Skunk Anansie | ||
| Allmusic Biography : British alternative quartet Skunk Anansie played what their lead singer, Skin, called clit-rock -- an amalgam of heavy metal and black feminist rage. Skin began singing in high school for a classmates band after considering the offer for over a year. Six years after that band broke up, the members of Skunk Anansie (including bass player Cass, guitarist Ace, and drummer Robbie France, who was replaced by Mark Richardson in 1995) met one another by chance. Their name was taken from the West Indian folktales of Anansi the Spider-Man, with a slight change of spelling and "Skunk" added to make the name nastier. The group played its first gig at Londons Splash club in March 1994, subsequently taking six weeks to record its debut album, Paranoid and Sunburnt, at a "haunted house" outside the city. The bands first single, "Selling Jesus," was featured on the soundtrack of the film Strange Days; Stoosh followed in 1996, and three years later Skunk Anansie returned with Post Orgasmic Chill. They broke up in 2001, with Skin moving on to a solo career (releasing Fleshwounds in 2003 and Fake Chemical State in 2006). The group re-formed in early 2009, playing sold-out shows and recording three new tracks for a greatest-hits album, Smashes & Trashes. The reunion went so well that they decided to stick together and record a new album, Wonderlustre, released in the autumn of 2010. The track "You Saved Me" from the album was used in Zack Snyders 2011 movie Sucker Punch, as well as their remix of Björks "Army of Me." Sadly, former drummer Robbie France passed away in January 2011 of a ruptured aorta. The band released its fifth album, Black Traffic, in September 2012 and backed it with an extensive European tour. The first single from the album was "Sad, Sad, Sad." The group followed this up with the live album An Acoustic Skunk Anansie: Live in London, a recording of their performance at Cadogan Hall, London in April 2013, before their sixth studio effort, Anarchytecture, arrived in 2016. The following year, the band put out 25live@25 -- a compilation album that traversed 25 years of live material. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 10 Title: Paranoid & Sunburnt Released: 1995-09-14 Tracks: 11 Duration: 44:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Selling Jesus (03:44) 2 Intellectualise My Blackness (03:44) 3 I Can Dream (03:34) 4 Little Baby Swastikkka (04:06) 5 All in the Name of Pity (03:22) 6 Charity (04:37) 7 It Takes Blood & Guts to Be This Cool but I’m Still Just a Cliché (04:13) 8 Weak (03:31) 9 And Here I Stand (05:12) 10 100 Ways to Be a Good Girl (04:01) 11 Rise Up (04:08) |
| Paranoid & Sunburnt : Allmusic album Review : Skunk Anansies Skin is an intense frontwoman from Brixton sporting a shaved head and powerhouse set of pipes. Set to squealing, no-frills, combat-boot rock with a powerful funk edge, her lyrics advance a strong social agenda, spelled out in bold capitals by such polemical song titles as "Intellectualize My Blackness," "Little Baby Swastikkka," and "It Takes Blood & Guts to Be This Cool But Im Still Just a Cliche." The minor downside is that no matter how strongly you agree with the agenda, the forceful preaching, without any mitigating shades of contrast or subtlety, starts to wear thin (as an audio experience) after a few listens. Fortunately, the music is muscular and interesting enough to carry the burden. Those hungering for protest music working in a 90s rock context can fill their plates and slake their thirst here. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 10 Title: Stoosh Released: 1996-04-02 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:16:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Yes It’s Fucking Political (03:51) 2 All I Want (03:51) 3 She’s My Heroine (05:04) 4 Infidelity (Only You) (05:59) 5 Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good) (03:26) 6 Twisted (Everyday Hurts) (04:13) 7 We Love Your Apathy (05:11) 8 Brazen (Weep) (04:31) 9 Pickin’ on Me (03:14) 10 Milk Is My Sugar (03:50) 11 Glorious Pop Song (04:17) 12 Weak (Ackee and Saltfish mix) (03:56) 13 Charity (Clit Pop mix) (04:34) 14 100 Ways to Be a Good Girl (Anti Matter mix) (04:32) 15 Rise Up (Bonhamoon mix) (05:00) 16 Used (04:56) 17 Skunk Song (03:31) 18 100 Ways To Be A Good Girl (Untitled Mix) (02:37) |
