I stumble from your promises (Fleshwounds - Skin)

Member Name: kelr101

Product:	Fleshwounds - Skin
Date:	07/07/06 (282 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Intimate, yet powerful lyrics allow her voice to push all boundarys

Disadvantages: Very dissimilar to Skunk Anansie, so possibly disappointing to her older fans

Skin, the former vocalist from successful rock bund “Skunk Anansie” returned full-throttle with her debut album “Fleshwounds” in 2003, two years after Skunk Anansie departed in 2001. The rebellious, striking features, shaven head and “grab them by the balls” attitude was at the full front of Skunk Anansie’s success with music embracing the true nature of politics, racism and prejudice, so with the release of her debut album it was time to see if the rebellion had been tamed.

Instantly the moment the CD begins to play, the echoing strains of her beautiful voice filter through the room, voiding all previous thoughts of rebellion, angst and heartbreaking strain. “Faithfulness”, the opening track is more in sync with an artist who has been classically trained, rather than thrust upon the scene screaming and shouting. The song is intimate, powerful, melodic, highlighted by the backing artists and gentle drums and guitar. “Faithfulness, distracts me from my ever changing”, lyrical genius.

Although “Faithfulness” seems impossible to follow “Trashed” and “Don’t let me down” continue the more intimate lyrical nature of her music. Higher chords and rhythmic beats enhance Skin’s vocal cords. The opening vocals on “Don’t let me down” are beautiful, skin trembling, and passionate. “I can’t conceive, the way this feels, you’ve grown so old, like your counting the tears”…each verse inspires the way you think and feel.

The reinvented Skink appears to have gently tamed as the album progresses. There is none of the political rebellious songs that pushed her to the forefront of pop music; instead there is a more adult quality to her music. Her music clings to the listener, and encourages them to live and breathe the echoing, melodic sounds. Each track concentrates on its lyrical brilliance.

“Listen to yourself” brings an element of Skunk Anansie back into the pipeline, but mainly due to its opening harder beat, and stronger, slighter harsher vocals. Power courses through her veins and threw her voice with lyrics such as “These wet sheets, sex sodden, mind spent and ill at ease, your mirror, screams out this dark release”. Each verse has a hint at her past, yet embraces her future vocals and sound also.

Gentle symbol playing and slight keyboard movements are the only opening accompaniment to Skin in “The trouble with me”. Although the song has a slight resemblance to other classic romance songs, her edgy and gritty style ensure this song remains unique. Lyrics such as “Stupid me I should have listen to you anyway” that are sung with passion and volume capture the lilting highlights of Skin’s powerful voice.

“You’ve made your bed” opens with a small range of piano notes, before introducing Skin’s opening powerful line “”I’m a one night stand, screwed a whole damn year, cos your sneaky face, comes streaked with tears”. Each line is dealt with such passion that you can almost hear the tears as though this was based on a real life experience. Each ending note is held perfectly, merging into the unique background music before the next verse. Close your eyes and you can almost taste the atmosphere within the song. Following on, “As long as that’s true” has a very similar opening, with the piano accompaniment playing a large part. Her style is a completely different structure to the raw passion of her more hedonistic previous days.

“Burnt like you” is the shortest track on the album, but is just as strong and embracing as her other tracks. The intimate lyrics and lilting vocals lift the song, whilst the guitar playing in the background brings the melodies into focus.

Closing her debut album is “’Til Morning”, a haunting, introduction to the sweetest, highest and delectable notes that Skin has achieved on this album. “Take these sore eyes, I’ve no use for them, now I feel, there’s nothing left to see” are powerful lyrics sung with raw passion as Skin reveals the truth behind his lies in her closing track. With not a note out of place, Skin closes her debut album with as much imaginative, passion and power as she opened it.

Although it’s hard to compare the old Skin, of Skunk Anansie days with the new Skin, and Fleshwounds, that doesn’t in any way detract from the incredible artist that Skin is. Strumming guitars, passionate lyrics, harmonious vocals, passionate yet gentle drumming all encapsulate the intimacy that is Skin’s new direction with Fleshwounds. It would be hard to name a single artist that Skin even dares resemble, easy to name those that have tried to reach and emulate her style, such as Jasmine Cain, Christina Aguilera and Kelly Clarkson, but none of those come close to capturing Skin’s vibrant and power energy that is pushed into every track.

Although she has detracted from the punk rebellion sty, her new intimate focus on passionate, honest lyrics this is a direction in which Skin feels completely at home in travelling. To me, her opening song “Faithfulness” is most akin to her older, more youthful and reckless style, whilst the lyrics in “you’ve made your bed” encapsulate the new intimate style, providing newer listeners with a chance to embrace the passionate writing and music of Skin.

Despite Fleshwounds being released three years ago, it is still a popular album, both with Skunk Anansie fans and her new “Skin” fans, and can be found at most good music stores, retailing for around £7.99.


Recommended.

Summary: Powerful vocals enhanced by Skin's realism