Downside Up [Box set]

Product Description
55 tracks on 4 CDs, featuring 34 tracks on CD for the first time, including The Thorn EP. 76-page booklet with an introduction by Siouxsie and full track annotation by all 3 band members plus full lyrics for all B-sides, printed for the first time. Sleevenotes by Mark Paytress. 2004.

Downside Up,Siouxsie and the Banshees,Fontana Int'l,Alternative Pop/Rock,British Punk,College Rock,Goth Rock,Pop,Post-Punk,Punk,Rock,Rock/Pop

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Downside Up [Box set]

Average customer rating: Forget the A-Sides.... A Banshees Alternate History The long awaited boxed set - Treasures covered in dirt Something WICKED!!! Down Side Up

Downside Up Siouxsie and the Banshees Manufacturer: Ume Imports ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Goth | Goth & Industrial | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music British Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Post-Punk | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Box Sets | Stores | Music Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Box Sets | Stores | Music General | Rock | Box Sets | Stores | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Voices on the Air: The Peel Sessions Tinderbox Kaleidoscope Hyaena Siouxsie and the Banshees: The Authorised Biography ASIN: B0002Z9YHI Release Date: 2004-12-14

Tracks:

1. Voices (On the Air)
2. 20th Century Boy
3. Pulled to Bits
4. Mittageisen (Metal Postcard)
5. Drop Dead/Celebration
6. Eve White/Eve Black
7. Red Over White
8. Follow the Sun
9. Slap Dash Snap
10. Supernatural Thing
11. Congo Conga
12. Coal Mind
13. We Fall
14. Cannibal Roses
15. Obsession II
16. Sleeping Rain
17. Est Ne, Le Divin Enfant

Tracks:

1. Tattoo
2. (There's A) Planet in My Kitchen
3. Let Go
4. Humming Wires
5. I Promise
6. Throw Them to the Lions
7. Execution
8. Quarterdrawing of the Dog
9. Lullaby
10. Umbrella
11. Shooting Sun
12. Sleepwalking (On the High Wire)
13. She Cracked
14. She's Cuckoo
15. Something Blue
16. Whole Price of Blood
17. Mechanical Eyes

Tracks:

1. False Face
2. Catwalk
3. Something Wicked (This Way Comes)
4. Are You Still Dying, Darling?
5. Dia de Los Muertos
6. Sunless
7. Staring Back
8. Return
9. Spiral Twist
10. Sea of Light
11. I Could Be Again
12. Hothead
13. B Side Ourselves
14. Swimming Horses [Live]
15. All Tomorrow's Parties [Live]
16. Hang Me High
17. Black Sun

Tracks:

1. Overground
2. Voices (On the Air)
3. Placebo Effect
4. Red Over White

Album Description

55 tracks on 4 CDs, featuring 34 tracks on CD for the first time, including The Thorn EP. 76-page booklet with an introduction by Siouxsie and full track annotation by all 3 band members plus full lyrics for all B-sides, printed for the first time. Sleevenotes by Mark Paytress. 2004.

Album Details

Includes 55 Tracks, 34 on CD for the First Time, a 76 Page Booklet with an Introduction by Siouxsie plus a Track Annotation by all Three Band Members.

Customer Reviews:

Forget the A-Sides...........2007-06-11

.... Siouxsie and the Banshees's gorgeous, horribly overlooked B-sides, to me at least, are the real stars of the show. While hearing great singles like "Arabian Knights" and "The Killing Jar" was a pleasure, I craved for something more. I got it when I purchased "Downside Up", a marvelous collection of some overlooked gems. While the Banshees always had a prominent Eastern influence in their work, their B-sides really show this. Siouxsie herself sings in German ("Mittageisen"), Spanish ("El Dia de Los Muertos", one of my personal favorite B-sides), and French ("Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant"). Budgie's trademark tribal drums are better than ever on songs like the loony "Congo Conga" and the eerie "Red Over White" (my favorite B-side and possibly my favorite Banshees song of all time). I can't really pass judgement on a lot of the other songs simply because I haven't heard them, but none of the ones I have heard are the least bit bad (Even though I found "I Promise" a bit grating at first). The B-sides are a lot more experimental than the A-sides. There's a great deal of electronica on the third disc, especially on the beautiful "Sea of Light". A lot of the B-sides sound like their A-sides too; The dark, psychedelic "Tattoo" sounds very similar to "Dear Prudence", and the moving, spooky "Let Go" sounds a lot like a slower version of "Swimming Horses". "The Thorn EP" is also included, a collection of early Banshees B-sides and album tracks reworked with lush string arrangements. The best is "Placebo Effect", but the whole thing is just brilliant. All in all, if you really want to experience more of the Banshees's greatness, buy "Downside Up".

