...starts from NOISE, carving out great bulwarks of sound anchored around brutally simple musicianship, repetition and deliberately unconventional lyrics.

Around dive bombing bass lines, they cement layer upon layer of often distorted guitar textures that infuriate, insult and frequently hypnotise.  For this very reason you always have to play their records LOUD.  It not only ensures maximum response but also - so the theory goes - should make DANCING unavoidable.

The Banshees are more accessible as they further refine the sound of that first (fine) album.  They sound more confident and consolidated than ever; this is not to be confused with arrogance, though the line is a fine one.  The song builds horizontally, Siouxsie fighting with the tungsten urgency of "Twist", each line filled to the rim with words.  It improves with every hearing.

"Bits" continues the theme of "Twist," a more experimental venture built around that spine-twisting bass line, a kind of shattered acoustic guitar and the endless background noise of kids - Lou reed's "Berlin" unavoidably springs to mind.

Have a crash-helmet handy if you're feeling in the least bit frail. 

Ian Birch 

Roy Carr.