Siouxsie - Mantaray

Given she now lives in a French farmhouse tending her roses and surrounded by cats, the arrival of [b]Siouxie[/b]’s first solo album after 30 years might've suggested she was going all [b]Carole King[/b] on us.

On the surface, strings and a piano ballad called "Heaven and Alchemy" where she croons “I will catch a falling star if you want me to…” appear to confirm those fears. Fourtunately, [b]Mantaray[/b] is considerably more complicated than that.

The industrial grind of single "Into A Swan", glammed-up trashiness of "About To Happen" and sinister alienation of "Loveless" prove she's still the uncompromising outsider at heart.

NIGEL WILLIAMSON

Plus! Uncut.co.uk will be hosting 'Mantaray' exclusively online from Thursday (September 5)- Listen to the album ahead of it's release next Monday.

Rating: 3 / 10

(W14 Music/ Universal)