The Evening Post (4.8.99)

THE CREATURES

Anima Animus

(Sioux Records)

There was a time when Siouxsie Sioux walked on water and many would gladly have drowned in a futile attempt to get close to punk's unequalled queen. Decades after dissolving the Banshees and one decade after the last Creatures album, Siouxsie and Budgie (Banshees drummer and her partner) return with more of their tribal drumming-inspired electro-pop. The music is so familiar it's as if time stood still, especially on the opening 2nd Floor. There's more dance-inspired pulses on Disconnected while on the concluding Don't Go To Sleep they come across like a goth Portishead. But what makes Anima Animus stand apart is Siouxsie's lyrics, singing of pain and joy, probing the dark corners of life with tales of love, war, and even menstrual streams. Yes, the fiery 21-year-old has aged beautifully.

Lindsay Davis

Contributed by Jerry Burch.