There is no doubt about it – Gossip’s front-woman Beth Ditto has real stage presence. Before she even hits a single note, she illuminates charisma that is almost incomparable to any lead singer of a post-punk rock group. Infamous for dancing on stage and for her eccentric, yet, revealing performance wardrobe – full-bodied spandex suits and her own undergarments – Ditto shamelessly carries an “I could care less” attitude. After all, how many plus-sized, female rockers can claim vocal ranges from soulful to full-blown punk/rock and still be equally appealing?
Gossip first garnered mainstream attention back in 2006 with their third studio release, Standing in the Way of Control. The title track from the album was nothing less than true genius. Controversial and fresh, the single was a response penned by Ditto herself, which panned former president George W. Bush after he made a federal push to outlaw same-sex marriage in the U.S. The song continued to grow immensely popular when it was used in promos for the controversial U.K. hit series “Skins,” which showcased out-of-control British teenagers partying in furry bear costumes and on teeny-tiny bicycles.
Fans who have long awaited the electronic-only June release of Gossip’s fourth studio album, Music For Men, may be in a bit of a dilemma. New and long-time listeners may enjoy the new material on the album, while others may feel as though their work has gone in a creatively bland direction.
The album treads away from indie-punk rock and into radio mainstream, which most likely is the result of being distributed by Columbia Records, a far cry from their former, freewheeling Kill Rock Stars label on which Control was on. The first single off of the album, “Heavy Cross,” starts off with muted palm picking guitars and a brooding sound quality and then transitions into dance-y beats with cymbals. Though the single is instrumentally strong, it is easily forgettable. The vocals seem strained at times and it cannot measure up to the same lasting impression as the first single from Control.
On the bright side, the opening track, “Dimestore Diamond,” reminds us of Ditto’s diverse vocal ranges and proves that she does not have to screech every other 30 seconds in order to have a lasting impression. The track is mastered into near-perfection with the addition of a rhythmic static and funky bass. In fact, without those nuanced details, this track would have easily gotten lost behind the other 11 efforts offered on the album.
Yet, too much of the content in the songs on Music For Men revolve around the singer’s dismay over the distance and disconnect in relationships, a been-there-done-that kind of deal. The songs start to become repetitive, and you start to wonder if Gossip has started to lose steam.
Then again, the sporadic surprises in the album every now and then are refreshing. Once, but briefly, in the intro of “Love and Let Love,” Ditto goes old-school by sampling lyrics and tunes from Salt N’ Pepas’s infamous “Push It.” Also, listeners with a close ear may find the opportunity to catch cameo-sized lyrics cribbed from the Go-Go’s, Aretha Franklin and the Beatles throughout the album. The winner on the album is “Pop Goes the World,” a dynamic fusion of techno and pop and one of the most charming and original tracks on the entire album for both its vocal and instrumental quality.
Music For Men is satisfying to the ears and even empowering at times, but it occasionally lacks inspiration, something Standing in the Way of Control did not have a problem with. Yet, unlike many follow-up albums after major success, this one may just have enough of an edge to keep Gossip from being a one-hit-wonder in the mainstream music world.
3 stars out of 5