| Stoosh : Allmusic album Review : The second offering from aggro-political rockers Skunk Anansie finds producer Garth Richardson (L7, Rage Against the Machine) at the helm. Frontwoman Skins vocals grab the listener by the scruff of the neck and demand attention. The rest of the band backs her with a frenzied, yet focused, sonic attack, giving serious punch to tracks like the breakneck "Twisted (Everyday Hurts)" and the lumbering, scathing "We Love Your Apathy." Stoosh finds Skunk Anansie still raging for political activism (albeit sometimes through muddy lyrics), and the band makes no bones about that fact (addressed succinctly on "Yes Its F*****g Political." Skin proves herself capable of more personal issues as well on the subtle, moody "Infidelity (Only You)" and the lighter (musically) pop/rocker "Glorious Pop Song." Skunk Anansies full-frontal charge can be wearing at times, but for a good dose of aggressive, hard rock with better-than-average lyrics, Stoosh succeeds more than it fails. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 10 Title: Post Orgasmic Chill Released: 1999-03-19 Tracks: 12 Duration: 51:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Charlie Big Potato (05:33) 2 On My Hotel T.V. (03:35) 3 We Don’t Need Who You Think You Are (04:23) 4 Tracy’s Flaw (04:32) 5 The Skank Heads (03:11) 6 Lately (03:55) 7 Secretly (04:46) 8 Good Things Don’t Always Come to You (05:27) 9 Cheap Honesty (03:49) 10 You’ll Follow Me Down (04:03) 11 And This Is Nothing That I Thought I Had (03:06) 12 I’m Not Afraid (04:48) |
| Post Orgasmic Chill : Allmusic album Review : Post Orgasmic Chill bursts with nervous energy and jarring contrasts yet is as straight-ahead a hard rock album as Skunk Anansie is likely to create. The staccato guitar and drum rhythms of "Charlie Big Potato" and "On My Motel TV" hit like a jackhammer, yet strings and other flourishes polish them into an intelligent, subtle finish. Lead singer Skins outrage is thoroughly believable in the potent anti-racism screed "We Dont Need Who You Think You Are"; "The Skank Heads" unleashes a torrent of four-on-the-floor rock that couches an instrumental interlude that sounds like the Police in space-age dub. Sometimes messy or misguided, but with attitude to compensate for its missteps. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 10 Title: Smashes▲Trashes Released: 2009-10-30 Tracks: 27 Duration: 2:15:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Charlie Big Potato (05:33) 2 I Can Dream (03:34) 3 Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good) (03:26) 4 Tear the Place Up (02:59) 5 Weak (03:31) 6 Secretly (04:46) 7 Because of You (04:28) 8 All I Want (03:51) 9 Brazen (Weep) (04:31) 10 Twisted (Everyday Hurts) (04:13) 11 Squander (04:29) 12 Lately (03:55) 13 Selling Jesus (03:44) 14 Charity (04:37) 15 You’ll Follow Me Down (04:07) 1 Twisted (D. Ramirez remix) (09:21) 2 Secretly (Armand van Helden mix) (07:41) 3 I Can Dream (Skreamix) (04:15) 4 Charity (High Rankin remix) (05:24) 5 Brazen (Weep) (Perfecto mix) (07:14) 6 I Can Dream (Smokin Jo presents TRNSSTR remix) (08:07) 7 Weak (Paul Woolford remix edit) (04:08) 8 Charity (Dekker & Johan remix- radio edit) (03:29) 9 Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good) (Kissy Sell Out version) (03:53) 10 Selling Jesus (Riva Starr Loves the SKUNK remix) (06:17) 11 Because of You (Michel Cleis remix) (09:04) 12 Squander (illAudio remix) (05:06) |
| Smashes▲Trashes : Allmusic album Review : Following reunions from the likes of Shed Seven, Cast, and Dodgy, Skunk Anansie are the latest midtable 90s alternative act to jump on the comeback bandwagon. Unlike their fellow revivalists, whose Brit-pop sound is firmly entrenched in the bygone era of Cool Britannia, the Camden Town scene, and six oclock news chart battles, Skunk Anansies anarchic but melodic pop/rock has actually aged surprisingly well. Indeed, their influence has been pretty evident throughout the noughties, from the uncompromising image of the Gossips Beth Ditto, to the multicultural genre-defying sounds of Nneka and Santogold, to the blistering angst of Florence and the Machine. Released to coincide with their first tour in ten years, Smashes & Trashes compiles 12 of their 13 