''Anima Animus'' is the third studio album by British duo
the Creatures
The Creatures were an English band formed in 1981 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and drummer Budgie (musician), Budgie of the group Siouxsie and the Banshees. The Creatures released their first extended play, EP ''Wild Things (EP), Wild Things'' in ...
, consisting of
Siouxsie Sioux
Susan Janet Ballion (born 27 May 1957), known professionally as Siouxsie Sioux, is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. She was the lead singer of the rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees (1976–1996). They released 11 ...
and musician
Budgie, released in 1999. The title of the album was inspired by
Carl Jung
Carl Gustav Jung ( ; ; 26 July 1875 – 6 June 1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology. Jung's work has been influential in the fields of psychiatry, anthropology, archaeology, literature, philo ...
's concept of
anima and animus ("the woman inside the man, the man inside the woman").
Recorded in France and England, the album was a departure from previous Creatures works. While still retaining a percussive element, the music had a more urban sound. Upon its release, the record was well received by critics.
''Anima Animus'' was later hailed by peer
PJ Harvey, who selected it in her Top 10 Albums of 1999.
["7th January 2000 - PJ selects her Top 10 Albums of 1999"]
Pjharvey.net. 7 January 2000. Retrieved 15 December 2009. Featuring The Creatures (a.k.a. Siouxsie and Budgie) for the album ''Anima Animus''.
History and music
The pair began developing ideas for the songs in 1995. "Exterminating Angel" was composed that autumn in France. Siouxsie and Budgie had purchased a lot of equipment and decided to work at their house near Toulouse. The original title of the album was ''Gifthorse'', then ''Mount Venus'', before the duo changed their minds to finally opt for ''Anima Animus'', which was a reference to Jung's theory of "The Man Inside The Woman and The Woman Inside The Man". In 1996, no major label was interested in the demos, as they were judged as too avant-garde and not commercial enough. Siouxsie and Budgie then decided to finance the project themselves, and began recording on their own. They produced the album with the assistance of Steve Lyon,
Steve Levine and
Warne Livesey
Warne Livesey (born 12 February 1959) is an English/Canadian music producer, mixing engineer, songwriter and musician. He has produced Midnight Oil, The The, Matthew Good Band and Deacon Blue.
Life and career
Warne Livesey started his career in ...
. Four songs ("
2nd Floor", "Another Planet", "
Say
Say may refer to:
Music
*''Say'' (album), 2008 album by J-pop singer Misono
* "Say" (John Mayer song), 2007
*"Say (All I Need)", 2007 song by American pop rock band OneRepublic
* "Say" (Method Man song), 2006 single by rapper Method Man
* "Say" ( ...
" and "I Was Me") were recorded in England. While staying in London, they met Doug Hart, who owned an independent label, Hydrogen Records. With his help, the Creatures set up their own label called Sioux Records, and became an independent act. The album was finally mixed in New York. The portraits of Siouxsie and Budgie for the sleeves were designed and conceived by French artists
Pierre et Gilles
Pierre Commoy and Gilles Blanchard, also known as Pierre et Gilles, are French artists and romantic partners. They have been producing works together since 1976, creating a world where painting and photography meet. Their art is peopled by their ...
in Paris in 1997.
Lucy O'Brien described "2nd Floor" as "a driving, thumping dancefloor thing that exudes a brooding glamour". Siouxsie said that the song was about the state a person was after having too many Vodka Gimlets. "It's when you still want more, when you want the party to continue and it's beyond being sensible. I remember times when I was the one person left in a place, and the euphoria that goes along with it. '2nd Floor' was my idea of what a private drinking bar would be, that was open all the time." She also stated that "There's something very religious about bars. They're like altars. The lighting. The colour of the bottles. Having a drink. It's like
Santa's Grotto
Santa's Workshop is the legendary workshop where Santa Claus and his elves are said to live and make the toys and presents given out at Christmas. The exact "location" of Santa's workshop varies depending upon local culture. There are at least e ...
time."
"Don't Go to Sleep Without Me" is a "ghostly lullaby".
Release
The first single, "2nd Floor", was issued in late 1998, shortly after the four-track EP ''
Eraser Cut
''Eraser Cut'' is an EP by the Creatures, consisting of singer Siouxsie Sioux and drummer Budgie formerly of Siouxsie and the Banshees. It contains four unreleased songs taken from the ''Anima Animus'' recording sessions which took place in 199 ...
''. The second single, "Say", featured two unreleased
B-sides
The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...
