Eleven recommends this month’s new releases from Dum Dum Girls, Ladytron, and St. Vincent
Dum Dum Girls- Only In Dreams
On Only in Dreams, Dum Dum Girls transform more mature material into a peppy follow-up to 2009′s I Will Be.
The four-piece’s sound is tighter than ever, a much more polished, studio-produced version of their signature retro garage-pop. Only in Dreams immediately kicks off into a frenzy of distorted guitar and a tight, pulsating drum pattern on “Always Looking.” Stylistically, the album’s ten tracks vary, from the peppy, surfer pop gem “Bedroom Eyes” to “Hold Your Hand”, a very personal ode to frontwoman Dee Dee’s recently deceased mother.
Think The Supremes meets The Beach Boys meets The Smiths. Can you really go wrong?
Ladytron- Gravity the Seducer
Hypnotic is undeniably the most fitting description for Ladytron’s fifth studio release.
On Gravity the Seducer, these English electro-rock veterans deliver an airy blend of analog beats, synthesizer effects, and haunting vocals. Although less dynamic than their 2008 release Velocifero, tracks like “Mirage” and “Ambulances” reveal a more mellow, trance-like side of Ladytron. Like a soundtrack to your worst nightmares, Gravity the Seducer plays like a futuristic haunted house you won’t want to escape.
St. Vincent- Strange Mercy
Chances are you’ve heard Annie Clark under her stage name, St. Vincent, in the past few weeks.
With the cover story in this month’s SPIN, a slew of late night television appearances, and the coveted “Best New Music” title from the ultra-hip editors at Pitchfork, saying that buzz around St. Vincent’s third studio release is high would be an understatement.
However, this buzz is well-deserved for Clark, as she has continued to reinvent her sound, most dramatically on her latest effort Strange Mercy. Crafting a compelling mixture of post-punk, pop, and jazz with a distinctly unique voice to deliver an equally powerful emotional connection with her audience. At first listen, the album is incredibly unpredictable. On “Cheerleader”, what starts out as a timid vocal-heavy track transforms into a fiery blend of fuzzy guitar riffs and drums to match her self-proclaimed angst. Strange Mercy will keep you intrigued, over and over again.
