All Souls (CD)

Compiled by Siouxsie Sioux, remastered at Abbey Road and originally released digitally and as an LP on 21 October 2022, All Souls is collection of singles, B-sides and album tracks pulled from the more macabre regions of their songwriting and conceived as a seasonal compilation "to celebrate the autumn equinox and its festivities". Well received by fans and critics alike, it has a cohesive theme while cleverly encapsulating all that makes Siouxsie and the Banshees great, from their initial punk moves to their more experimental journeys in sound. Defiantly not a hits collection, despite featuring some of their most famous tracks, like ‘Spellbound’ and ‘Peek-A-Boo’, All Souls is more curated and personal, serving as both a stylish artefact for long-term fans as well as solid introduction for the curious. A good many of the selections stand out among a strong pack, but ‘Sweetest Chill’, ‘Something Wicked (This Way Comes)’ and the unhinged, almost demonic take on the Ben E. King hit ‘Supernatural Thing’, in particular, should surprise and delight those that are only familiar with their best-known sides. The strong occult and mortality concept, along with the marigold artwork drawn from the Mexican El Dia De Los Muertos iconography ensure that this a perfect October release. The track ‘El Dia De Los Muertos’, B-side of the 1988 single ‘The Last Beat Of My Heart’, is of course included and this new CD version hits the streets dead-on Halloween. The packaging mirrors the 2006 Japanese paper sleeve series; mini-LP replicas in cardboard sleeve with Obi strip.