Never heard of them before and really enjoyed. Killer vocals.
Post Orgasmic Chill is the third studio album by British rock band Skunk Anansie, first released in 1999. Two album covers exist: the European version with the band lounging in an oceanside apartment, and the American version with the band standing on the Atlantic City boardwalk. It was a complete departure from their previous two albums, which had elements of punk rock and alternative rock by moving to a new harder sound with elements of hard rock and alternative metal. It took eleven years for the group to release their next album, Wonderlustre.
Never heard of them before and really enjoyed. Killer vocals.
So I discovered this band last year. I don't know how I slept on them. Instant love and this album is great.
Goodness, the songs on this album slide off my ears like teflon. Theoretically, I should really like this album; loud alt rock, black feminist political singer with great voice and significant charisma, tight and punchy band... it hits all the right notes, but I just find it unmemorable. I went back and listened to their first album (which I remember much better), and it is front-loaded with 4 or 5 really killer tracks. And I went down a rabbit hole of live performance clips, and they are terrific and compelling. But this album is just aggressively mid.... I've been thinking on it, and I blame the producer, Andy Wallace. Andy Wallace is responsible for the sound of hard rock int he 1990s. He was the mixer for most of the biggest and most influential heavy albums of the decade, especially heavy alternative albums. You can't deny his skills. He can craft a huge and compelling sound. And by the time be produced this record, he had his methods down pat. And the record sounds perfect; it's a big loud cinemascope sound, with not a note out of place. Maybe too perfect. I am now going to write the most pretentious thing I have written in ~750 reviews on this project. I am going to quote Umberto Eco, from his Paris Review Article 'The Cult of the Imperfect' (https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2019/10/28/the-cult-of-the-imperfect/). He is talking about what makes cult films and cult books, but I suggest that this can also be extended to albums (substitute 'album' for 'film' when reading: "In order to transform a work into a cult object, you must be able to take it to pieces, disassemble it, and unhinge it in such a way that only parts of it are remembered, regardless of their original relationship with the whole. .... This means that even a masterpiece, when it comes to haunt the collective memory, can be made ramshackle. But in other cases it becomes a cult object because it is fundamentally, radically ramshackle. ... To give rise to a cult, a film [or album] must already be inherently ramshackle, shaky and disconnected in itself. A perfect film [or album] ... remains imprinted in our memory as a whole, in the form of an idea or a principal emotion; but only a ramshackle film survives in a disjointed series of images and visual high points. It should show not one central idea, but many. It should not reveal a coherent “philosophy of composition,” but it should live on, and by virtue of, its magnificent instability." And this is, I think, my problem with Post Orgasmic Chill. It is a perfect album, with a cohesive and coherent philosophy of composition. It is like a smooth, polished sphere of marble, with no cracks, faults or fissures that I can grasp, work my fingers into and pry apart. It is stable and it will not break into memorable parts. My youtube research shows I like them much more as a live band, where they are loud, fast, powerful and charismatic, but not perfect. I wonder if I might have found this album much more compelling if it had been recorded by Steve Albini instead. He understood the power of imperfection (although his records still sound powerful). A missed opportunity for a really great album. But I would certainly much more happily listen to this than much of the overly blokey middle class white boy aggro metal that pervaded the late 1990s.
Wow! Another point for the 1001 list. I had never heard about "Skunk Anansie," but I'm glad to discover this fantastic voice and great songs! Awe-inspiring work!
Never heard of this band, but they rock pretty hard. They remind me of Foo Fighters in that the style can change a lot between songs, but it sound like the same band still.
In general, I liked it a lot, it has that touch of the nineties and those choirs that remind me a little bit of the African-American churches in the United States.
yea, evanescence, no thank you
Absolutely fire from start to finish. The vocalist is incredible and the constant attention grabbing soul behind the songs makes up for what would might pass for average instrumentals in today's scene. The skank heads, lately, and secretly were some of my favorites.
