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 increased by another 0.5°Celsius, and the price of a Freddo chocolate bar has increased by a staggering 47%. The world has moved on considerably – is there still a place in today’s world for this indie rock trio?
So why the lengthy gap? Beth Ditto, lead singer and overall force of nature, said the band “needed space to deal with our shit”. Seems like a good reason to me. There must have been a lot of shit! Far better, they take a breather and stay together than soldier on and end up in an acrimonious split. Too many bands have fallen foul of this over the years.
Real Power sees the band reunite with super-producer Rick Rubin, with whom they worked on their 2009 album Music for Men, Gossip’s highest-placing UK album to date. Will this 11-track offering see them gain their first ever UK Album Top 10? Or even a number one? Gossip certainly has a loyal fan base, but will this album crossover to attract new listeners? Let’s drop the stylus and find out…
Straight out of the blocks like a racehorse on amphetamines, ‘Act Of God’ opens the album. As opening tracks go, it’s up there with the best of them. It is a barnstorming track that sounds like a mix of 60s Motown and 70s disco funk. As soon as the track starts, you are taken back in time. I can picture Ditto standing behind a mic, hair up in a beehive with the band beside her and a couple of backing singers behind her left shoulder – all in black and white. Think of The Supremes or Martha and the Vandellas – this track reminds me of those musical greats. It will undoubtedly be one you add to your playlists. It is infectious and joyous 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 next and wants to punch you in the cheeky portions. It is a thick slice of disco with a squishy synth and bubbling bass courtesy of Nathan Howdeshell. It is a song about harnessing your power, particularly in the plentiful adversity of modern life. This is certainly a dance floor filler with a wonderful, uplifting feel. Another for playlists everywhere.
‘Don’t Be Afraid’ sees the pace drop a little. With 80s pop ballad sensibilities, Ditto’s voice soars across the track, reminding us of the emotion she can cram into her singing. Tackling the issue of someone close moving on to a new relationship certainly has its fair share of melancholy from start to finish.
Being a more positive, we are treated to another splodge of 80s pop. A song all about falling in love, ‘Crazy Again’ hears Ditto deliver her lyrics in a softer, almost breathy manner. It suits her. “Situations occur when romance is a blur; it happens all the time/Send me a saviour”, sighs Ditto, backed by jangly guitars and a driving rhythm. It reminds me of The Go-Go’s spliced with Cyndi Lauper.
Kylie-esque disco-pop is next in the form of ‘Edge Of The Sun’. Once again, we are treated to Ditto, releasing a more gentle, floaty vocal style over a pounding beat. Very radio friendly, it comes complete with a catchy chorus.
If the previous earworm of a chorus was not enough for you, ‘Give It Up For Love’ cranks up the infection rate. A funky, Abba-infused track all about falling in love and the excitement it brings, Ditto delivers her trademark punchy vocals in such a way it almost feels like a secondary rhythm guitar, “Darling it’s, it’s such a curse/I’m sure that you and I can find a cure/My weakness is a love like yours/Can’t stand to see you walking out the door”.
‘Turn The Card Slowly’ is underpinned with a lovely, ethereal slide guitar, creating an almost dream-like state. There’s a part of the song’s structure where Ditto lets rip her powerful pipes, and I was convinced we would be given a rendition of ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey. However, that’s where the similarity ends, thank goodness. “I made you a home, and you built a fence/Said you’d never roam, and I was convinced/I was letting go of my common sense”, croons Ditto in a moment of clarity.
Ditto’s vocal power is at the core of ‘Tell Me Something,’ a track that sounds like it could have been lifted from an Adele album. A soft, delicate song juxtaposed with a pumping drum beat from Hannah Blilie, ‘Light It Up’ is an odd fish. This track seems to pass me by throughout multiple plays of this album. It is not that it is a bad song; it just doesn’t engage me. Even when I put the track on repeat, it didn’t penetrate.
‘Tough’ jumps between jangly and choppy guitars as a muffled beat nags at you like an infected molar. Ditto reminds me of Pat Benatar here, which highlights the versatility on show from the Gossip bandleader. Her voice is utilized more on this album than previously, allowing her to showcase her range. There’s far more to Ditto than a growl, and by letting loose her vocal capabilities, we can engage with her on a far more intimate and emotional level.
The curtain falls with a beautiful, atmospheric ballad in ‘Peace and Quiet’. It is a song that details the dissolving of Ditto’s marriage to long-term partner Kristen Ogata. It feels as if Ditto has opened her skull and asked us to look inside. “I like peace and quiet, but the silence is killing me”, rasps Ditto with more than a hint of despair and heartbreak. More of a slow burner than a grab-you-by-the-throat offering, it is the antithesis of the opening tracks to Real Power.
And that’s what this album does well. It leads you in with punchy, big, roof-raising songs that you would expect from Gossip – songs you want to dance along to whether in the car, the shower or a nightclub. And they do it very well. But as the album reveals itself, you are introduced to a different side of the band. Whilst very much connected to their recognizable style and sensibilities, the full-throttle approach is curbed with a more balanced approach taking over.
And Gossip is better for it. We are allowed access to a more candid and emotional set of songs with a different music soundscape, allowing Ditto to deliver a much broader vocal performance than heard previously. While some die-hard fans could possibly baulk at this tilt, it will likely see greater appeal to the wider public.
If you like a bit of retro with a modern twist and music that can both grab your heart and kick your teeth in, I’d give Real Power a listen… possibly whilst eating a Freddo whilst you can still afford one.
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