: the acoustic "Broken" and the atmospheric "All She Could Ask For". The latter song opened their 1999 concerts. All of this extra material was later included on the ''
U.S. Retrace'' compilation.
''Anima Animus'' was released on both CD and double 10-inch vinyl record. The album was also released on
Spotify
Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...
.
Critical reception
The album was well received by critics. ''
The Times
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'' gave it 8 out of 10 and wrote: "Siouxsie, has rarely been in better voice. The opening track, "2nd Floor" is a fantastically knowing melodrama, riding a techno pulse, while the ominous, epic "Exterminating Angel" pursues its prey in lamplit streets. It's entrancing, hypnotic and inventive".
["Anima Animus" review. ''The Times''. 2 February 1999.] ''
The Sunday Times
''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, whi ...
'' praised it in glowing terms: "Siouxsie's voice has lost none of its ability to seduce and unsettle. The sound is percussive, defined by Budgie's supple rhythm work. "Exterminating Angel" is exquisitely menacing, while the sinuous "Another Planet" grows to a shuddering climax."
["Anima Animus" review. ''Sunday Times''. 14 February 1999.] ''
Uncut
Uncut may refer to:
* ''Uncut'' (film), a 1997 Canadian docudrama film by John Greyson about censorship
* ''Uncut'' (magazine), a monthly British magazine with a focus on music, which began publishing in May 1997
* '' BET: Uncut'', a Black Enter ...
'' reviewer Chris Roberts rated the album 4 out of 5, saying: "Sioux's always been at her best as a harsh declaimer
..but there are phases where she whispers, breathes, reaches for vulnerability", before concluding "The Creatures have jettisoned comfort and are phoning home from a new end zone. ''Anima Animus'' crackles."
[Roberts, Chris. "Brute's Foresight" 'Anima Animus'' review ''Uncut''. February 1999.]
Track listing
All songs written and composed by
Siouxsie
Susan Janet Ballion (born 27 May 1957), known professionally as Siouxsie Sioux, is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. She was the lead singer of the rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees (1976–1996). They released 11 ...
and
Budgie.
#"
2nd Floor"
#"Disconnected"
#"Turn It On"
#"Take Mine"
#"
Say
Say may refer to:
Music
*''Say'' (album), 2008 album by J-pop singer Misono
* "Say" (John Mayer song), 2007
*"Say (All I Need)", 2007 song by American pop rock band OneRepublic
* "Say" (Method Man song), 2006 single by rapper Method Man
* "Say" ( ...
"
#"I Was Me"
#"
Prettiest Thing
"Prettiest Thing" is a song recorded by English band the Creatures (aka singer Siouxsie Sioux and drummer Budgie). It was co-produced by Ian Caple.
It was the third single from their album ''Anima Animus''. It was released in both vinyl and CD f ...
"
#"Exterminating Angel"
(mixed by Juno Reactor
Juno Reactor is a multi-national musical and performing group, primarily based in Brighton, UK. Known for their cinematic fusion of electronic, global influences, and orchestral symphonic approach, collaborating with composer Don Davis and compo ...
)
#"Another Planet"
#"Don't Go to Sleep Without Me"
Personnel
;The Creatures
*
Siouxsie Sioux
Susan Janet Ballion (born 27 May 1957), known professionally as Siouxsie Sioux, is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. She was the lead singer of the rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees (1976–1996). They released 11 ...
- vocals,
drone
Drone most commonly refers to:
* Drone (bee), a male bee, from an unfertilized egg
* Unmanned aerial vehicle
* Unmanned surface vehicle, watercraft
* Unmanned underwater vehicle or underwater drone
Drone, drones or The Drones may also refer to:
...
,
koto
Koto may refer to:
* Koto (band), an Italian synth pop group
* Koto (instrument), a Japanese musical instrument
* Koto (kana), a ligature of two Japanese katakana
* Koto (traditional clothing), a traditional dress made by Afro-Surinamese women
* K ...
zither
Zithers (; , from the Greek word ''cithara'') are a class of stringed instruments. Historically, the name has been applied to any instrument of the psaltery family, or to an instrument consisting of many strings stretched across a thin, flat ...
and toy piano
*
Budgie - drums, percussion, marimba, synthesizer, guitar and organ
;Additional musicians
*
Knox Chandler
Knox Chandler is an American musician known primarily as a guitarist, though he also plays cello, keyboards and other instruments. He has worked extensively as a session musician. In the early to mid-1970s, Chandler attended the Hammonasset Scho ...
- "atmospheric" guitar
* Polly Chilcott - cello on "I Was Me"
References
{{Authority control
1999 albums
The Creatures albums