A Banshees Alternate History.......2006-09-22

This triple CD with a bonus CD EP collects all the B-sides released by Siouxsie and the Banshees in their illustrious career, excluding the extended remixes. Of those who witnessed Siouxsie reciting The Lord's Prayer at the 100 Club Punk Festival in 1976, who would have imagined the glories that lay ahead for the Chiselhurst punkette and her troupe of Banshees?

Siouxsie and the Banshees B-sides were always special, as they eschewed the practice of lifting a track off a current or recent album, or using a spare demo or radio broadcast. Occasionally, they were specially recorded cover versions (Twentieth Century Boy, Supernatural Thing) or songs recorded for an album but not used (Coal Mind), but usually they were specially conceived as B-sides and far from being throwaways were seen by the band as a chance to experiment, be spontaneous and creative, and to explore new musical avenues.

Some of them explore the same themes as the A-side from a different angle. Pulled To Bits mirrors the scenario of Playground Twist, complete with sound effects; Eve White Eve Black concerns itself with two of Christine Sizemore's twenty-two multiple personalities, the subject of A-side Christine; and Red Over White continues the Christmas theme of Israel.

During the life of the covers album Through The Looking Glass, the flipsides of the singles from the album were the only way new songs could reach their public, hence Shooting Sun, Sleepwalking, She's Cuckoo and Something Blue.

Siouxsie herself has often said how proud she is of these B-sides. Because they are quite different animals to the A-sides they back, they generally sound better played alongside each other in a collection such as this, than when alternated with the fully produced confections on the top sides.

As these tracks were exclusive to the singles, only those on disc three, which were released after the advent of the CD single, have previously been available in digital format (and some of these sound remixed), and this collection, first mooted in the eighties, has been long awaited.

Voices, the opening track, is a quite remarkably brave and ambitious piece for a debut single and hearing it without the vinyl crackle and distortion that previously accompanied it on my well-worn single was like hearing it for the first time. The magnificent journey through the set ends with the two B-sides from the first CD single of Stargazer, more polished and melodious, but equally distinctive. The double A-sided German single Mittageisen/Love In A Void is represented by Mittageisen, the German-language version of Metal Postcard, and, oddly, Love In A Void is not included (but can be found as a bonus track on the remastered Join Hands).

The bonus EP, The Thorn, making its highly anticipated CD debut, could have been squeezed onto the other three discs, at less than twenty minutes long, but having it as a stand-alone disc is an added plus. It features radically altered versions of songs from their past, newly realized in 1984 with sumptuous string arrangements.

Sometimes the digital remastering is flawed and annoying, such as the early fade on Coal Mind; at other times it is newly revealing, as on Slap Dash Snap. Either way, having these recordings finally available on CD is an achievement, and surprising that they should have surfaced before a comprehensive collection of all the A-sides and 12" singles, or of their many BBC radio sessions.

The long awaited boxed set - Treasures covered in dirt.......2006-08-27

The title of my review should become clear after reading it. 'Downside Up', the tremendously in-demand boxed set of Banshees B sides, finally came into existence in late 2004. For those who do not like a meticulously nit-picky review, please move on. For those who want to know all of the good and the bad, then I'm your unrestrained reviewer.

Since the beginning of the decade, it seems the in-thing to do is to put out a boxed set of B sides and unreleased tracks by many of the great, true Alternative artists of the 80's. Both Echo and the Bunnymen and The Cure put out gorgeous sets in a nice book-style package, each containing excellent books which included picture sleeves, rare photos, etc. The sound quality on both sets is excellent throughout.

FINALLY, the news came of the Banshees box, and fans began to get excited since this was something that has been mentioned for almost two decades. Steven Severin kept fans up to date on the progress of the set through his website, first mentioning he was not going to do the book style like The Cure or Bunnymen sets.

Upon first look of 'Downside Up', it would appear the packaging was just as detailed and beautiful as most Banshees album and single sleeves, though once you slide the set out of the slipcase, it's a different story. The actual fold out digipack is quite flimsy and does not hold up well with regular usage. The artwork on the digipack is quite unremarkable. It's nothing more than a white background with the title and a selection of the red flowers displayed on the slipcase. The artwork on the CD's is also unremarkably white. The removable booklet inside, which is housed in the right flap of the digipack, is equally uninspired. It does contain a nice Foreward by Siouxsie, as well as some adequate sleeve notes. The book includes the lyrics to most songs and select band comments on each track. Though they did include a good selection of the picture sleeves, many differed from 7" to 12", though not all are represented. Also, the picture sleeves are itty-bitty squares cramped in the corner of each page. There's a load of unnecessary white space which could have been taken up by photos and larger sleeve shots. The whole thing looks uninspired and rushed - but the really important content is supposed to be on the CD's, so let's get to that.

