Skunk Anansie Album: “Post Orgasmic Chill”

Skunk Anansie were, like Amen, first introduced to me via the British rock magazine Rock Sound. It was in an interview with Sevendust that they were mentioned as being a great metal band, so once again, I checked them out. I went into the record store and picked up Stoosh (also a great album) and was very surprised. They are a very unique band, and Skin, Skin is just the ultimate defying-society frontwoman. She is bald, black, British, and a very strong woman, and she draws in loads of energy from the audience at their live shows (go to them, amazing concerts). The rest of the band are driving as well, playing metal in the vein of a more melodic Sevendust. They aren't as heavy as you think, probably, more like Guano Apes (good international hard rock). The only annoying thing about it are the stop/start verses, in which at the end of a line, Skin does this kind of riot grrrl style vocal. This is sometimes enough to make you want to turn the CD off. Otherwise, I think this is their second-best, behind Paranoid and Sunburnt. I have heard people talk about Kittie's Morgan Lander as a strong frontwoman...they obviously haven't seen (or heard) Skin. You will really like this CD if you're into bands like Sevendust, Guano Apes, Staind, Human Waste Project, or Cold. My favorite songs here are On My Hotel TV, Charlie Big Potato, and The Skank Heads.

Skunk Anansie blends Heavy Metal(Charlie Big Potato, The Skank Heads), Pop Rock (Lately), and soulful ballads(Tracy's Flaw, You'll Follow Mw Down) into what is quite possibly the best album of the year. The vocalist, Skin, has one of the best voices around. And the rest of the band skillfully complement her to create some breathtaking music.You'll be doing yourself a favor by purchasing this CD.

from the introductory adrenaline rush, Skin sings and screams her way through emotions and pains and trials, and does it with such grace and intensity...her vocals overlay the awesome riffs and beats...the album, overall, is epic, wonderful, gruesome, honest, brutal, erotic, relaxing...highly recommended...

How to describe it . . . Starting with a base hard-rock sound, the band builds addictively catchy songs that blend in elements of trip-hop, a little U2-ish orchestral sweetening, funk, even some punk thrash. Over this musical gumbo, Skin's amazingly flexible vocals attack topics from the standard bad-relationship-blues to race, gender, and religious pondering.

Smart lyrics and outstanding production aside, Skin is the main attraction. She can sound like a Tracy Chapman-esque folkie, a gospel siren, a classically trained soprano, and the second coming of Iron Maiden. Sometimes all in the same song. I've never heard anyone, man or woman, black or white, cover such a range of emotion and style.

The Amazon critic says this album is too eclectic - I heartily disagree. If every song was the hard-thrash of "On My Hotel TV," the rants would get tiresome. If it was all beautiful ballads like "Secretly," it would put you to sleep. As it is, each track is a surprise, often a revelation. Skunk Anansie should be congratulated for their dexterity and diversity, not criticized for it.

Skunk Anansie are certainly one of the most underrated rock bands around today. I'd place them second only to Radiohead amongst the current crop of UK bands, but they get no where near the recognition they deserve. Eschewing the in vogue "Britpop", Skunk's music follows more along the lines of American alternative rock trail blazers like Faith No More and Soundgarden, while still bringing their own unique flavor to the party.

From the punk rage of "Skank Heads" to the soulful crooning of "Tracey's Flaw" and the delicate pop of "You'll Follow Me Down", the album is daringly eclectic. The players are a talented bunch, guitarist "Ace" showing a knack for finding a good riff and adding some nice little psychedelic touches. The rhythm sections kicks on strongly throughout too. I really like the lushness that prolific producer Andy Wallace got into the bands sound this time. Sometimes however - like during the heavy mid section of "Good Things" - things can become a little generic, as if the band were running out of fresh of ideas.

More than any other Skunk album though, Skin is the real star here, and she carries the recording through its patchy moments. She is quite simply the best female rock singer I've ever heard, and her voice finally began to reach its potential on this album. Filled with more passion and soul than a dozen "post-grunge" bands, she has power and range to match. The ferocity of her delivery as she spits out the lyrics to "On My Hotel TV" are in stark contrast to the brilliant melodic sensibility she shows on a song like "You'll Follow Me Down". "Tracey's Flaw" flaws me every time, and is the albums highlight. The album's only unsuccessful song is the overly melodramatic ballad "Secretly", but that is easily programmed out on the CD player.

I'd recommend this album and Skunk Anansie in general to anyone who appreciates what true rock can do.