- I am somewhat astounded that I have never heard of this group before. A hard rock/punk/metal band with a queer black female lead singer (who describes the group as "clit-rock"), interesting guitar work, a black bassist, that (on the whole) does not shy away from experimenting, going headfirst into political themes, or punching their critics in the mouth? I am disappointed that I could not worship Skunk Anasie at 21 and now am learning to embrace them at 35. Seems like they did not expand from Britain very well. - Do I love every track on this album equally? No. "Secretly" is divine. "On My Hotel Tv," "Lately," and "Cheap Honesty" slap. But even the tracks I am not thay invested in are great to have on. I think "Charlie Big Potato" is a bizarre choice for an opening track (and a single for that matter) but whatever. - First group that feels like a gift delivered to me by this list.
Pre-Listen: I have never heard of this band, and can't tell by the cover art what I'm about to get into. But I'm excited to get into it. Overview: AHHHH, so THIS is who influenced Evanescence. This would be something I would play on a road trip about an hour and a half in when the nostalgic/emotional vibes start to kick in. Instrumentally, it plays around within a similar vibe but expresses it in different ways. Her voice is beautiful. The rasp in Tracy's Flaw? Ahhhhh so good. Favorite songs: We Don't Need Who You Think You Are, Lately, Secretly, Good Things Always Come To You (that bass thoooooooooo), Cheap Honesty Oddly, Charlie Big Potato (being the first song on the album) was my least favorite, but still crankable.
A great album by one of the most underrated bands of the 90s. Classic.
Best Song: On my Hotel TV. The intensity of the lyrics caught me off guard, and the vocals were phenomenal. Worst Song: I'm Not Afraid. Not terrible, but weak compared to the rest of the album. Overall: Good instrumentation and sampling turned great by the addition of powerhouse vocal performances on every track. This album lives entirely on the strength of that killer voice, where each song is sung with a passion and intensity that is uncommon.
Forgot how good this is
Solid album out of left-field. Going into my regular rotation.
Unique, technically proficient, interesting message. A big surprise for me.
Weird at 1st, but I actually liked this album. I got some Paramore vibes from some of it.
good alt rock album, doesn't bore out and uses tempo alot to keep the listener interested
Couple heavy riffs, pissed, melodic vocals. Really liked this one.
Whoa. What a fascinating mix of genres and styles. Love feeling the pain and anger. Really enjoyed this.
Great album. Really likes the music but the name of it was misleading haha.
It seems Skunk Anansie is REALLY big across the pond but I'd never heard of them. Though not terrible, the album is largely forgettable today. The doom-laden sound juxtaposed with Skin's undeniably strong voice surely worked well in the mid-to-late '90s. And though I appreciate the unique tempos, thick bass and boundless energy, this isn't something that I'd willfully turn on today. If I had discovered this at the turn of the century, I probably would have listened and enjoyed this on more than one occasion. And, if I were to do the 90's all over again, Post Orgasmic Chill would be right next to Ednaswap's Wonderland Park in my Sony 6-disc CD changer.
finally some good fucking food
grazie, mamma e papà, per avermi fatto ascoltare gli Skunk Anansie durante tutta la mia infanzia, e per avermi portato a vederli in concerto due volte. vi sarò per sempre debitrice. è strano che mi piacciano così tanto, dato che non è solitamente il genere di musica che preferisco, ma Skin ha indubbiamente una delle voci più belle della storia del rock e sono certa che abbia influenzato band come gli Evanescence, e per quanto mi riguarda, Secretly mi fa sempre piangere mentre Charlie Big Potato mi fa venire voglia di spaccare tutto. adoro adoro adoro, nonostante il mio loro album preferito sia Wonderlustre, che è un po’ meno metal è molto più accessibile, ma comunque dare meno di cinque stelle a Skin mi sembra un sacrilegio.
Probably my favourite album I've discovered in this so far, I don't even like metal
Unaware of this group and their work till now. To sum up my listening experience - dying and passing on to the next world — WITHOUT LISTENING TO SKUNK ANANSIE— would have been my biggest regret — TY 1001Albums !!
I like this. It's very queer and subversive and gorgeous.
Love this album and previously never heard of this band. Can’t believe this came out in 1999
Me before hearing of the sub-genres "clit-rock" and "Black feminist rage": "what are clit-rock and Black feminist rage?" Me after hearing of the sub-genres "clit-rock" and "Black feminist rage": "I'll take all of this you've got"
What even is this? Electrorock? I love it! Reminds me of PJ Harvey in the best way. The first couple tracks go the hardest, but the rest of the album is still good.
