Dum Dum Girls "Too True"
Another week and another eagerly awaited record."Too True" is Dee Dee Penny's Dum Dum Girls project's third album and it's safe to say that the musical leap between this album and 2011's "Only in Dreams" is as wide as the gap between that album and 2010's "I Will Be Me".
Intrigued? Read on...
Gone is the Lo-Fi, Garageband, keep-it-mono thrash of "I Will Be Me" and the 60's-Girl-Group-meets-West-Coast-meets-C86-Twee of "Only in Dreams" - all replaced by a crashing wall of shoegazed indie-pop reverbed guitar, punchy drums, classy middle-eights, oh-so-perfect over-dubbed harmonies and crystaline vocals...
"Too True" is Dum Dum Girls 3.0. As Dee Dee Penny hinted in her moving confessional, the album points to new sound, new direction and a new future (albeit one that looks forward while at the same time keeping one eye firmly fixed on the past.)
...Do you hear Suede? Siouxie? Cold-wave Patti? Madonna? Cure? Velvet and Paisley Undergrounds? Stone Roses? Cuz I did..."Dee Dee Penny
"Cult of Love" sets the tone - all jangly guitars alternating with pedal-to-the-metal fuzz, a great hook and infectious melody that drills into your skull - and Dee's Dee's vocals all front and centre. She's always been a talented song-writer and composer, but on this album there's a real emphasis on the vocals and boy on the evidence of this can she deliver.
"Evil Bloom" is a beautifully disturbing song. There's a hypnotic quality in the way that the rhythm is undoubtedly upbeat - and I'd be flailing like a whirling dervish to the pulsating drum beat - but those lyrics are gripped with menace and a delectable undercurrent of darkness (and yes, that's why I love Hôtel Morphée's "Des histoires de fantômes" - it shares that same Gothic edginess...)
The two teaser tracks released in advance of this album were inspired choices... "Rimbaud Eyes" sees Dee Dee reflecting upon troubled 19th century French symbolist poet Artur Rimbaud - deliciously dark - snippets of poetry as verses - over which is laid an absolutely thumping chorus and the most amazing Bunnymanesque neo-psychodelic guitar-licks since... well Echo and The Bunnyman... As for "Lost Boys and Girls Club" - I surrendered to this a long time ago - immersed in the longing sense of searching for a destination when the reality is that the journey is far more important - the song just revolves around the most majestic and gorgeous of guitar riffs...
This album more than demonstrates that as an artist Dee Dee is constantly evolving. Not afraid to adapt, to experiment, to push and pull at her musical boundaries while remaining true to the beliefs that have guided her.
I'd argue that my theory is proven by the album's strongest moments... For all the standard-out stabs at shoegazing indie-pop greatness, it is the two, slower, balladesque numbers; the album closer "Trouble is My Name" and the absolutely sublime "Are You OK?" that really hit home. The former is the most beautiful bitter-sweet song, self-reflective, pessimistic, always powerful yet built upon the most fragile sixties-tremelo guitar. The later is my favourite, it's the kind of song that anyone who has ever been in love can immediately identify with. It's a song that just wants to hug you, hold onto you and reassure you that everything is going to be OK in the world...
You could spend hours trying to identify the artists that have obviously influenced and inspired her - but you know, Dee Dee makes no secret of these - the bands that inspire her were themselves inspired by an earlier diverse and eclectic group. Besides, you only have to look at who Dee Dee has once again entrusted stewardship of this oeuvre. Anyone who has an inkling of Richard Gottehrer's contribution to popular music or who has ever listened to Sune Rose Wagner's The Ravonettes will understand that she and they share a kindred spirit.
"Too True" is that rare gem... The perfect album. Ten totally perfect tunes that makes you just want to close your eyes and be immersed and engulfed by. The kind of album that holds you spellbound... In short, a masterpiece.
"Too True" is an album that says Dee Dee Penny is going to be around for as long as she wants...
Dum Dum Girls' website
Dum Dum Girls on Subpop
"Too True" (iTunes), (Amazon), (7Digital)
"Evil Bloom" is a beautifully disturbing song. There's a hypnotic quality in the way that the rhythm is undoubtedly upbeat - and I'd be flailing like a whirling dervish to the pulsating drum beat - but those lyrics are gripped with menace and a delectable undercurrent of darkness (and yes, that's why I love Hôtel Morphée's "Des histoires de fantômes" - it shares that same Gothic edginess...)
The two teaser tracks released in advance of this album were inspired choices... "Rimbaud Eyes" sees Dee Dee reflecting upon troubled 19th century French symbolist poet Artur Rimbaud - deliciously dark - snippets of poetry as verses - over which is laid an absolutely thumping chorus and the most amazing Bunnymanesque neo-psychodelic guitar-licks since... well Echo and The Bunnyman... As for "Lost Boys and Girls Club" - I surrendered to this a long time ago - immersed in the longing sense of searching for a destination when the reality is that the journey is far more important - the song just revolves around the most majestic and gorgeous of guitar riffs...
This album more than demonstrates that as an artist Dee Dee is constantly evolving. Not afraid to adapt, to experiment, to push and pull at her musical boundaries while remaining true to the beliefs that have guided her.
I'd argue that my theory is proven by the album's strongest moments... For all the standard-out stabs at shoegazing indie-pop greatness, it is the two, slower, balladesque numbers; the album closer "Trouble is My Name" and the absolutely sublime "Are You OK?" that really hit home. The former is the most beautiful bitter-sweet song, self-reflective, pessimistic, always powerful yet built upon the most fragile sixties-tremelo guitar. The later is my favourite, it's the kind of song that anyone who has ever been in love can immediately identify with. It's a song that just wants to hug you, hold onto you and reassure you that everything is going to be OK in the world...
You could spend hours trying to identify the artists that have obviously influenced and inspired her - but you know, Dee Dee makes no secret of these - the bands that inspire her were themselves inspired by an earlier diverse and eclectic group. Besides, you only have to look at who Dee Dee has once again entrusted stewardship of this oeuvre. Anyone who has an inkling of Richard Gottehrer's contribution to popular music or who has ever listened to Sune Rose Wagner's The Ravonettes will understand that she and they share a kindred spirit.
"Too True" is that rare gem... The perfect album. Ten totally perfect tunes that makes you just want to close your eyes and be immersed and engulfed by. The kind of album that holds you spellbound... In short, a masterpiece.
"Too True" is an album that says Dee Dee Penny is going to be around for as long as she wants...
Dum Dum Girls' website
Dum Dum Girls on Subpop
"Too True" (iTunes), (Amazon), (7Digital)
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