:: Gossip - Music For Men

Gossip

You’re walking through a department store. You stop, prick your ears toward the ceiling and exclaim, “This is great! Who is this?” More than likely, you are listening to Gossip. Having only known front-woman Beth Ditto from her risqué nude cover shoots for US mag ‘Love’ and ‘NME’ magazines and her womanly, curvaceous figure scantily clad at many a gig - her band's new album is a great, read brilliant, surprise. As a following to their gold record “Standing in the Way of Control” their current release ‘Music for Men’ is hard to pigeonhole into genre and once listened to, is even harder to resist the urge to sing and/or dance to. Beth’s fierce and strong, passionate and honest vocals are catchy and original. The opening track “Dimestore Diamond” offers heavy driving bass, complimenting Ditto’s sexy, soulful way with words. Cleverly irresistible. Following this, the second track on the album and one receiving considerable airplay of late - ‘Heavy Cross’ - is worthy of the attention being lavished. The driving chorus, electric melody and Beth’s signature vocal style tell a story, entertain and surprise. ‘8th wonder’, an upbeat energetic piece makes way for ‘Love Long Distance’, peppered with emotive soulful lyrics. The tracks jump from high-energy dance inducers to thoughtful, quiet tones; taking a little bit of everything and mixing it together to create the sound that is quite simply, Gossip. The standout track on here would have to be ‘Four letter word’; 80’s synthesizers, slow paced, sensual direction and Ditto’s vocal abilities are all on display. Gossip have musical superpowers; each track, while individually sculptured and one of a kind; harmoniously amalgamate and come together, every piece slots snugly to make a whole.