Completely unexpected from the name and album photo. A trip back to the 90s when things were LOUD and busy. And what an incredible vocalist.
A really interesting album, even if it's hard rock it never abuses the sounds of that peculiar style, instead it uses a lot of electronic sounds and mixes really beautiful and natural instruments and artificial sounds. The voice is strange, it isn't something you would expect from that kind of style but definitely give it a lot of uniqueness
Really great hard rock/metal album that's surprisingly dynamic and melodic. Ultra-saturated guitar/bass are great with some really cool solo sections, and drumming is hardcore and blast-beat, but the real standout on this record are the vocals. Skunk Anansie brings a powerhouse of a female vocalist to the record, and her melodies and harmonies are lush and soulful. She can go hard into scream, or pull back into clean soft head voice, and everything in between. Really dug this album as a whole, and appreciated the genre variability across the tracks to keep the experience fresh.
On first glance, I figured it'd be some indie album. I'm really pleasantly surprised. Younger me would've been *all about* this shit, and older me still really enjoys it. It's something I signed up to find: a band I'd never heard of, that I immediately want to find more out about. I think the last three tracks cause the album to falter on the landing, but otherwise it's just a huge fucking record. Call it 4.5. Favorite tracks: "We Don't Need Who You Are", "The Skank Heads", "Tracy's Flaw"
This album started out sounding like early Evanescence but didn't stay there. Absolutely sublime singing and enjoyable enough music. Not what I expect but definitely a fun ride for me.
Amazing vocals and guitar riffs. Had never heard of this band before, but I love their sound. Also love the album cover. Fave track(s): Tracy's Flaw, The Skank Heads, Lately, Cheap Honesty
Only clue I’d previously had of this band’s existence was from the great underrated cyberpunk thriller Strange Days. This was really great, much smarter than average hard rock with nice speed/metal edges and a unique and pleasing sound and sensibility.
I experience a moment of dread every time a British band that I've never heard of from the 90s-00s comes up on this list, because the author of the list seems to have a particular weakness for dogshit of that vintage. This album was a nice surprise. I don't know that it's something I'm ever going to listen to again, but I can at least understand why someone would point me to this album and tell me that I should listen to it. The music isn't unique, but it's a blend of a couple genres and it's well executed. There is also some kind of alchemy present when female vocalists front metal bands. It just works and I'm not sure why. There's a decent amount of variety in the album as well 4/5
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Skunk heads, Lately, We don’t need who you think you are,
With a name like Skunk, I didn't think I'd like this. Because, you know, the connotation is that it would stink. I apologize and promise to do better. This sounds really good. I want to listen to more.
Absolutely solid rock record. They have a really nice variety of tempos and energy and definitely finds it vibe throughout the album. There are a few tracks that are the higher energy / staccato delivery that don't do as much for me, but We Don't Need and Tracy's Flaw are great. Really enjoyed.
Some of the language surprised me, but I liked the energy.
I was looking forward to this album... Skunk Anansie was part of life when I was a student and I saw them live, and liked it them. However I didn't enjoy this album. I was actually really happy when it was over, musically not bad but not genius either, a bit monotonous and I found Skin's vocals (which I used to find interesting, and I like Skin as a person and role model) quite tiring and shouty. They have even thrown in an operatic voice at some point, which was lost on me. This has unfortunately not aged well for me.
2 - I was interested at the start, but this album was pretty all over the place, and there wasn't much I cared about. The vocals were nice, but none of the songs were my thing, so. It's certainly something, but it's something I'll forget about.
This band makes me feel like my girlfriend is really, REALLY mad at me.
Excellent. Finally a revelation!
Heavy and intense. I really liked listening to this.
