Chicago Tribune (4.4.99)

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Joshua Klein

The Creatures

Anima Animus (Instinct)

Even at the height of their popularity, Siouxsie and the Banshees were hardly more than a cult act. Still, singer Siouxsie Sioux and her drummer-husband Budgie found the band's fame stifling enough that they formed The Creatures, a skeletal side project created so that the two could experiment free from commercial considerations. Now that the Banshees have broken up, Sioux and Budgie have reconvened as The Creatures to release the group's first album in 10 years. Beginning with the techno-enhanced "2nd Floor," "Anima Animus" is a percussive exploration of tribal rhythms both global and Gothic. Menacing marimbas mingle with subtle synths, while Budgie pounds away at everything but a traditional drum kit. Sioux's trademark warble is one of the few elements that link this weird record to her post-punk and pop past, though songs such as "Turn It On" and "Another Planet" aren't without their primal hooks.

Contributed by Jerry Burch.