Siouxsie and the Banshees / Classic Album Selection volume two
Three months after the release of the first volume, comes Siouxsie and the Banshees Classic Album Selection Volume Two a six-CD box set gathering up the remainder of their studio output from the years 1985 – 1995.
This features the albums: Hyaena, Tinderbox, Through The Looking Glass, Peepshow, Superstition and The Rapture. There are no bonus tracks.
Packaging is as before, with the CDs in gatefold wallets inside a rigid outer slipcase. The design on the slipcase is the work of German graphic artist Stefan Fähler (we incorrectly attributed to this Steven Severin previously – apologies to Stefan) and forms the second half of the image begun on the first box.
Classic Album Selection is released on 22 April 2016.
- • UK Pre-order: Classic Album Selection Volume Two
- • USA Pre-order: Classic Album Selection Volume Two
- • CANADA Pre-order: Classic Album Selection Volume Two
- • GERMANY Pre-order: Classic Album Selection Volume Two
- • SPAIN Pre-order: Classic Album Selection Volume Two
- • ITALY Pre-order: Classic Album Selection Volume Two
Disc: 1
1. Dazzle
2. We Hunger
3. Take Me Back
4. Belladonna
5. Swimming Horses
6. Bring Me The Head Of The Preacher Man
7. Running Town
8. Pointing Bone
9. Blow The House Down
Disc: 2
1. Candyman
2. Sweetest Chill
3. This Unrest
4. Cities In Dust
5. Cannons
6. Party’s Fall
7. 92
8. Lands End
Disc: 3
1. This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both Of Us
2. Hall Of Mirrors
3. Trust In Me
4. This Wheel’s On Fire
5. Strange Fruit
6. You’re Lost Little Girl
7. The Passenger
8. Gun
9. Sea Breezes
10. Little Johnny Jewel
Disc: 4
1. Peek-A-Boo
2. The Killing Jar
3. Scarecrow
4. Carousel
5. Burn-Up
6. Ornaments Of Gold
7. Turn To Stone
8. Rawhead And Bloody Bones
9. The Last Beat Of My Heart
10. Rhapsody
Disc: 5
1. Kiss Them For Me
2. Fear (Of The Unknown)
3. Cry
4. Drifter
5. Little Sister
6. Shadowtime
7. Silly Thing
8. Got To Get Up
9. Silver Waterfalls
10. Softly
11. The Ghost In You
Disc: 6
1. O Baby
2. Tearing Apart
3. Stargazer
4. Fall From Grace
5. Not Forgotten
6. Sick Child
7. The Lonely One
8. Falling Down
9. Forever
10. The Rapture
11. The Double Life
12. Love Out Me
As someone who’s very much not an audiophile, the difference between the 2006 and 2016 remasters were negligible to me – the draw in the first box was it taking up less space than the digipak/jewel case editions I already have. Given my cramped living conditions it’s nice to be able to have more compact versions at a sensible price.
These box sets are obviously aimed at more casual listeners, and I’m glad they haven’t added any exclusives into them – nothing reeks of fanbase exploitation than “buy this box set to get two new tracks”.
First, can I just thank everyone for their comments; I’m a casual listener who made the “Classic Album Selection vol.1” my first Souixsie album, just to have all the early albums cheap, and it’s very interesting to read what versions of each album sounds better. So far I’ve only listened to Nocturne, which I thought sounded fine, but I should add that it was on in the background so I didn’t particularly go in for the audiophile experience…
Looking forward to testing the couple of discs you mention as the worst ones! I wonder if I’ll notice the tape drop-outs etc…
I wish they would have tacked a few remixes/bonus tracks on each disc like Virgin did with the Simple Minds 5×5 box.
The first set was badly compressed and loud. They could do better.
I think it’s still better to own older pressings on vinyl and cd, some of the previously released remasters (which were sold individually) were nice and some not so nice.
