Siouxsie & The Banshees
The Rapture

THE REVIEW

It's really a shame that this farewell album by Siouxsie & The Banshees was so overlooked upon its release, perhaps because in 1995, the public and critics were busy listening to more fashionable music genres or perhaps because, after the rather lackluster recent albums, few believed in a convincing comeback by the historic London band. Yet, thanks also to the illustrious collaboration of ex-Velvet Underground John Cale, who produced some of the tracks, "The Rapture" is one of the finest farewell albums ever made by a band with nearly twenty years of career behind them.

In this album, the Banshees finally manage to reinvent their sound in a determined and convincing manner, thanks to the adoption of a more slender and minimalist guitar style and the discreet accompaniment of classical string instruments like viola, violin, and double bass. The first side is all about refined and elegant pop, as in the case of the gentle "O Baby", "Sick Child", and "Forever", or the more energetic and rhythmic "Stargazer". At times, the music, light yet never trivial, contrasts with the not-so-cheerful lyrics and the somewhat cynical and ironic nonchalance with which the singer interprets them, as in the case of "Tearing Apart" ("I think we all should die/ I think we’re dead inside/ I know the purest rain/ Won't wash the bloody stain"). "Not Forgotten" is the only track that, for its gloominess, can remind us of the dark past, although with a much more polished sound. However, the standout track is the title track, a genuine masterpiece that alone is worth purchasing the CD, perhaps the best in the band's entire discography: a stunning ethereal rhapsody of over eleven minutes, featuring a breathtaking vocal performance by Siouxsie, made even more evocative by John Cale's "chamber" production.

All things considered, what is the swan song is also one of the most successful works of Siouxsie & The Banshees.