Great!
wow! really really liked this one. something different and super funky. a joy to listen to!
i had never heard of skunk anansie before but this album rips!!! finally an actually good album from britain from the 90s on this list... favorites: tracks 1, 3-7, 9, and 10
i had never heard of Skunk Anansie but this was a super pleasant surprise: funky, hard edged or beautiful as needed, and just plain cool sonically, with an amazing voice from Skin. will absolutely be checking out more of their discography
Every time I hear Skunk Anansie on the radio, which is probably more days than not, I think to myself that I need to listen to them more. Well today marks the first time I’ve listened to an album in full. Skin may well have one of the best voices in rock music. She hits the softer and distorted shouty parts as if it was easy. The rest of the music is fantastic. The guitars are what I like to describe as filthy - plenty of distortion and generally simple riffs, but that’s all you need sometimes.
Never heard of this group or album so I was really unsure what to expect. Plus metal is not my thing and the title is a little different, but it was much better than expected. I am sure true metal heads hate it but I really enjoyed it. I understand why its on this list, it has screaming and metal sounds but its enjoyable, and there it evokes more than just "I am screaming because I am mad." One top of the emotional depth it focuses on female and black struggles, something metal never does. I started a list of the songs I liked but I really liked all of them. Only criticism is that it started hard and almost the entire second half was a lot slower, maybe more of a mix on the back half. I feel like they would be an awesome live show and I band I am going to investigate more.
Wow, what a great freaking album. Really dig the lead singer’s voice and the emotion and passion she injects into these songs. It felt very deep and genuine. I had no prior knowledge of this band, which always makes me a little wary, so it was a wonderful surprise to enjoy it so much. Love the blend of rocking out hard and soulful ballads. Gives me all the feels!
Love!
Gran descubrimiento, mucha onda y poder
This fuckin rules!
This is really good. Skin's vocal range is incredible and is definitely the album's strength but there are some rocking guitar riffs. I also like the squelchy bass. The fact that there are a few quieter songs mixed in with the heavier tracks gives a nice pacing and moment to breathe. It's also very cool to hear an openly queer, black woman singing about some of these lyrical themes in a heavy rock band. I'm not aware of many bands that meet that description nowadays, let alone 1999. Not in the mainstream, anyway. Loved it!
I think I would've been absolutely obsessed with this if I heard it when it came out. This is exactly up my alley. I love the trip-hop and nu-metal influences, and the vocals are gorgeous and intense in equal measure. I love the heavy lyrical themes on racism and feminism too.
Like a punch to the face in the best possible way. Unapologetic and emotional.
I've been biting my tongue Been so subtly kind I've got to think so selfishly 'Cause you're the face inside of me I've been biding my days, you see Evidently it pays I've been a friend with unbiased views Then secretly lust after you So now you feel lusty, you're bored and bemused You want to do someone else So you should be by yourself Instead of here with me Secretly Trying hard to think pure Bloody hard when I'm raw You're talking out so sexually 'Bout boys & girls & your friggin' dreams Now you feel lusty, you're hot and confused You want to do someone else So you should be by yourself Instead of here with me Secretly So now you've been busted, you're caught feeling used You had to do someone else You shoulda been by yourself You had to do someone else You shoulda been by yourself Instead of here with me Secretly THIS is what I am here for. I never heard of this band or album before, but this is excellent and I love it. 5/5
Heftig, maar wat goed! Geweldig gezongen, verder ook goed en verrassend. Echt iets anders
Magnificent album. Their first i've bought on CD
I enjoyed this album so much. The lead singer is such a rock star. The presence, the heaviness, the lyrics. It’s great all around.
Honestly, one of the biggest and best surprises since I started this project, nearly 200 albums ago. I am stunned that I missed this band in the 90s. I had heard the name but somehow never came across any of their music and boy did I miss out! Musically it’s fantastic. The unfortunately named Charlie Big Potato has the chunky grooves and creative time signatures that would make any prog band blush. The lead singer has pipes FOR DAYS. She is one of the rare breed that can actually use her voice like an instrument, getting gritty when needed, or sounding ethereal and angelic when it suits the song. Add to this mix the very good lyrical writing and you have an album for the ages. Why this band wasn’t even bigger I will never know, but it’s a 5 star album for me.
