“Slowdive” / “Cannibal Roses” (Polydor POSP 510) October 1982
Siouxsie And The Banshees | Slowdive | (Polydor) 1982 | The first time I reviewed the singles, I remember making ‘Hong Kong Garden’ my pick of the week, but, despite its sinister atmospherics, this single never really develops into the deliciously doomy liturgy it at first threatens to be.
It’s still reassuring to hear Siouxsie, the Marlene Dietreich of punk, hasn’t lost her voice after all and the howl of the Banshees is infinitely preferable to the insipid whimper of so many of this week’s ‘new pop sensibility’ acts. (Sounds, 02/10/82)
Siouxsie And The Banshees | Slowdive | (Polydor) 1982
Siouxsie and the Banshees ought to be the eighth wonder of the world. Whatever they do is excellent. This starts off with an intro that sounds as though it’s going to lead into the theme of ‘Psycho’ and progresses into a steadily descending, careering Banshee journey.
This is not quite as immediate as some of their other stuff, or as varied, but it’s as gripping as ever. The Banshees have patented their own sound, but they never reproduce it in the same mould without imaginative twists. (Record Mirror, 02/10/82)
“Slowdive” finds Siouxsie et cie mashing down hard on the ‘eerie’ button with the customary bashing beat, instrumental clatters and screams and reverby, serpentine vocals. Patti Smith, I’d like to introduce you to Hawkwind; you could do well together. (NME, 02/10/82)
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