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Since Gossip last released a studio album, the UK has had five prime ministers, the US has seen an insurrection, the Earth's surface temperature has risen another 0.5°C and the price of a bar of Freddo chocolate has increased by a staggering 47%. . The world has advanced considerably. Is there still a place in today's world for this indie rock trio?
So what is the reason for this long gap? Beth Ditto, lead singer and general force of nature, said the band “We needed space to deal with our shit”. It seems like a good reason to me. There must have been a lot of shit! It is much better for them to take a break and stay together than to move on and end up in a bitter split. Too many bands have fallen into this over the years.
royal power sees the band reunite with super-producer Rick Rubin, who they worked with on their 2009 album. music for men, Gossip's highest-charting album in the UK to date. Will this 11-track offering get you your first Top 10 album in the UK? Or even a number one? Gossip certainly has a loyal fan base, but will this album crossover to attract new listeners? Let's put down the pencil and discover…
Straight off the blocks like a racehorse on amphetamines, 'Act Of God' opens the album. As early tracks go, it's up there with the best. It's a fast-paced song that sounds like a mix of '60s Motown and '70s disco funk. As soon as the track starts, you're taken back in time. I can imagine Ditto standing behind a microphone, hair up in a beehive, with the band next to him and a couple of backup singers behind his left shoulder, all in black and white. Think The Supremes or Martha and the Vandellas: this song reminds me of those musical greats. It will definitely be one you add to your playlists. It's contagious and happy and makes you want to dance.
Gossip doesn't want to give you time to gather your thoughts as the title track 'Real Power' is up next and wants to hit you in the cheeky bits. It's a big slice of disco with mushy synth and bubbling bass, courtesy of Nathan Howdeshell. It's a song about harnessing your power, particularly in the abundant adversity of modern life. It is certainly a dance floor filler with a wonderful and exhilarating feel. Another one for playlists everywhere.
In 'Don't Be Afraid' the pace drops a bit. With a sensitivity for '80s pop ballads, Ditto's voice soars through the track, reminding us of the emotion he can pack into his singing. Tackling the issue of someone close starting a new relationship certainly has a healthy dose of melancholy from start to finish.
On a more positive note, we are treated to another slick of '80s pop. A song about falling in love, 'Crazy Again' sees Ditto deliver his lyrics in a softer, almost breathy manner. It suits her. “Situations occur in which the romance is blurred; Happens all the time/Send me a savior,” Ditto sighs, backed by jangling guitars and a driving beat. It reminds me of The Go-Go's teaming up with Cyndi Lauper.
Kylie-esque disco-pop is next in the form of 'Edge Of The Sun'. Once again, we are treated to Ditto, who launches a softer, more floating vocal style over a hard-hitting beat. Very radio friendly, he comes complete with a catchy chorus.
If the previous chorus wasn't enough for you, 'Give It Up For Love' increases the infection rate. A funky, Abba-infused song about falling in love and the excitement it brings, Ditto delivers his trademark punchy vocals in such a way that he almost feels like a secondary rhythm guitar. “Honey, it's a curse/I'm sure you and I can find a cure/My weakness is a love like yours/I can't stand to see you walk out the door.”.
'Turn The Card Slowly' is backed by beautiful, ethereal slide guitar, creating an almost dreamlike state. There's a part of the song structure where Ditto lets his powerful flutes rip, and I was convinced that Journey would give us a rendition of 'Do n't Stop Believin'. However, that's where the similarity ends, thank goodness. “I made you a home and you built a fence/You said you'd never wander and I was convinced/I was letting my common sense go.”sings Ditto in a moment of clarity.
Ditto's vocal power is at the center of 'Tell Me Something', a song that sounds like it was lifted from an Adele album. A soft and delicate song juxtaposed with a Hannah Blilie drum beat, 'Light It Up' is an odd fish. This track seems to pass me by throughout several playthroughs of this album. It's not that it's a bad song; It just doesn't appeal to me. Even when I put the track on repeat, it didn't sink in.
'Tough' bounces between jangling, staccato guitars while a muffled beat nags at you like an infected tooth. Same thing reminds me of Pat Benatar here, which highlights the versatility the Gossip bandleader displays. His voice is used more on this album than before, allowing him to show off his range. Ditto is much more than a growl, and by unleashing her vocal capabilities, we can relate to her on a much more intimate and emotional level.
The curtain falls on a beautiful, atmospheric ballad in 'Peace and Quiet'. It is a song that details the dissolution of Ditto's marriage to his long-time partner Kristen Ogata. It feels like Ditto has opened his skull and asked us to look inside. “I like peace and quiet, but the silence is killing me”, Ditto rasps with more than a hint of desperation and anguish. More of a slow-burn offer than a grab-you-by-the-throat offer, it's the antithesis of the initial clues of royal power.
And that's what this album does well. It brings you the big, hard-hitting songs you'd expect from Gossip: songs you want to dance to whether you're in the car, in the shower, or at a nightclub. and they do it very well. But as the album unfolds, you're introduced to a different side of the band. While very much in tune with his recognizable style and sensibility, the full-speed approach is reined in with a more balanced approach taking over.
And Gossip is better for it. We are allowed access to a more sincere and emotional set of songs with a different musical soundscape, allowing Ditto to deliver a much broader vocal performance than previously heard. While some die-hard fans might object to this inclination, it's likely to have more appeal to the general public.
If you like a bit of retro with a modern twist and music that can grab your heart and kick you in the teeth, I would give you royal power a listen… possibly while eating a Freddo while you can still afford to buy one.
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