Post Orgasmic Chill

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. I then 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 in the 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. By the time he 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: "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 Skunk Anansie 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. 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.

Never heard of them before and really enjoyed. Killer vocals.

- 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.

So I discovered this band last year. I don't know how I slept on them. Instant love and this album is great.

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.

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!

yea, evanescence, no thank you

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.

A great album by one of the most underrated bands of the 90s. Classic.

finally some good fucking food

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.

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.

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 !!

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"

Forgot how good this is

Weird at 1st, but I actually liked this album. I got some Paramore vibes from some of it.

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.

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.

Solid album out of left-field. Going into my regular rotation.

Unique, technically proficient, interesting message. A big surprise for me.

As I listened to the first track, Charlie Big Potato, I thought what kind of music is this? It starts techno, then its heavy metal, new wave, some reggae, maybe No Doubt meets Evanesence (which came along later)? It's like they tried to cram everything they could into one track. Then, after listening to the rest of the album, I realized this hodgepodge of a song reflected the whole album--made by a talented group of musicians making bold sounds and a bold statement that they won't be defined by a genre, that they can and will do what they want, and we, the listeners, get to enjoy the ride. On the second track they smack us with On My Hotel TV, lyrics filled with rage and a driving energy sound, then surprise on the next track We Don't Need Who You Think We Are, which begins like a ballad and then resumes the energy drive with more rage and anger. Suddenly they switch to Tracy's Flaws (with hints of Janis Joplin emotion). Liked that? great, now we switch gears again with The Skank Heads, a head-on power rock that would appeal to RHCP fans. Liked that power drive? Then there's Lately, which could be a Top 40 Kelly Clarkson hit; Secretly, a power ballad to rival any 80's & 90's hair band; followed by Good Things Don't Always Come to You, and later You'll Follow Me Down, and I'm Not Afraid--emotional tracks that display the range of the lead singer. Then back to the driving heavy metal energy with And This Is Nothing That I Thought I Had. The album ends with a bonus title track which again drives home the power of this group. I'd never heard of Skunk Anansie before, and now I can't stop listening to them. That's the best part of this 1001 album roulette.

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.

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

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.

Hello! Fuck yeah! I had seen Skunk Anansie in here, but would have thought this is surely the album with "Weak" or "Hedonism" on it (from two different albums, actually) just thrown in because of those two surely nice enough hits, which also sum up what I had consciously heard of this band. Wait, scratch that. I've heard "Lately" and "Secretly" before, in passing. Anyways. This caught me by surprise, in the most pleasant of ways. Filthy, angry, deep and rich. And a wonderful throwback to 90s post grunge rock sounds, again, in the best of ways. Superb. Enjoyed this a ton.

My 13 year old angsty self would have loved this. My 27 year old angsty self likes it pretty much too!

Starting with a casual shot at writing their own "Kashmir", gamely blasting out a handful of tracks that nod to The Jesus Lizard, and throwing down a few auditions for James Bond theme, this was much more fun than expected.

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.

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

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.

Pressed play just as I was starting yardwork.. I almost immediately noped out.. the first ~50 seconds of the first song where NOT what I wanted to listen to blasting in the back yard.. but then.. OHH. EMM. GEE.. Put on your blindfold and hop onto this roller coaster of absolute rocking the F@!# out. It's a brilliant and emotional thrill-ride. More, please.. A raw, genuine ride that blends harder rock with soulful ballads. Spins: 3 Playlist Additions - Charlie Big Potato - Tracy's Flaw - The Skank Heads - Lately - Secretly - Cheap Honesty - You'll Follow Me Down - I'm Not Afraid

Some of the best alt metal ever.

Brilliant album, loved that.

Before I looked at the year I thought “90s Brosnan Bond meets The Matrix soundtrack & 90s alt-rock like Eve 6. 1999 release, I was spot on. Self described as “clit-rock,” heavy metal meets black feminist rage…. Yeahhhhhh this shit hits.

Adding this to my music rotation. Loved it.

🔥 Post Orgasmic Chill is like getting slapped with eyeliner and feelings. This album is all loud whispers and soft screams. Skin’s vocals? She could sing a lullaby and make you cry and punch a wall. The production is clean but gritty, emotional but composed—like if Alanis Morissette fronted a metal band during Mercury retrograde. Rating: 4.5/5 Favorite Track: “Charlie Big Potato” – It opens like a Bond villain entrance and ends in full collapse. Consistency With Me: 9.2/10 Why: Because it’s dramatic, jagged, vulnerable, and not trying to impress anyone.

