21
Label	Polydor Geffen/Warner Bros. (USA)
Producer	Siouxsie and the Banshees
Siouxsie and the Banshees chronology
Hyæna (1984)Hyæna1984 Tinderbox (1986) Through the Looking Glass (1987) Singles from Tinderbox "Cities in Dust" Released: 18 October 1985 "Candyman" Released: 28 February 1986 Through the Looking Glass1987

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
The Quietus	very favourable
Spin	very favourable

Tinderbox is the seventh studio album by the English alternative rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees, released in 1986. It was the first full-length effort recorded with new guitarist John Valentine Carruthers; Carruthers had previously only added a few parts on 1984's The Thorn EP. The first recording sessions for this album took place at Hansa Tonstudio by the Berlin Wall in May 1985.

Tinderbox peaked at No. 13 in the UK Albums Chart, and at No. 88 on the US Billboard 200 chart in the week of 5 July. The album was reissued in a remastered and expanded edition in 2009, with bonus tracks including an unreleased version of 1987's "Song from the Edge of the World" non-album single, and an unreleased song with lyrics by Steven Severin called "Starcrossed", recorded in May 1985. The B-sides of "Cities in Dust" and "Candyman", initially included as bonus tracks on the 1986 CD, were then included in the Downside Up B-sides box set.

Critical reception

Sounds praised the album on its release. Kevin Murphy wrote, "Tinderbox romps and swoons with all the majesty of Dreamhouse", and added, "it's a refreshing slant on the Banshees' disturbing perspective and restores their vivid shades to pop's pale palette."

Jon Savage also hailed the record in Spin magazine:

"its scope, ease, and assurance make it a good collection for the Banshees to relaunch themselves into the international market this spring. Carruthers fits in to the point that you wouldn't know there was a change, and Budgie's drumming is superb. Apart from the singles "Cities in Dust" and "Candyman" (which perpetuates the Banshees' sinister view of childhood), the sparks fly on the crystal clear "Cannons" and the unsettling "Parties Fall".

AllMusic reviewer David Cleary retrospectively rated the record 4.5 out of 5 stars, applauding the band for

"rocking drumming, drivingly aggressive yet fully textured guitar playing, and masterful, gutsy singing. The songs here are intense and unfold slowly, some starting off less vigorously but becoming hard rockers further along. There is of course a fine line between consistency and lack of contrast, but this album stays firmly on the side of the former; in fact, there's a certain satisfying feel to the musically uniform wall of sound here. The arrangements are less complex than in immediately preceding albums, but there are still plenty of subtle, effective production touches to be found throughout."

The Quietus also praised the reissue of the album and said:

"By removing the focus from the guitar, Siouxsie & The Banshees forged a sound that was totally their own. Rhythmic and percussive, the rock idiom of old was eschewed in favour of a sound that was wholly their own. "Cities In Dust", the first taster from Tinderbox, found the band moving into more electronic climes as Severin's recently purchased DX-7 synth discovered new territories to explore."

PopMatters listed it among their "12 Essential Alternative Rock Albums from the 1980", saying it was a " bold and enchanting album".

Legacy

Tinderbox would be later hailed by the singer of Suede, Brett Anderson. Jenny Lee Lindberg of Warpaint cited among her influences, the band and the song "Umbrella", initially included in the tracklisting of the 1986 cd version.

Track listing

All tracks by Siouxsie and the Banshees.

All lyrics written by Siouxsie Sioux, except where noted

Original release

1. Candyman - 3:44
2. The Sweetest Chill - 4:07
3. This Unrest - 6:21
4. Cities in Dust - 3:51
5. Cannons - 3:14
6. Party's Fall - 4:56
7. 92° - 6:02
8. Land's End - 6:06

1986 CD bonus tracks

1. The Quarterdrawing of the Dog - 4:58
2. An Execution - 3:50
3. Lullaby (Severin) - 3:34
4. Umbrella - 4:11
5. Cities in Dust (Extended Version) - 6:49

2009 remastered reissue bonus tracks

9. "Cities in Dust (12" Eruption Mix)"
10. "The Sweetest Chill (Chris Kimsey 12" Remix)" (unreleased version) (lyrics by Steven Severin)
11. "Song from the Edge of the World (JVC Version)" (unreleased version)
12. "Starcrossed" (unreleased track) (lyrics by Steven Severin)

Personnel

File:Siouxsie and the banshees with john carruthers.jpg

Siouxsie and the Banshees with John Valentine Carruthers in 1985. Left to right: Carruthers, Budgie, Sioux, Severin.

• Siouxsie Sioux – vocals, piano, whistle
• Steven Severin – electric bass, keyboards, piano, drumbox, emulator
• Budgie – drums and percussion
• John Valentine Carruthers – guitars, keyboards, waterphone

Production

• Siouxsie and the Banshees – producers

Charts

Chart (1986)	Peak position
UK Albums Chart	13
Australian Albums Chart	97
New Zealand Albums	34
Swedish Albums Chart	32
US Billboard 200	88
Dutch Charts	51

Cover photograph

On 8 July 1927, a tornado near the town of Jasper, Minnesota, was photographed by Lucille Handberg. Her photograph has become a classic image, and was used on the album's cover. The same photograph was edited and used for Deep Purple's 1974 album Stormbringer.

References