By Matthew Braine

Without a doubt, Skunk Anasie was one of those bands that not enough people got to experience. The band is unique at first sight as they feature an African American woman lead singer that goes by the name Skin. Their style is a mix of hard rock and alternative but they display a large scale of diversity as most of their songs feature more than just drums and guitars. They came out in 1994 but didn’t receive much recognition until 1997 when they were nominated for several MTV Europe awards including Best Group but came up short on all nominations. In 1999 they released Post Orgasmic Chill which immediately brought them hits such as “Secretly,” which shows up on the Cruel Intentions soundtrack.

The album opens up with “Charlie Big Potato” which clocks in at over six minutes long. It blends so many styles of music that the song seems like it evolves. Using a sort of techno beat to start and blending hard rock and an orchestral like sound, this track sets an awesome impression on the listener. As the album progresses, there are so many ballads and upbeat tracks, that it is impossible to get bored. Tracks like “The Skank Heads” and “Secretly” offer breathes of fresh air when the album seems to be falling into a stereotypical groove. The ingenuity and energy behind Skin’s voice and lyrics can only be heard and not told and the album rarely produces a bad track.

Skunk Anasie is a very interracial band, sporting an even number of black and white musicians. The band formed in the UK but after only six years together, they called it quits. Skin continues to make music but it isn’t quite the same fire that her band had back in the late 90s. Post Orgasmic Chill was the band’s last album and their most successful but for some reason, the magic moved on. There’s no doubt that this album is a pleasure to listen to.