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

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

Really enjoyed this , such a distinct voice

I had some anticipatory dread when I got this assignment and read a brief description of the band and its music. Happy to say that my apprehension was completely unfounded. This is a pretty great record. Veers between hard and soft, as well as harsh and melodic. I would definitely be happy to hear more by this group.

This album generator thing is one the highlights of the year for me — I can't believe I could have potentially gone my whole life without knowing Skunk Anansie. This album rocked my world from top to bottom, with its awesome combo of electronic influence, brit rock and genuinely metal guitar riffs. It's all topped off with Skin's powerful yet sometimes delicate vocals. After spending about 18 hours finishing two assignments over the last couple of days, I don't have much brain power to gather my thoughts on this album, but I know I liked it and will for sure listen again. I also listened to the 25th Anniversary extended edition of the album, and the live recordings at the end made me realize how awesome Skunk Anansie must be live — if I ever get the chance to see them I certainly will. Song picks after one listen: Charlie Big Potato, We Don't Need Who You Think You Are, Lately, Painkillers

I’m not usually a fan of hard rock / metal but when a black woman is speaking, I sit my white ass down and LISTEN.

Really enjoyed this way more than I thought I would. Would listen to more from them

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.

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Skunk heads, Lately, We don’t need who you think you are,

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.

I'm aware of this band, but have never listened to an entire album of theirs. I've heard Skin do guest-vocals on some other projects, so I had an idea of what I was getting into. I feel like Skin shines a little brighter than the rest of the band. The music and musicians aren't bad, but maybe she deserves something different/better. I might have to check out her solo material to see how that works out.

I really REALLY liked the sounds of this band, especially the bass and vocals. And it was difficult to get through two back-to-back songs that featured the N word. I don't know how to resolve these two discordant experiences.

Skin is a great vocalist but there isn't enough variety outside the nu metal/power ballad dynamic to keep me around. This album sounds the same as the previous two to me, I don't get the alleged distinction. Decent singles band though!

Some of the language surprised me, but I liked the energy.

This didn't click with me. There's definitely some strong talent here, but the combination of "over singing" , super studio driven production style and somewhat cringy lyrics just aren't my style.

Post Orgasmic Chill Never got into Skunk Anansie, although I always liked Skin, and she has a great voice and presence and always seemed cool. And I like some of the singles from the previous album Listening to this album though I can see why I wouldn’t get into them as it isn’t really my sort of thing. Some of the grunge and punk elements I appreciate, but much of it feels rather too metal/US alternative influenced for my tastes, even if it never quite plumbs the moribund depths of a lot of that music. It’s not a bad album, and there are songs and passages that I liked; the Soundgarden-ish verses on We Don’t Need Who You Think You Are, the stately Tracy’s Flaw, Lately is a decent track and Secretly is probably the real high point, but much of it does seem to drift by rather unmemorably. I think it ends up as a high 2, I appreciate some of it, and they are likeable, but I don’t think I’ll come back to it. 🦨🦨 Playlist submission: Secretly

Weird album that mashes up nu-metal, electronica, and pop. It's interesting and adventurous, but while I'm not familiar with the band the overall impression is one of a transitional album. A band with an creative vision, but one that really doesn't resonate with me.

Not my vibe, loud but boring.

I think this was a great example in which the execution of a genre you enjoy just wasn't great or at the very least your cup of tea and how it can affect the enjoyment. Skunk Anansie may have some level of a following, however their vibe and lyrics did very little to impress with the one saving grace being that at least Skin was vocally talented. I would not listen to this album again, nor any song individually for that matter so it will receive a 2/5.

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.

Don't get me wrong, she has a great voice, and it shines it some of these songs. But jeez some of them are so bad it really drags the rest down

At first I was a little surprised that they chose the third album by Skunk Anansie and not Stoosh. After a listen through though, I see that this is also a very strong album with many bangers. I love the vocals and the harmony mixing especially in You’ll Follow Me Down, but also many of the other songs. Favourites: You’ll Follow Me Down, Charlie Big Potato, Lately, Secretly, I’m Not Afraid.

Something i will be definitely listening to….lately is my favourite track!

Pretty awesome, incredible vocals. Never heard of them but actually way sick and the tracks ain’t boring. Kinda Evanescence coded

Holy fuck 90s experimental psyrock

Este disco reaparece en mi vida cada dos meses o así, y es brutal. Me costó mucho que me gustase pero siempre supe que era oro puro. La producción no es espectacular, orgánica, garrosa rawr La primera escucha puede no convencer pero juro que es la hostia. 9/10---->5/5

Operatic, full of bangers

Banger of an album. Their sound still sounds pretty fresh now, almost three decades later. A great combination of punk, alt-rock, electronic, and grunge.

