Tinderbox (Siouxsie album)
Encyclopedia
Tinderbox is the seventh studio album released by the English alternative rock
band Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was the first effort recorded with new guitarist John Valentine Carruthers
. The sessions took place at Hansa Studios, by the Berlin wall
.
The album was re-issued, remastered and expanded in 2009, featuring in the bonus tracks an unreleased version of the 1987's "Song from the Edge of the World
" and an unreleased song with lyrics of 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, are now part of the Downside Up
b-sides box set.
Tinderbox was later hailed by the singer of Suede
, Brett Anderson
.
", 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:
Retrospectively, critic David Cleary gave the record a four and a half star rating out of five and applauded the band for
Singles
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 used and edited for Deep Purple's album Stormbringer
(released 1974).
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was the first effort recorded with new guitarist John Valentine Carruthers
John Valentine Carruthers
John Valentine Carruthers is an English musician, guitarist and composer. He played with Clock DVA in the early 80's and then became the guitarist of Siouxsie and the Banshees in May 1984 ....
. The sessions took place at Hansa Studios, by the Berlin wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
.
The album was re-issued, remastered and expanded in 2009, featuring in the bonus tracks an unreleased version of the 1987's "Song from the Edge of the World
Song from the Edge of the World
"Song from the Edge of the World" is a song written and performed by English rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was released as a stand-alone single in 1987 in the UK and is a much sought-after release by Banshees fans due to its rarity....
" and an unreleased song with lyrics of Steven Severin
Steven Severin
Steven Severin , is an English musician, composer, bassist and co-founding member of Siouxsie and the Banshees....
called "Starcrossed", recorded in May 1985. The B-sides of "Cities in Dust
Cities in Dust
"Cities in Dust" is a song written and produced by British rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was released as the first single from their seventh studio album Tinderbox in 1985...
" and "Candyman", initially included as bonus tracks on the 1986 CD, are now part of the Downside Up
Downside Up
Downside Up is a four-disc box set collecting B-sides and bonus material from the catalog of Siouxsie and the Banshees. Also included is The Thorn , originally released in 1984....
b-sides box set.
Tinderbox was later hailed by the singer of Suede
Suede (band)
Suede are an English alternative rock band from London, formed in 1989. The group's most prominent early line-up featured singer Brett Anderson, guitarist Bernard Butler, bass player Mat Osman and drummer Simon Gilbert. By 1992, Suede were hailed as "The Best New Band in Britain", and attracted...
, Brett Anderson
Brett Anderson
Brett Lewis Anderson is an English singer-songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the band Suede. After Suede disbanded in 2003, he briefly fronted The Tears, and has released four solo albums...
.
Reception
Sounds magazine praised the album on its release. Kevin Murphy wrote, "Tinderbox romps and swoons with all the majesty of DreamhouseA Kiss in the Dreamhouse
A Kiss in the Dreamhouse is the fifth studio album by English post-punk band Siouxsie and the Banshees and was issued by Polydor Records in the UK in 1982. It was reissued, remastered, and expanded in 2009...
", and added, "it's a refreshing slant on the Banshees' disturbing perspective and restores their vivid shades to pop's pale palette."
Jon Savage
Jon Savage
Jon Savage , real name Jonathon Sage, is a Cambridge-educated writer, broadcaster and music journalist, best known for his award winning history of the Sex Pistols and punk music, England's Dreaming, published in 1991.-Career:...
also hailed the record in Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
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".
Retrospectively, critic David Cleary gave the record a four and a half star rating out of five and applauded 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."
Original release
- "Candyman" - 3:44
- "The Sweetest Chill" - 4:07
- "This Unrest" - 6:21
- "Cities in DustCities in Dust"Cities in Dust" is a song written and produced by British rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was released as the first single from their seventh studio album Tinderbox in 1985...
" - 3:51 - "Cannons" - 3:14
- "Party's Fall" - 4:56
- "92°" - 6:02
- "Land's End" - 6:06
1986 CD version
- "Candyman"
- "The Sweetest Chill"
- "This Unrest"
- "Cities in DustCities in Dust"Cities in Dust" is a song written and produced by British rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was released as the first single from their seventh studio album Tinderbox in 1985...
" - "Cannons"
- "Party's Fall"
- "92°"
- "Land's End"
- "The Quarterdrawing of the Dog" (B-side of "Cities in Dust")
- "An Execution" (B-side of "Cities in Dust")
- "Lullaby" (B-side of "Candyman")
- "Umbrella" (B-side of "Candyman")
- "Cities in Dust" (extended version)"
2009 remastered reissue bonus tracks
- "Cities in Dust" (extended version)
- "The Sweetest Chill" (Chris Kimsey 12" - unreleased version)
- "Song from the Edge of the WorldSong from the Edge of the World"Song from the Edge of the World" is a song written and performed by English rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was released as a stand-alone single in 1987 in the UK and is a much sought-after release by Banshees fans due to its rarity....
" (JVC Version - unreleased version) - "Starcrossed" (unreleased track)
Personnel
- Siouxsie SiouxSiouxsie SiouxSiouxsie Sioux is an English singer-songwriter. She is best known as the lead singer of the critically acclaimed rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees and of its splinter group The Creatures . The Banshees produced eleven studio albums and a string of hit singles including "Hong Kong Garden",...
: vocals, piano, whistle - Steven SeverinSteven SeverinSteven Severin , is an English musician, composer, bassist and co-founding member of Siouxsie and the Banshees....
: electric bass, keyboards, piano, drumbox, emulator - BudgieBudgie (drummer)-External links:*...
: drums and percussion - John Valentine CarruthersJohn Valentine CarruthersJohn Valentine Carruthers is an English musician, guitarist and composer. He played with Clock DVA in the early 80's and then became the guitarist of Siouxsie and the Banshees in May 1984 ....
: guitars, keyboards, waterphone - Siouxsie and the Banshees: producers
Charts
Album| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
88 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | "Cities In Dust" | UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
21 |
| 1986 | "Cities In Dust" | U.S. Hot Dance Club Play Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... |
17 |
| 1986 | "Cities In Dust" | U.S. Maxi-Single Sales | 24 |
Cover photograph
On July 8, 1927 a tornadoTornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
near the town of Jasper, Minnesota
Jasper, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 597 people, 286 households, and 173 families residing in the city. The population density was 678.2 people per square mile . There were 308 housing units at an average density of 349.9 per square mile...
was photographed by Lucille Handberg. Her photograph has become a classic image, and was used on the album's cover. The same photograph was used and edited for Deep Purple's album Stormbringer
Stormbringer (album)
-Side Two:-35th anniversary bonus tracks:-Personnel:* David Coverdale - lead vocals* Ritchie Blackmore - guitar* Glenn Hughes - bass, vocals* Jon Lord - organ, keyboards* Ian Paice - drums-Additional personnel:...
(released 1974).