All Souls (album) explained

All Souls
Type:compilation
Artist:Siouxsie and the Banshees
Cover:All Souls Siouxsie and the Banshees album cover.jpeg
Length:37:20
Label:Universal
Compiler:Siouxsie Sioux
Prev Title:At the BBC
Prev Year:2009

All Souls is a compilation album by British rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees, released on vinyl on 21 October 2022.[1] It is a collection of singles, album tracks, and B-sides. It was conceived by Siouxsie Sioux as a seasonal compilation "to celebrate the autumn equinox and its festivities".

Background

In June 2022, vocalist Siouxsie Sioux assisted in the half-speed remastering of ten Siouxsie and the Banshees tracks at Abbey Road Studios by Miles Showell.[2] The songs were compiled into the album for "autumnal celebration".

The track listing, chosen by Siouxsie, compiles songs referencing the occult, death and autumnal festivities, such as Day of the Dead/All Souls' Day (in "El Dia De Los Muertos", originally a B-side from "The Last Beat of My Heart" single) and Halloween (originally released on Juju). The compilation includes other lesser known album tracks and B-sides, as well as "Fireworks", "Peek-a-Boo", and "Spellbound". This last song featured in the end credits of "The Piggyback", the finale of the fourth season of Stranger Things, earlier in the year.[3] [4]

The cover design was directed by Siouxsie and features a marigold, a symbol of the Mexican Day of the Dead festivities.[5] Marigolds are also mentioned in the lyrics of "El Dia De Los Muertos".

Release

All Souls was released on black vinyl, and limited orange vinyl,[6] North American vinyl records were made in Canada while European vinyl records were pressed in the Netherlands. All Souls was also released on streaming platforms.

Critical reception

Pat Gilbert from Mojo gave the album four stars out of five, calling the track selection "an uneven 10-track mix of hits, LP tracks and B-sides that don't so much make you feel especially spooked as marvel at the Banshees' many nuanced evolutions".[7] Spin wrote that "All Souls is a balance of hits and rarities that fans can enjoy all year" and that the album was "a great gift for both longtime Siouxsie fans and those of you who are just catching on to her about hearing 'Spellbound' in the fourth season of Stranger Things".[8]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: All Souls (black vinyl for the Netherlands and Europe) Siouxsie and the Banshees. platenzaak.nl. 2022-09-08.
    Web site: All Souls (black vinyl for the US) Siouxsie and the Banshees. Roughtrade US. 2022-09-08. 2022-09-08.
    Web site: All Souls (black vinyl for the US) Siouxsie and the Banshees. Thesoundofvinyl US. 2022-09-08. 2022-09-08.
    Web site: All Souls (UK black vinyl) Siouxsie and the Banshees. Roughtrade.com UK. 2022-09-08. 2022-09-08.
    Web site: All Souls (black vinyl for the UK) Siouxsie and the Banshees. Hmv.com. 2022-09-08. 2022-09-08.
    Web site: All Souls (U.S. black vinyl) Siouxsie and the Banshees. Amoeba.com. 2022-09-08. 2022-09-08.
  2. Web site: All Souls half remastered at Abbey Road. Abbeyroad Official . 2022-09-25.
  3. Web site: 1 July 2022 . ‘Stranger Things 4’: the complete official soundtrack . 2022-07-05 . NME.
  4. Web site: Siouxsie and the Banshees / All Souls – SuperDeluxeEdition . 2022-09-15 . en-US.
  5. Web site: Siouxsie and the Banshees - All Souls - Vinyl LP . 2022-09-15 . Rough Trade.
  6. Web site: All Souls Orange vinyl - US . Udiscovermusic.com. 2023-10-31.
  7. Gilbert . Pat . Siouxsie And The Banshees' All Souls Reviewed . 25 October 2022 . Mojo.
  8. Web site: 10 Gift Ideas For The Discerning Vinyl Enthusiast . Ron . Hart. . 30 November 2022. 29 November 2022.