Well, here's the bad news. Something I will dread from now to eternity will be the credit; "Digitally remastered by Gary Moore". This sentence guarantees a C- mastering job. This guy's a hack with virtually no skill, and here's why:

CD 1: It sounds like someone decided to try a little re-equalizing of some of the early tracks, resulting in thuddy bass that distorts more than pleases. Thankfully, those attempts seem to stop after a thumpy "Drop Dead/Celebration". Various songs have a very high tape hiss, which is not present on the original vinyl. "Red over white" and "Follow the sun" are the worst. This could easily be removed with careful skill, though considering who's behind the mastering desk, it's best he not try. Also, some songs fade quite sharply, cutting the last second or two of the song. "Drop Dead/Celebration" and "Red over white" also get that treatment as well.
One of the biggest flaws is on "Coal Mind". The song falsely ends cold, then picks up with a guitar riff until fade out. Mr. Moore, in his infinite brilliance, started the fade after the false stop, thus making the guitar come on as the song is already fading - really good, pal. "We fall" has much lower fidelity than on the original 12" single, making it sound dull and out of place. I don't think they even used a computer with this project. It all seems to be done the old fashioned way. If the songs were simply ran into a pc, they could simply view the .wav files and see where the songs actually fade, then apply a smooth and proper fade.

CD 2: Fans were pointing out the biggest flaw on this set before I even got my hands on it. "Tattoo" and "There's a planet in my kitchen" sound like garbage! Severin stated the masters for these songs could not be found in the Polydor UK archive, but copies eventually turned up in the German division. Regardless, they sound awful. There is so much hiss in the songs that you can barely hear the music. There is also a very noticeable, and easily repairable cut right at the beginning of "Tattoo". Again, a problem simply solved with a click of a mouse. "The quarterdrawing of the dog" is the same version that appeared on the Tinderbox CD, and not the full length version that was on the vinyl, which included a proper intro and outro to the song. Lastly, there is a brief bit of sound cut at the start of "The whole price of blood", but it's not that big of a deal. The majority of the rest of this CD is pretty decent quality, though I would most certainly NOT use the term "Digitally Remastered". Nothing has been remastered, as that term usually means enhancements and improvements.

CD 3: "False Face" is missing a guitar bit at the beginning of the song, and there seems to be an extra "Smiling, beguiling" as well. "Sunless" is BLASTING in volume - like 10 decibals louder than anything else on the CD. Was someone in a rush to get this botch job completed? And last, both "Hang me high" and "Black sun" are different versions/mixes than were on the "Stargazer" CD single. "Hang me high" is missing the first drum beat, and is a definitely different mix. "Black sun" is also a different mix, even including some extra music towards the end.

CD 4: This is the classic ep 'The Thorn'. It sounds typically unremastered, and "Placebo effect" suffers from the heavy hiss that appeared on some of the tracks on CD 1. Did someone forget to turn the Noise Reduction on?

OK, now to comment on the music. Many artists will use the B side of a single to throw a studio doodle or bland instrumental, which I often find frustrating and a waste of money. The Banshees, along with The Cure, put some of their best material on their B sides; most of them being essential parts of the bands colorful history.

CD 1: "Voices" is a great contrast to the excellent poppy A side "Hong Kong garden". Depending on the listener, it can be viewed as brilliant or irritating. The cover of "20th century boy" was a real treat. Though it's not their own song, they make it sound as such by giving it the Banshees circa 1979 touch. Even though Siouxsie didn't yet sing, as opposed to shout, the song is a classic. I've always loved "Pulled to bits" on Nocturne, though when I first got the "Playground twist" single, I was disappointed to hear the original. Though I prefer the song with the acoustic guitar and drums, which were added for the live version, this one has its own charm. I always thought this would have made a great fifth track for 'The Thorn'. With the opposite affect, "Eve White/Eve Black" was more disturbing in this original studio version. Siouxsie's quite terrifying! "Slap dash snap" is a very experimental bit of electronic oddness that I find stunning. Thankfully, the version on this set is a remix that was on the U.S. "Arabian Knights" 12" single, and not the original, less interesting mix from the UK "Spellbound" 12". I had mentioned the superior nature of the U.S. mix to Severin at the start of the project. Whether or not that assisted in its inclusion here, I'm just happy to have it clean and clear. "Supernatural thing" is a remake of an old soul song, and probably one of the worst things the Banshees ever released. Ack! "Coal mind" has a classic hook and overall great sound. It could have been an A side. "Obsession II" was a minor disappointment. I was hoping for a remix or alternate lyrics, though it's nothing more than instrumental.

