CD reviews: Siren Junkies – Fascinate – Review

Siren Junkies hail from New Zealand, but their sound harks back to the slightly gothic gypsy tones of early ’90s band All About Eve. Nikki Hartnett-Clarke has a genuine vocal presence (with a little bit of Chrissie Hynde’s throaty bravado), and the group seem to be striving for a kind of dramatic rock with anthemic pop choruses and mysterious verses.

Their problem is that too often their thermometer is set to ‘brooding’, and the songs themselves are just a little too formulaic to assert a real sense of identity.

Still, what they do, they do with a great deal of proficiency on this, their debut, and Amos Clarke’s production/engineering/mastering is superb: obviously a labour of love, it’s a nicely full-spectrum recording that captures the flavour of this mostly electric (with a few acoustic guitars and things) rock group.

FROM: Baby B/Global Routes/NZ
GENRE: Rock/pop
MUSIC: 3
SOUND: 4

GARY STEEL