Circulation Newsletter: 14/04/2025
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Before we get into it - just a reminder that by the next time you hear from me, submissions will be CLOSED for our next issue - the deadline is the 20th of April! Thankyou so much to everyone who has submitted already. Our launch party is being planned - so keep an eye on our instagram to grab yourself a ticket!
Review: ‘Stoosh’ - Skunk Anansi by Olly Harrison
When Skunk Anansie came onto the British music scene in 1994, they were categorised as R&B due to two members being Black. This is not the case however; the band is pure Britrock power, though it could be argued they transcend genre altogether with their rich and varied discography. ‘Stoosh’ was released in October ’96, their second album, and was fairly well received by fans and critics alike, the production and writing being far better than that of their first record. Matching the sound of the record, the album art (a photograph of lead singer Skin, the other members hidden in the background) is in-your-face, powerful and eye-catching and I love it.
The album itself contains a wide range of sounds and styles, from punk songs to ballads, all pulled off incredibly well, even if every song might not appeal to every fan. There are two songs that I’m not a huge fan of, ‘She’s My Heroine’ and ‘Infidelity’, the latter of which was just a bit too long and slow for my tastes, though neither were objectively bad. One of the first things I noticed when I listened to the album as a whole for the first time was the audibility of the bass guitar, played by Richard “Cass” Lewis; it might be a stereotype but as a bass player I do get annoyed when the basslines are really well-executed, but an untrained ear wouldn’t notice because you can barely hear it, and I’m glad this record doesn’t fall prey to that common flaw.
‘Stoosh’ starts off with a bang: the first song title says it all, “Yes It’s Fucking Political”. The way Skin spits out the words is full of brash energy that it gives the song a killer vibe. Contrasting that, one of my favourite tracks on the album is “Hedonism (Just because you feel good)”. It’s a soft ballad that still utilises heavy-ish drums and a guitar solo; I think it’s the perfect mixture of pop and rock, and the solo reminded me a bit of Hendrix’s ‘Voodoo Child’. The ballad is offset really nicely by the next track, “Everyday Hurts”. The vocal on the chorus is so flawlessly powerful and it fits perfectly with the slightly toned-down guitars and strong yet simple drums – it might be my favourite Skunk Anansie song of all time. It also features an awesome guitar solo, so you can really rock out and just lose yourself in the music.
“We love your apathy” gives a change of pace; it’s certainly slower, but no less powerful. I could talk about Skin’s voice all day, high notes, low notes, soft, loud, she can do it all effortlessly. The transitions between sections are so smooth and the bridge is truly incredible with long high notes and little guitar solos, leading into a final chorus that fades to silence.
As purely brilliant as I think these songs are, the next one is probably the most iconic: “Brazen (Weep)”. The verses start with a vocal so soft it sounds like a whisper, before suddenly bursting into the title line in a soaring swoop of emotion. The subtle strings in the lead up to the chorus add another layer to an already incredible piece which just gets better with every new part – I will never get tired of this song and I seriously recommend that every person listens to it at least once in their lives. The final high note sends shivers up my spine. “Pickin’ on me” is another awesome track that shows the band’s diversity and brings contrast to the record. It has really nice, listenable, melodic guitar and lyrics that, on a deeper listen, are actually really meaningful and comment on events that I assume occurred during the childhood of the songwriter. The drum solo at the end of the track is surprising but groovy, showing yet another facet of the band’s diverse sound.
The penultimate song showcases the heavier side of Skunk Anansie. The opening guitar sounds like it could’ve come from a metal song (were it louder and more distorted), and Skin’s vocals reflect that - the hard edge is a welcome change and I think it’s executed really well. The drums and guitar work perfectly together and it would provide a really emphatic end to match the kick-ass start of the record – if it had been the last song. The real ending to the album comes in the form of “Glorious pop Song”, which, compared to “Milk is my sugar” is a bit weak and anticlimactic in my opinion. Nevertheless it is a good song and it still works well as a close to an amazing album by an amazing band.
If you want to learn more about Skunk Anansie I’d recommend trash Theory’s video about their first album, which covers a lot of bases and includes some music from that album, which I’d also recommend listening to. Skin is a huge role model to me as an outspoken queer woman in the rock world. Not only that, but she coined my favourite genre descriptor of all time to describe Skunk Anansie’s music: Clit Rock.
Tracks of the Week:
See you next week!
Love, from Hattie
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