CD 2: Many fans hold "Tattoo" in a very high regard. I have always found it passable background music, but nothing more. "Let go" is a beautiful piano and drum piece that perfectly compliments its A side, "Swimming Horses". "I Promise" is another that fans love, but I find both the singing and music quite grating. "Lullaby" is a stunningly beautiful and moody song. Siouxsie sounds great, and in a perfect world this song would have been a number 1 hit. My absolute favorite Banshees song is the 1987 B side "Shooting Sun". I get chills every time I hear it. The music has a beautiful, subtle oriental feel and Siouxsie sings it to perfection - pure heaven. "She's cuckoo" is a fun bit of lunacy, with lyrics surprisingly written by Budgie. "Something blue" is another keyboard experimental track. It's a mellow piece that has some more of Siouxsie's beautiful singing; this was back when she could actually hit those high notes without cracking. "The whole price of blood" is a disturbing bit of industrial, while "Mechanical eyes" is just a noisy mess.

CD 3: Though the first half of this CD is all generally good, it doesn't get to great until the rocking "Spiral Twist". That's followed by the somber and attractive "Sea of light". The final Banshees B sides "Hang me high" and "Black sun" are both winners, containing the signature Banshees sound. Though I like a good portion of their final album, 'The Rapture', it would have been stronger had these songs been included in place of the weaker songs.

CD 4: Many fans, myself included, feel 'The Thorn' ep was the Banshees finest hour. Siouxsie's voice had really developed into a gorgeous instrument, and Severin and Budgie were solid, skilled musicians. Adding strings to these classic Banshees songs is a striking combination. I wish it was a full length album.

Despite my feelings of contempt for the inadequate mastering skills of Gary Moore, and the fact that he's already begun botching the catalog album reissues, the sound quality is about 75% satisfying. I wish the project was handled like The Cure's box, both in appearance and sound quality, because I am a MUCH bigger Banshees fan.

Something WICKED!!!.......2006-06-25

I was too young to collect these gems when first released on vinyl so many years ago. As a result, I can listen without prejudice (unlike some jaded old fans) and appreciate these songs for what they are....and they are AMAZING! THANK YOU SATB for releasing this!!! For some of us its the first time hearing them. And the addition of lyrics and comments in the booklet was cool too.

Down Side Up.......2006-05-16

As is the case with most every box set I have ever purchased, this B-sides collection is all over the place, much like the Cure's Join the Dots. It goes from jaw-dropping, astonishing brilliance to total "WTF?!" indulgence in the span of moments. And its sheer size makes it virtually impossible to sit down and listen to in one go. Having said all that, this is a career-spanning set of songs that absolutely must be heard, as the Banshees habitually hid some of their greatest material on the flip sides of their singles. Some of it insanely good, some of it not. But it simply can not be ignored.

Average customer rating:

Downside Up Alison Ray Manufacturer: Chime ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music ASIN: B000JMKJEQ Release Date: 2006-12-05

Tracks:

1. Does the D.J. Know
2. Wonderful Day
3. There's Always Tomorrow
4. (D.L.S.) Dirty Little Secret
5. Love Is the Thing
6. Reality Flies
7. What If I
8. Good Goodbye
9. It's Not Like Me
10. Change Is Coming Soon
11. Nothing Short of Beautiful

Album Description

An album of outstanding power and quality. The lead single is the anthemic "Does The DJ Know", an ode to the power of the disc jockey. The video was recently featured as a front page pick on Billboard.com. In a world of celebrity-driven pop with no feeling, Alison delivers an album that'll touch you emotionally. "The vivacious Memphis belle put 1000 watts of energy into every performance, consistently focusing on a positive message. The songs vary in style from near-rock to near-country, while mostly staying squarely in the realm of pop and in several places, Ray announces her candidacy as a contender for the champion of the unexpected lyric punch" - The-Trades.com.

Average customer rating:

The Downside of Random Randyk Manufacturer: RandyK ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music ASIN: B000CA8PRI Release Date: 2004-02-24

Tracks:

1. Free for Me
2. Heart to Steal
3. Just a Little
4. Radio
5. More Than I Wanted
6. Natalie
7. Fluctuations
8. Always My Heart
9. Free for Me [Acid Mix]
10. Pinball Thruway
11. If I Could Have Your Heart

Rap Music:

1. Embrace the Storm [Special Edition]
2. Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3. Fevers & Mirrors
4. Genesis
5. Grace [Original recording remastered] [Special Edition]
6. Hello, I Must Be Going!
7. Hemispheres [Original recording remastered]
8. Home
9. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
10. In Blue [Enhanced]

Rap Music

rap music

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