офигенный балдеж

Oh my god, what a discovery! This is so much of its time (1999) and still so fresh, the vocals are so amazing (it kinda reminded me Amy Lee a bit) and the instrumental is so rich with not only great guitar solos but innovative drumming. . What a pity this is the first time I heard them, another band to dive into the discography! That's what this list is for!

It starts of phenomenally good with Charlie Big Potato and although the rest never lives up to that high it is still quality through and through

I knew this band from before - but having only listened to the hits I was of impression that it's just another poprock / easy altrock band. However, after listening to this album twice in a row I am completely impressed! Apparently, they do rock hard and they hit hard, too. Great album. So glad it came up here.

A wonderful discovery! A love the singer's raw and powerful voice.

One of my favorite indie/rock bands, very underrated and Skin is an amazing front woman with an exceptional vocal range

It was really awkward asking my parents 'please can I have Post Orgasmic Chill for my birthday' when this album first came out... but eventually worth the embarrassment! I've loved Skunk Anansie since the 90s so I am obviously very biased. They are still amazing to see live, so go if you get a chance. Super interesting to see people link them as an influence on Evanescence, that had never occurred to me! I can't stand Evanescence but I can kind of see what they mean re the vocal intensity. If you like this album, check out the B-side 'King Psychotic Size' and Skin's track with Maxim (Prodigy) 'Carmen Queasy'.

Every new song a delight! Beautiful vocals full of rage!

Energetic as FUCK. Very enjoyable

I honestly don’t know how this band slipped through the cracks for me for so long, and I’m only just discovering their music now. They must’ve been one of those British alternative bands that were big in Europe but had little to no relevance or marketing in the U.S. at the time. That’s a real shame, because if I had heard this album back in the 90s, I would’ve loved it. What really stands out is how many styles they pull together. There are moments of grunge aggression and punk energy, but then it shifts into more soulful and even orchestral passages. I also really liked how they incorporated electronic elements. When the album first started, I honestly thought I was in for a drum & bass record, but it quickly and smoothly transitions into a post grunge sound. From there, the whole album takes you on a fun, unpredictable rollercoaster of a journey.

I’m only upset I didn’t know about this sooner! This is absolutely up my alley and a new favorite.

This is a good time. I don't think I would like it if it was a male vocalist, but it's not, so that's pretty cool

I really enjoyed this. I love that 90s alt rock sound.

Goes hard

LOVE women of colour in EMO!!!!!!

Brilliant

classically trained musician, that's my favorite review to date! Where's the like button, I can't find it on the desktop or mobile?? This is a brilliant band, brilliant album, for all the reasons ctm and wk said. I half-listened to it in the car and didn't really catch much of it, so thanks both of you, your reviews made me lean in on second listening. So much here to dig into on coming listenings, jumping the gun straight to the 5.

What a voice, wow. So rarely do you find bands like this with such a great female lead vocalist, great control and range. Lots of little flourishes throughout from her that really added, alongside the fact that you could hear her emotion through her voice, very powerful, especially on certain songs. Favorites were Secretly, Good Things Don't Always Come to You, The Skank heads, Tracy's Flaw, and We Don't need who you think you are. Lots of favorites lol... But they were just all so good! Disc 2 I don't think I cared as much for, but wasn't part of the original album, its still fine, but not nearly as polished as Disc 1 felt. Lots of overall range in the sound of the songs, wavering from heavy to soft and chill. The random DnB inserts were fun lol, I originally thought it was going to be a Drum n Bass album when the first drum lick kicked in. 9/10 good find on here! Never heard of these guys before.

I friggin love this. THIS is why I'm doing this sisyphean task and wading through all of the mid Brit rock. I will listen to this album, artist, and genre over and over again. I've never heard anything quite like it. 5 stars hands down

Fire

5, all day long. I previously reviewed this 6 months ago, but I'll review it again. Having listened to SA throughout my teens, this is far from new to me. Each of the songs are amazing, nothing is below greatness. "Charlie Big Potato" is a massive hit with big sounds and thought provocative lyrics. Just that song alone is enough to obtain a 5. Can't go wrong with this album!

I was pretty stoked when this popped up, didn't expect them on here! Only knew the songs from their previous albums when they would show videos on MTV and also knew some of Skin's solo songs - this was a great opportunity to hear a full album. Pretty good, and I'd rate it 4 or 4.5, but I'm giving it a 5 because some of the other reviews are insufferable and also we need a more varied artist list on here instead of the same Neil Young drivel.

I love clit rock

yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!

I am a little bias as I love Skunk Anansie, but this is a cracking album. Skin's voice is amazing for both the tender and the raging and this album is full of emotion.