The album was recorded in a ranch in the province of Cádiz in Andalusia with producer Mike Hedges, one year after Peepshow. All the instruments and the voices were done in Spain, bar the brass arrangements that were recorded later in London with Peter Thoms on trombone, Gary Barnacle on saxophone and Nico Tomasso on trumpet. Budgie conceived the brass arrangements with Peter Thoms, they both had previously worked with a horns section six years earlier on the "Right Now" single. "Pluto Drive" is the only song entirely recorded at their return in England. Critics remarked on the musical diversity on the record, saying that it was "a varied collection of fine, if not earth-shaking work. Each of the 14 tracks has something different to offer". "Manchild" features a "flamenco rhythmic inflexion and savannah sunset trumpets", while the trumpet-tinged "Strolling Wolf" is an "Iberian-inspired piece". Blues and jazz elements are also featured on the album, such as on the bluesy "Killing Time" and "Willow". In a different style, "Pluto Drive" "marries a sassy low R&B base to futuristic ambient sound", with electronic loops. "Pity" is a lullaby, with Budgie playing Jamaican steel drums.
Lyrics
Budgie explained the song "Manchild": "It's a story based in Colombia before the drugs cartel, it's about a small child caught up in a feud, this vendetta between his village and another rival village. In a minor way it is all about drug trafficking, but ends with the stronger village wiping out the whole male population of the other village until there was just one boy left called Nelsito. It was understood that he would live till he was at least 18 before he was assassinated, but he was shot on the way to school." He also commented on "Willow": "It's kind of about how my mother died as it was a black area and I hadn't realised what had happened until I saw my brother. He told me what went on with the family and I never really knew until a year afterwards, and I wrote it down directly after that".
Reception and release
The album was released to critical acclaim. NME's Roger Morton qualified it as "a rich and unsettling landscape of exotica", praising "the pre-eminence of Budgie's Spanish-tribal-jazz drumming". Simon Reynolds of Melody Maker stated that "Boomerang abounds with scarcely anticipated brilliance", qualifying it as "inventive and invigorated music". AllMusic hailed Siouxsie's performance, saying: "Sioux's singing is some of her best both in and out of the Banshees, still retaining the shadowed mystery that she makes her own while drawing on an interesting range of styles". Boomerang was released in CD, vinyl and cassette formats by both Polydor Records and Geffen Records.
Legacy
covered "Killing Time" several times between 1992 and 1995. He recorded a rendition for radio stationWFMU, and also performed it at his first major London concert at the Astoria after the release of Grace.