chart singles (controversial debut single "Little Baby Swastikkka" doesnt make the cut), four apiece from their three studio albums, Paranoid and Sunburnt, Stoosh, and Post-Orgasmic Chill. Highlighting their impressive ability to appeal to the Kerrang!, NME, and Top of the Pops crowds, the bands first greatest-hits collection also showcases the talents of arguably one of the most striking frontwomen of the 90s, Skin, the shaven-headed androgynous vocalist who was capable of both intimidating ferociousness ("Charlie Big Potato") and aching heartbreak ("Brazen"), sometimes both at the same time ("Charity"). Indeed, for a band that burst onto the scene with such intensity, it was a revelation that Skunk Anansie sounded just as convincing on the epic ballads, such as the emotionally stirring string-laden "Secretly" and their most radio-friendly offering, the stunningly beautiful "Hedonism," as they did on the bass-driven metal of "Selling Jesus" and "I Can Dream." Alongside the familiar material, there are also three previously unreleased tracks, the energetic punk of "Tear the Place Up," the Muse-esque "Because of You," and the tender acoustic-led "Squander," all of which whet the appetite for a rumored new studio album. A consistently powerful collection of songs, Smashes & Trashes is a welcome reminder that Skunk Anansie, often unfairly overlooked in the annals of 90s rock, are undoubtedly one of the genres most original and compelling acts. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 10 Title: Wonderlustre Released: 2010-09-09 Tracks: 12 Duration: 41:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 God Loves Only You (03:48) 2 My Ugly Boy (03:27) 3 Over the Love (03:27) 4 Talk Too Much (03:20) 5 The Sweetest Thing (03:39) 6 It Doesn’t Matter (02:46) 7 You’re Too Expensive for Me (02:29) 8 My Love Will Fall (03:56) 9 You Saved Me (03:38) 10 Feeling the Itch (03:06) 11 You Can’t Always Do What You Like (03:31) 12 I Will Stay but You Should Leave (03:56) |
| Wonderlustre : Allmusic album Review : Its best to cut to the chase here: no, Skunk Anansie havent botched up their reunion album. Wonderlustre is not quite the slab of bare feminine emotion that the bands classic records were -- its fun to try to imagine if this record alone would have sufficed to make them the stars they were in the 90s, but probably not. Yet the songs would fit a set list that features "Hedonism" and "Weak," and the record itself is a worthy addition to their catalog -- they sure didnt return because they feel lost and forgotten, or have bills to pay; they did it because they have something to say. The music packs plenty of catchy semi-metallic riffs, while Skins voice still reverberates with tension while going from quiet vocalizations to commanding shouts -- though now she often sounds composed, not hysterical, in her anger. Most songs share the post-grunge and alterna-rock ethos, and would fit quite well on the radio, but most bands polluting the same airwaves would be left red-faced by Skins fierceness and power -- and the group is still catchy as hell at that. They are similar to Therapy? in that regard -- the one other band that plays simply, but avoids conformism, delivering a unique, handmade take on a hackneyed style. Wonderlustre sounds streamlined -- in the past, Skunk Anansie were keen to shift from angsty grandeur to heart-wrenching intimacy, but here, they never go overboard emotionally, and most songs only differ in hooks, not vibe or dynamics. But this only makes the record more cohesive and mature, which is precisely what they should be like on an album made after a decade-plus hiatus. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 10 Title: Black Traffic Released: 2012-09-14 Tracks: 11 Duration: 38:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Will Break You (03:11) 2 Sad Sad Sad (02:56) 3 Spit You Out (03:29) 4 I Hope You Get to Meet Your Hero (03:43) 5 I Believed in You (03:12) 6 Satisfied? (03:21) 7 Our Summer Kills the Sun (04:13) 8 Drowning (04:11) 9 This Is Not a Game (03:23) 10 Sticky Fingers in Your Honey (02:34) 11 Diving Down (03:49) |
