Skin-”Fleshwounds

Phwoar, what a spunk! Skin, the best part of now defunct ever-promising-but-rarely-delivering band Skunk Anansie, has come out with her post-band-break-up solo album dubiously titled Fleshwounds. Yep, all signs (the album’s title, the stage of Skin’s career and the lyrics of first single Trashed) point to a my band is gone, my heart is gone, and here is all of my boring emotional baggage album, but thankfully, it’s not as self-indulgent as that. That said, Skin doesn’t shy from a bit of dull self-analysis, especially when the ballads kick in -“ Lost and Don’t Let Me Down are definitely ripe for fast forwarding. And You’ve Made Your Bed is only saved from the same fate by how sweet Skin sounds when she’s all high and breathy. As are ‘Til Morning and Burnt Like You, two good examples of what happens when you mix a perfect voice with a dull-as backing track. Skin is best when she’s tough, which she almost is on Trashed and gets even more teasingly close to on Listen To Yourself. Disappointed Skunk fans will be glad to know Skin is still in incredibly fine voice -“ she still sings sweetly and her banshee screams are still in tune. And shameless Skin fans who couldn’t give a shit about the music will be pleased to see what a complete spunk she is at the moment -“ that hair! Those lips! That green mesh singlet! Buy it for the pictures.