The Painful Truth is Skunk Anansie’s most vital and inventive album in years

Reaching 30 years as a band together is a huge achievement (even if there’s been a bit of time out in the middle there), but by that milestone there’s an expectation and forgiveness from long-term fans that there’ll be a certain amount of coasting, of living on past glories. Then there’s coming back at that point with the most vital, inventive and best album you’ve put out in years. Guess which of those two options Skunk Anansie have smashed on The Painful Truth?