Skunk Anansie – The Painful Truth
Frontiers Label Group Records
9,0/10,0
Brief:
British rock icons SKUNK ANANSIE have announced their hugely anticipated new studio album The Painful Truth. The new album, their seventh studio collection and first in nine years. Skunk Anansie, formed in 1994 in London, are a seminal band; one of the first multi-racial British rock bands, who are known for their powerful sound and thought-provoking lyrics. Fronted by the charismatic and dynamic vocalist Skin, the band blends alternative rock with elements of punk and metal. They remain one of the most important and influential bands of their era.
Their debut album Paranoid & Sunburnt (1995) and its follow up Stoosh (1996) both hit the Top 10 album chart in the UK, and with hits like ‘Weak’ and ‘Hedonism’, they established themselves on the international stage, helped by their stunning live performances. In 1999, Skunk Anansie closed the decade off in style by releasing their third studio album, Post Orgasmic Chill and headlining Glastonbury Festival, before surprisingly going on a lengthy hiatus in 2001.
The band reconvened in 2008 to embark on the second chapter of their career, releasing three acclaimed albums – 2010’s Wonderlustre, 2012’s Black Traffic and 2016’s Anarchytecture. In 2019, the band marked their 25th anniversary with 25LIVE@25, a live album that brings together the greatest songs from their six studio albums.
The Painful Truth is a truly mesmerising, provocative, powerful and emotional album demonstrating a band at the absolute peak of their powers, yet with everything to prove.
A combination of parenthood, illness, and the departure of their longstanding manager seemed to conspire against them and add to their uncertainty, forcing singer Skin, guitarist Ace, bass player Cass and drummer Mark to question their place in the world as a band, as well as their own personal ambitions. For a while, they came close to calling it a day.
Unsure of what to do, and failing to write on zoom, the four-piece retreated post-Covid to a farmhouse in Devon where amid frank conversations and home-cooked dinners, they slowly began collating their feelings into songs.
And The Painful Truth is anything but Skunk karaoke. Produced by David Sitek of TV On The Radio fame it’s a fresh, frank, uplifting and textured album, with the band’s knack for writing big pop songs remaining defiantly undiminished. If anything, their hooks this time around are sharper and sink in quicker.
The Painful Truth is a radical record made for these uncertain times. Their first release on the newly formed FLG Records, and with new management in place, it also comes with a freshness that belies their storied career and previous multi-platinum achievements. It’s a record that will see Skunk Anansie reclaim their place as one of the most exciting, visionary and important bands in British music.
Throughout their career, Skunk Anansie have sold over five million records around the world. The band’s international prominence continues to thrive today, selling out live arenas and headlining festivals across the continent.
Skunk Anansie are celebrated for addressing political and social issues through their music, breaking racial and gender barriers in rock. Their influence extends beyond music, contributing to discussions on identity, equality, and activism.
[Edited Press Release]
Tracklist:
- An Artist Is An Artist
- This Is Not Your Life
- Shame
- Lost And Found
- Cheers
- Shoulda Been You
- Animal
- Fell In Love With A Girl
- My Greatest Moment
- Meltdown
Main Focus Tracks:
- This Is Not Your Life
- Cheers
Other Recommended Tracks:
- An Artist Is An Artist
- Shoulda Been You
- Shame
- Lost And Found
- Fell In Love With A Girl
- My Greatest Moment
Line-Up:
Deborah “Skin” Dyer – vocals
Martin “Ace” Kent – guitars, backing vocal
Richard “Cass” Lewis – bass, backing vocal
Mark Richardson – drums, backing vocal
Comments:
With The Painful Truth, Skunk Anansie intensifies its sound and sharpens its purpose—no longer content to evolve, the band shatters its foundations to rebuild something even more powerful.
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Selected Discography:
Paranoid & Sunburnt (1995)
Stoosh (1996)
Post Orgasmic Chill (1999)
Smashes & Trashes (2009)
Wonderlustre (2010)
Black Traffic (2012)
Anarchytecture (2016)
25Live@25 (2019)
The Painful Truth (2025)
Photo Credit: No credit