I had no idea what this was going to be going in. I like it that way sometimes. I was blown away by this album. It was as if Rage Against the Machine had a lesser known but just as good and captivating cousin. And the vocals - the VOCALS. Skin is absolutely incredible and has great range. Soft and angelic one moment, gritty and angry the next. Her voice alone is worth the price of admission. The band is tight and the lyrics are always interesting. I loved this album. A rare, hard to come by 5 stars for a band and album I’d never heard of. I need more of this. Standout tracks: Charlie Big Potato, On My Hotel TV, We Don’t Need Who You Think You Are, The Skank Heads, Lately
An interesting mix of styles, it kept me on my toes. The singer's got an incredibly powerful voice and a unique p.o.v. Glad to be introduced to this group.
Wow I was shocked this was made 25 years ago, because I would have believed it if I had been told it was released yesterday. Really great variety of music that at times made me think of Portishead, at times Muse… Great!
This album might be a bit less dynamic as their two previous ones, but the album still stands as a great product of the heavy rock in the 90's. Good funky hardrock with especially space for the bassguitar to excel, lyrics with a message, highly political, and a superb voice of lead-singer Skin. This band was massive in Europe in the 90's and I think I certainly didn't give them the credit back then they deserved. They fit my musical and societal tastes like a glove.
Their masterpiece. Skin tears your heart every time she sings "Secretly". Their prev records are good, but this is over the top.
4.5 stars
Loved them!!! soooo good! first time listener and I'm a fan :)
My favorite album so far, loved the vocals, loved the ambient vibe. Will listen to this often again I’m sure
loved it
Oh those 90s nostalgia berries!
10/10
Жесть, какие же они мощные на обложке. Прям гигачады прогрессивные. От обложки сильный вайб матрицы. Погодите, что? И читка и гитара и ударные балдёжные. Чем-то напоминает RATM. Чем-то напомнает Tool. А мне нравится! Блин, это четыре или пять? Половина альбома прошла, я вслушиваюсь, я оцениваю тексты, я анализирую. Меня захватило. Всё же пять. Приятно, прям по кайфу.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this listen. I had no idea what to expect, and it does start off in a different direction than I thought, but it was a great listen. Edgy. Direct. The lyrics are epic!
Reminds me of Muse; don't mind that at all.
Was pleasantly surprised at what this was. Will probably listen again.
brilliant punk rock. first song felt a bit repeditive though.
First half is definitely better but some really good feminist metal
In my humble opinion, this album is kinda all over the place. In a great way though. Got Muse vibes on the first track, loved the vocals in general. a touch of Gilmour-esque guitar work.
What if Linkin Park used DNB instead
truly surprised by this band, great singing and instrumentals throughout. a couple songs might be a little too long but the powerful singing is awesome to listen to. missing a true, catchy jam but still a great surprise on this list
cool
Zalige vrouw met een prachtige stem. Ook de hardere stijl is nice
Enjoyed
Awesome
Perfection, a band I have seen live a bunch of times, including at a Radio 1 Roadshow around the release of this album.
oh sheesh
Voor deze albums doe ik het! Wat een ontdekking! Wat een stem!
I enjoyed this so so much. Her vocal range is astonishing and the songs are massive. I love it. I also love the drum n bass that creeps in throughout. Very unusual at the time to have those crossovers.
its noisy, but in the way that i like. the singer's voice reminds me of thom yorke's falsettos. but anyway, why is the first track named "Charlie Big Potato"? it's absurd. 4/5
Tykkäsin. Kivan erilainen mielenkiintosia lyriikoita ja melodioita. Yees.
Cool album
What a blast!
hmm definitely a choice, would i reach for it again? probably not that's not to say it's bad, I do have a few tracks I would listen to again: Cheap Honesty, Lately Would listen to this band again if it pops up
I'd never heard them before! Badass!
maybe the height of sharp-edged alternative...reminds me sonically of late Oxbow, in that there's a crunchy brittleness to the guitars thrust up by warm basstones...it feels like a soft slap to the face, quite the vehicle for Skin's mix of hard and honeyed vocals...a tasty, well-rounded desert
Qué recuerdos!!! Me guardo "Charlie Big Potato", "Lately" y "Secretly". Le tengo más cariño a su primer trabajo, pero creo que escuchar la voz de Skin debe ser obligatorio al menos una vez en tu vida.