Samantha Bennett

I love reading books by people with same interests as myself. Someone with a more than average appreciation of Siouxie and the Banshees is welcome in my personal library of assorted books on every subject. This is an interesting book that delves deeply into a single album from this group (for a large series called 33½). There are many superlatives given by Bennett but she says that this album is the most cinematic. This is due to the band being conscious of film themes beforehand. The book is divided into the following sections: Early Cinema, Noir, Musical, Vaudeville, Western, Fantasy, Horror, and Epic.
Bennett begins by introducing the album and Peek-A-Boo and The Killing Jar by linking them both to Weimar Germany with the film and cabaret efforts then.
Bennett’s conclusion is that although this is not the group’s “Definitive” record album (she says Juju or Join Hands are the contenders for that title) Peepshow is the most realized and accomplished record musically, artistically, and conceptually. This album in my opinion has a very high ranking among their albums although it is hard to pick a best overall. The three major singles of Peep-A-Boo, The Killing Jar, and The Last Beat of my Heart rank favorably with any other Bandshee album. I liked that Bennett opined on The Banshees’ desire to briefly look at spirituality from a religious point of view and say that they were trying to voice a type of syncretistic overview. I am not sure that that is true, but it was good to read that in print and see an argument for it. If you are a wanna-be film connoisseur like myself, you will love this book. Over 100 films are cited in reference. If you are a strict Siouxie music and concert fan, you might just want to reserve a copy of this from the library to read. I will keep my copy.
Notes, Films cited, No Photos. 198pp. Peek-A-Boo Album track listing. Bennett works from Australia.… (plus d'informations)

Siouxsie and the Banshees' Peepshow from Samantha Bennett is a wonderful addition to this series. Many volumes focus on lesser known or less popular works by the artists while this one focuses on one of their bigger commercial successes, but does so through a different lens, which shows this work in a different light.

The basic lens through which we come to view this album, it's creation, and the individual tracks is a filmic one. From how they perceived what they were doing to how they went about achieving the results they did. Bennett makes a strong case for her argument and, though certainly not the only way to understand the album, offers a perspective that will enhance other perspectives.

Though academic to an extent this is not so dense that one needs to be versed in theory. Bennett explains the concepts she uses and gives sufficient background of that type for a casual reader to understand her argument. It apparently went over the head of at least one "student of media studies" I saw but that is likely why he WAS a STUDENT and not currently either a student or professional in the area. No shame there, but sometimes a little knowledge ends up obstructing more than it illuminates. Read and take in this book on Bennett's terms, understand what she is trying to say. Once you understand what and how she is making her points, then go back and decide which parts you accept, which you don't, and which you are undecided about. But to stop part way? Well, that says more about you than the book.

I would recommend this to fans of the group as well as those interested in musicology, popular culture and the interplay between different art forms. This is not a light read but is readily accessible to most interested readers. No theoretical background is necessary though it will help to flesh out some aspects of what bennett might be getting at that goes beyond the scope of this book.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.… (plus d'informations)