I luckily got near-mint “Downside Up” really cheaply from discogs. I have never collected SATB-releases, only have the albums, few comps plus “Downside Up”-boxset and that “At The BBC”-boxset. Maybe I should be looking for the rest missing vinyl and start collecting single/maxi-releases also?
I haven’t heard the first box (Classic Album Selection Volume One) but based on the various comments I have seen, it seems to much louder and compressed yet again. Some even said that some of the albums with thinner production gained little upgrade with these latest remasters, is that possible really? Someone who has the first set, please comment more here.
I do have the set and it’s fine for completists or those who do not own any of the original albums. The first 4 albums are newly remastered for this set but it is not a good thing. I’ve written an Amazon review for full details, but basically they are louder and duller than any previous CD remaster. Kevin Metcalfe, who does all of the Banshees remastering since 2009, hates treble (or the high end of music), and his remasters are often duller in sound than previously released versions of the album, and much louder. For anyone wanting the best sounding copies of the first 4 albums on CD, here’s my opinion:
The Scream – 2005 2CD set. Retains full dynamic range and sounds bright and clear, especially compared to this new one.
Join Hands – 2006 remaster. In truth, there is no “perfect” CD edition of this album, but the 2006 remaster retains dynamic range and has great clarity.
Kaleidoscope – 1992 U.S. Geffen Records CD. Full dynamic range, no tape dropouts, no early fades, crystal clear high end, though a little thin on the bass.
Juju – 1989 original UK CD. Full dynamic range, good high end, very punchy and absolutely no tape dropouts like on the last two remasters of this album.
In addition, I think the best CD edition of A Kiss in the Dreamhouse is by far the original 1989 UK CD. Full dynamic range, none of the terrible attempts at tape hiss reduction that damaged the 2009 remaster (which is also unfortunately included in the box set). The original UK CD has great separation and detail, and does sound better than the 1992 U.S. CD edition, though that one would be my second choice.
Scott, thanks so much for the recommendations. Any thoughts on the best editions of the albums included in box # 2?
No “Dear Prudence”?
Such a waste…
The 12″ version of Song From the Edge of the World is on the stand alone reissue of Tinderbox, while the 7″ is on Through the Looking Glass. As this set just contains the unexpanded albums, there’s no reason for that single to appear here.
From what i’ve read the sound is loud and compressed.
Here is the story of “Song From The Edge Of The World”
http://www.stereosociety.com/songfromtheedge.shtml
The thing that really irritates me about Siouxsie surrounds the song “Song From The Edge Of The World” which would be included here in the discography timeline. It’s by far one of her best songs and one that many, many, many fans have wanted to hear on CD in its original single version. Sadly, Siouxsie completely disowned it because of some personal dispute with the producer Mike Thorne. It’s not as if it is a bad song, it’s not as if it is a bad production. If she can’t respect her fans enough to just release her music as it was originally released that is just really sad.
Respect her fans??? It’s her art, her body of work, she can do as she sees fit with it. She’s not fond of the song or the production.
This is a repackaging of all their albums in their original form. “Song from the edge of the world”
was not on any album. From what I understand it will be included on “Ever After” the complete singles collection.
Any idea when it’s planned for release Louie ?
This is good news they are releasing this so fast. The remastering on the first box greatly improved the botched remasters of JuJu and Kaleidoscope. What a great deal to own the whole discography for so little money.
Are you kidding me? Is your name Simon Jones? You name the 2 CD’s that sound the worst that they ever have. Both Kaleidoscope and Juju have never sounded so poor as they do in this box set. Dull, muddy, multiple tape dropouts, no punch, life or anything. Anyone wanting to hear those 2 albums are best to pick up ANY of the previous CD reieases, as the remasters in this box set are an abomination.
It was listed for release at the end of March originally, so it’s gone back a month already. I hope the first set isn’t deleted by the time this second set actually materialises as happened with so many of the digipak editions previously! Nice set thouhg and vlaue for money
When I bought the first set in my local HMV, the assistant mentioned that they were not able to reorder additional stock and that “it looks like it’s a limited edition”.