GOSSIP
Standing in the Way of Control
Kill Rock Stars
· Psssst, the Gossip rock. Pass it on.
Bless the hearts of Beth Ditto and her band the Gossip for bringing a little soul back into punk rock. If you suffered the misfortune of missing out on their 2003 album, Movement, well, you should be ashamed of yourself. There’s really no excuse for passing on what could be considered one of the best modern blues albums of our generation. But OK, best not to dwell. Now that you know, go find a copy of their new release, Standing in the Way of Control.
Ditto’s voice sounds like it comes from the bayou – not an all-ages rock club in Olympia, Washington. She can convey despair and longing like a well-trained blues singer. Brace (guitar) and Hannah (drums) bring their instrumentation back to basics and perfectly complement the rawness of Ditto’s voice. She might not be as tragic a figure as Ella Fitzgerald or as polished as Diana Ross, but somehow this tiny woman can push her vocal chords to the limit, conveying a strength and wisdom that contradicts the image of a punk rock girl.
Ditto doesn’t subscribe to stereotypes. She has a command presence and does it all with a sultry strut and shameless flirting. She knows who she is and is completely unapologetic for not fitting into a particular mould or preconceived idea of who she is supposed to be. Songs such as "Fire with Fire" and "Your Mangled Heart" leave you convinced that there is nothing she can’t handle – especially when it comes to heartache. "Listen Up" has Ditto passing along some advice, counting down truisms and lies about human nature.
The album is empowering, feisty and, most importantly, insanely catchy. Ditto’s lyrics exude a self-assured femininity. Finger-snaps and "grrrl-power aside," this is the album of the year for anybody who likes their music with a little swagger and a lot of personality.
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