Sally Potter Anatomy
Sally Potter's Anatomy opens with a deliberate opacity that forces attention on language and delivery, and critics note that the record's strengths come when meaning and voice collide. Across professional reviews, the consensus paints a picture of an album built around communication and ambiguity, where clarity of meaning is often sacrificed for textured vocal expression and spare arrangements.
Reviewers consistently single out “Words” and “Walk Away” as standout tracks on Anatomy. “Words” crystallizes the album's central idea - words matter - with a direct, word-heavy delivery that anchors Potter's themes of political and personal ambiguity. “Walk Away” brings a jazzy bounce and bobbing bassline that lets Potter's idiosyncratic vocal timbre cut through, while highlights like “Carmageddon” add moments of musical discord that critics found memorable. The record earned a 70/100 consensus score across 1 professional review, suggesting steady praise tempered by reservations about accessibility.
While the critical reception acknowledges rewards for repeated listens - the interplay of piano, guitar and voice revealing subtler pleasures - some reviewers imply that the album's deliberate opacity may limit immediate impact. The professional reviews together frame Anatomy as a thought-provoking, if occasionally elusive, entry in Potter's catalog, one whose best songs reward close attention to vocal delivery and lyrical nuance. For readers searching for an Anatomy review or wondering what the best songs on Anatomy are, critics point first to “Words” and “Walk Away” as the record's clearest triumphs.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
Words
1 mention
"On ‘Words’ Potter croons ‘words matter’."— Clash Music
Walk Away
1 mention
"‘Walk Away’ has a wonderful jazzy bounce to it."— Clash Music
Carmageddon
1 mention
"‘Carmageddon’ is the rockiest track on the album, throbbing with rebellion."— Clash Music
On ‘Words’ Potter croons ‘words matter’.
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Anatomy
Coming Home
Words
My Earth
Carmageddon
Walk Away
Time To Go
Come Back
Honey
Oh Daughter
Elegy
The Fall
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 2 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Sally Potter’s Anatomy thrives on its deliberate opacity, and the review makes clear the best tracks are those where meaning and voice collide, especially “Words” and “Walk Away”. The reviewer relishes how “Words” drives home the album’s central idea - words matter - and how “Walk Away”’s jazzy bounce and bobbing bassline let Potter’s idiosyncratic vocals cut through. The praise is steady rather than gushy, noting that repeated listens reveal the interplay of piano and guitar and the album’s pleasures. Overall the best songs on Anatomy are the ones that foreground Potter’s word-heavy, immediate delivery and those moments of musical discord that make her voice unforgettable.
Key Points
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The best song is 'Words' because it encapsulates the album’s core message that words matter and reveals musical detail on repeat listens.
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The album’s core strength is Potter’s idiosyncratic vocal delivery paired with layered arrangements that reward repeated listening.