| Black Traffic : Allmusic album Review : After an eight-year hiatus, 90s Brit-rock veterans Skunk Anansie have wasted little time in regrouping for the second album since reconvening back in 2009. Like its predecessor, Wonderlustre, their fifth studio album, Black Traffic, proves that not all reunions need to end in legacy-destroying disaster. Produced by Chris Sheldon (Foo Fighters, Biffy Clyro), theres little amongst its 11 tracks that would have sounded out of place during their chart-bothering heyday, but then their thrilling blend of dub-metal, feminist rock, and orchestral tearjerkers always sounded ahead of the curve anyway. Their more riotous moments are still as striking as Skins shaven-headed appearance. "I Will Break You" bursts out of the block with its blistering riffs, throbbing percussion, and tortured yelps. The frenetic glam-tinged "Sad Sad Sad" and the venomous "Spit You Out," a collaboration with French audio-visual collective Shaka Ponk, are both exhilarating ventures into dance-rock, while "Sticky Fingers in Your Honey" and "Satisfied?" see them at their moshpit-inducing finest. But few bands manage to switch from raw aggression to pure vulnerability as effortlessly as the Anansie. "Hedonism," "Brazen (Weep)," and "Secretly" remain their finest hours, but there are a couple of challengers here for their heartbreaking ballad crown, the gorgeous string-soaked "I Hope You Get to Meet Your Hero" and the melancholic R&B-tinged closer "Diving Down," both of which confirm Skins status as one of the most beautifully emotive rock vocalists the U.K. has ever produced. It doesnt quite hit the consistent heights of Stoosh or Post Orgasmic Chill, but Black Traffic more than justifies Skunk Anansies re-existence. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 10 Title: An Acoustic Skunk Anansie: Live in London Released: 2013-09-20 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:17:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Brazen (Weep) (04:21) 2 Because of You (04:41) 3 Infidelity (Only You) (05:43) 4 I Hope You Get to Meet Your Hero (03:46) 5 Charity (04:51) 6 100 Ways to Be a Good Girl (04:28) 7 I Believed in You (03:36) 8 Secretly (04:51) 9 You Saved Me (03:31) 10 I Will Break You (04:04) 11 God Loves Only You (04:24) 12 You Do Something to Me (04:13) 13 Weak (03:36) 14 My Ugly Boy (03:24) 15 Squander (04:30) 16 Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good) (04:02) 17 Twisted (Everyday Hurts) (04:22) 18 Charlie Big Potato (05:19) |
 | Album: 8 of 10 Title: An Acoustic: Live in London Released: 2013-09-30 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:22:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Intro (01:37) 2 Brazen (Weep) (04:21) 3 Because of You (04:41) 4 Infidelity (Only You) (05:43) 5 I Hope You Get to Meet Your Hero (03:46) 6 Charity (04:51) 7 100 Ways to Be a Good Girl (04:28) 8 I Believed in You (03:36) 9 Secretly (04:51) 10 You Saved Me (03:31) 11 I Will Break You (04:04) 12 God Loves Only You (04:24) 13 You Do Something to Me (04:13) 14 Weak (03:36) 15 My Ugly Boy (03:24) 16 Squander (04:30) 17 Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good) (04:02) 18 Twisted (Everyday Hurts) (04:22) 19 Charlie Big Potato (05:19) 20 Outro (Credits) (02:46) |
 | Album: 9 of 10 Title: Anarchytecture Released: 2016-01-15 Tracks: 11 Duration: 37:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Love Someone Else (03:31) 2 Victim (04:16) 3 Beauty Is Your Curse (03:41) 4 Death to the Lovers (04:08) 5 In the Back Room (03:38) 6 Bullets (03:52) 7 That Sinking Feeling (02:46) 8 Without You (03:35) 9 Suckers! (01:21) 10 We Are the Flames (03:25) 11 I’ll Let You Down (03:29) |
 | Album: 10 of 10 Title: 25LIVE@25 Released: 2019-01-25 Tracks: 25 Duration: 1:47:01 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Charlie Big Potato (05:17) 2 Intellectualise My Blackness (03:44) 3 Because of You (04:53) 4 I Can Dream (03:57) 5 Charity (05:23) 6 My Love Will Fall (04:59) 7 Death to the Lovers (04:31) 8 Twisted (04:21) 9 My Ugly Boy (03:31) 10 Weak (03:48) 11 Hedonism (03:59) 12 I Hope You Get to Meet Your Hero (04:05) 1 Love Someone Else (03:54) 2 This Is Not a Game (03:44) 3 God Only Loves You (04:12) 4 (Cant Get By) Without You (04:15) 5 Secretly (04:57) 6 Over the Love (03:33) 7 Spit You Out (03:41) 8 Yes Its Fucking Political (04:14) 9 Selling Jesus (04:36) 10 Little Baby Swastikkka (05:18) 11 Tear the Place Up (03:33) 12 Squander (04:41) 13 You Saved Me (03:55) |