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Music for Men – Gossip

Beth Ditto may have an appearance which defies the commonly accepted convention of a leading woman. But you listen to her voice once, and you get completely hooked. And when the Guru who’s seen it all, done it all, Rick Rubin, lends his Midas touch, there just can’t be any reason for the album not to be a phenomenon. Being a self proclaimed lesbian and LGBT supporter, it is no surprise that Beth’s band Gossip’s latest album is titled “Music For Men”. With her soul based cherubic voice, Beth captivates throughout the album. The tracks are filled with an energy, which crosses over from dance to punk to downright edgy retro pop. Sample the opening tracks “Dimestore Diamond” and “Heavy Cross” and you will know what we mean. The chugging bass chords of Brace Paine and heavyweight drumming of Hannah Blilie (who is the replacement drummer after Kathy Mendonca) forge a bond with Ditto for a compelling listen. Rubin has not only produced, but also provided duties on the keys and sequencing. This is in fact what has lent that tight spun feel to the entire album. The retro pop intro on “Four Letter Word” (no, the word is Love, and not what you think), the blistering opener to “Men in Love” or the furrowed chops on “Vertical Rhythm” all add up together to give us an album that is definitely going to be remembered as one of Gossip’s best efforts.