Seattle Subsonic

Gossip

June 18th, 2009

You can also check out Gossip’s new album over at Spinner, probably through Monday 6/22. (Say, when did they drop the ‘the’ from their name?) The record is titled Music For Men, will be released June 23rd and was produced by Rick Rubin, who MTV called “the most important producer of the last 20 years”. Well then.

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The Portland-based band is fronted, as you know, by the Aretha Franklin of Punk in Beth Ditto who, as you know, has done her share of barrier-breaking in the conventional sexuality arena. Music For Men undoubtedly focuses on her incredible voice, with glossy guitars and jagged punk/funk dance rhythms struttin’ along with her. Brace Paine sounds really solid and sinewy throughout. The album’s a bit overproduced (thanks, RICK) and might catapult them into mainstream-land, but it does succeed on other levels. Ditto and her bandmates aren’t shy and their tunes raunchily flaunt their collective persona. The one that says “fuck you, let’s rock”. Many of the songs are catchy as hell and probably will sound awesome in a live setting. “Four Letter Word” gives a head nod to the Knife and is one of a few tunes that slows down and really simmers. “Love Long Distance” utilizes a piano to get out the boogie and probably doesn’t even need a remix to be a dancefloor hit. And there will be dancefloor hits.

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Hey, another fun fact: drummer Hannah Blilie is the fraternal twin of Jordan Blilie, singer for Past Lives and, of course, the Blood Brothers. Talented family.

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You can download the first single “Heavy Cross” here, or just watch its fancy video below.

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