The Scream Tracklist
The Scream is the debut studio album by british post-punk band Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was released on 13th November 1978 under the record label Polydor, and peaked at position 12 on the UK Albums Chart.
Recorded in one week and mixed in three, it is widely considered one of the masterpieces of the post-punk era. Weekly music newspaper Record Mirror published in 14 October 1978 a 5-star review, saying:
The Scream “points to the future, real music for the new age. […] It is vital, it’s moving. It’s a … landmark.”
Before the release of the album, Siouxsie And The Banshees had many problems finding a record deal. To solve this problem, Les Mills defaced the exterior walls of the London record company offices with a “SIGN THE BANSHEES” graffiti.
“The Scream” Q&A
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What has the media said about the album?
NPR ranked the record as the #122 greatest album made by a female artist, saying:
The English singer-songwriter Siouxsie Sioux has stood as a fearless post-punk priestess since she released The Scream with her band, The Banshees, in 1978. An artist as well known for her style as her voice, Siouxsie’s graphic eye makeup inspired scores of goth girls to explore the depths of black eyeliner and black hair dye. But the boldness of Siouxsie’s look doesn’t distract from her sound; it makes her all the more powerful and mysterious, especially when coupled with her idiosyncratic music. The Scream starts slow and then thrillingly takes off, propulsive and heavy, with the high notes of her voice pulling everyone to the future — echoing, calling, wailing and yearning on the likes of ‘Pure.’ The second side of the album reveals more hard-driving punk tunes — the guitar, bass and drum slowly hammering in a way that earned the band frequent comparisons to The Velvet Underground — but it’s her voice that grounds the music and pierces your heart.
