Mantaray

Mantaray
Studio album by Siouxsie Sioux
Released	10 September 2007
Recorded	2006—2007 Riverside Studio and Stone Room, Bath, Somerset, UK France
Genre	Alternative rock Electronic Pop
Length	41:00
Label	Universal (UK), Decca (US)
Producer	Siouxsie Sioux, Steve Evans, Charlie Jones
Siouxsie Sioux chronology
— Mantaray (2007) —
Singles from MantaRay
"Into a Swan" Released: 3 September 2007 "Here Comes That Day" Released: 29 October 2007 "About to Happen" Released: 10 March 2008

Mantaray is an album by Siouxsie Sioux. It is her first full-length solo studio album after a 30-year music career as the frontwoman for Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Creatures.

The album was well received by critics, with praise focused on Siouxsie's voice and the different compositional styles.

Recording and music

It was co-produced by Steve Evans (who has worked with Robert Plant) and Charlie Jones (who has also worked with Plant as well as with Goldfrapp).^[1] The drums were performed by Clive Deamer who had previously worked and toured with Portishead.

Mantaray includes a variety of musical styles, including pop, glam and a piano-led number.

Release

It was released in the UK on 10 September 2007 on W14, a new label within the Universal Music Group. A U.S. release followed on 2 October 2007 on Decca Records. In addition to the standard jewel case, MantaRay was also released in a limited-edition version, encased in a tri-fold Digipak which included three exclusive postcards and a fold-out poster. There is no difference in the track listing between the two versions.

The album was preceded by its first single, "Into a Swan", released one week earlier on 3 September 2007. Upon release, Mantaray hit number 39 in the UK Albums Chart.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
bbc.co.uk	(positive)[3]
The Guardian	[4]
Metro	[5]
Q	[6]
Pitchfork Media	(7.3/10) [7]
Slant Magazine	[8]
The Times	[9]
Uncut	[10]
The Word	favourable[11]

Mantaray has gained positive reviews from music critics. Nitsuh Abebe of Pitchfork wrote "She really is pop" before finishing the review with the declaration, "It's a success".^[7] Concerning the quality of the songs, journalist Charlotte Heathcote noted that "Impressively, there's not a let-down track on the album and a perfectionist attention to detail sees synths, strings, wind and percussion used to creative, compelling effect."^[12] Simon Price in The Independent shared the same point of view, stating that "Mantaray' is a bracing and beautiful blast of ice".^[13] In a review rated 4 stars out of 5, the Times observed that her "steely-toned voice is as beguiling as ever".^[9] Simarly, critic Andrew Perry rated the performance of the singer in The Telegraph saying that "She sounds imperious, passionate".^[14] Q 's Gary Mulholland published a positive review and said: "Siouxsie voice is as rich and sensual as ever, and lyrical references to rebirth abound. No wonder; this is easily her best album in 20 years."^[6] Uncut wrote that "Fortunately" [...] "she's still the uncompromising outsider at heart".^[10] In a review rated 4 outof 5 stars, Metro commented that the ten songs of her first solo album "do add further depth to her repertoire".^[5] Slant Magazine qualified Mantaray's sound as "distinctly modern", accentuating that "it's Siouxsie voice—trembling and echoing all at once—that reaffirms the album's urgency". Critic Paul Schrodt stated that [the end of the album] "is breathless and bone-chilling".^[8]

Track listing

1. "Into a Swan" (Sioux, Kookie¹, Brion James)
2. "About to Happen" (Sioux, Noko, Charlie Jones, Steve Evans)
3. "Here Comes That Day" (Sioux, Noko, Kookie, Howard Gray)
4. "Loveless" (Sioux, Kookie, Brion James)
5. "If It Doesn't Kill You" (Sioux, Charlie Jones, Steve Evans)
6. "One Mile Below" (Sioux, Brion James)
7. "Drone Zone" (Sioux, Steve Hilton)
8. "Sea of Tranquility" (Sioux, Charlie Jones, Steve Evans)
9. "They Follow You" (Sioux, Charlie Jones, Steve Evans, Graham Crabb)
10. "Heaven and Alchemy" (Sioux, Charlie Jones, Steve Evans)

Personnel

• Siouxsie Sioux — Vocals
• Steve Evans — Guitar, programming, ukulele
• Charlie Jones — Bass, upright bass, Rhodes piano, synths, piano, autoharp
• Clive Deamer — Drums
• Hossam Ramzy — Percussion
• Ken Dewar — Percussion
• Noko — Guitars, keyboards, programming
• Phil Andrews — Guitar, keyboards, programming
• Terry Edwards — Saxophone, trumpet, flugelhorn
• Ted Benham — Hammered dulcimer, xylophone
• Davide Rossi — strings
• Tom Dalgety — engineer

Notes

• ¹ Kim Hoglund

Charts

Album

References