THE PAINFUL TRUTH tracklisting
1. An Artist Is An Artist
2. This Is Not Your Life
3. Shame
4. Lost And Found
5. Cheers
6. Shoulda Been You
7. Animal
8. Fell In Love With A Girl
9. My Greatest Moment
10. MeltdownFURTHER INFORMATION ON SKUNK ANANSIE
In recent years a combination of parenthood, illness, and the departure of their longstanding manager seemed to conspire against Skunk Anansie 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. “When we write it’s just the four of us in a room with no outside distractions or interference, getting to know each other again. We’d done the Greatest Hits tour and we realised that things needed to change. If we didn’t do something fresh and forward thinking, we couldn’t really be a band anymore. We’d just be doing Skunk karaoke,” says Skin bluntly. 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 album’s lead single ‘An Artist Is An Artist’ is proof of that; a witty, provocative, pulsating slice of spiky, new-wave brilliance it has been greeted with a rapturous reception from fans and media alike, proving a radio smash with playlists on BBC6Music, Kerrang Radio, Planet Rock and Absolute alongside being championed by Jo Whiley on Radio 2. Second single ‘Cheers’, rides along on a deeply infectious, pulsating rhythm and boasts a truly euphoric chorus, demonstrates once more the sheer quality and ambition of the new album. “When I really think about it, yes, we have made some good records in our time but it’s been a long time since we have made a great album. And that is the painful truth,” confesses Skin. “Understanding that, led us to making what I genuinely think is our greatest record yet.” Skunk Anansie, formed in 1994 in London, and are a truly seminal band; one of the first multi-racial British rock bands, they 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. 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. |