Last year the Dum Dum Girls turned in my number five favorite album of 2010 with their girl-group garage-punk wonderwork "I Will Be." Although the record was marked by the remnants of lo-fi production, lead woman Dee Dee's songwriting and vocals made the album stand out in a field saturated by tin can garage rock. Best Coast may have gotten all the attention last year, but when it came down to it the Dum Dum Girls were grittier, more complicated and ultimately more rewarding. "He Gets Me High" finds the band eschewing lo-fi altogether for beefed-up cleaner production that places the focus directly on Dee Dee's writing and the band's playing, and guess what? It's deliriously good. "Wrong Feels Right" and the ep's titular track are pop gems that sound very much like the Dum Dum Girls of old, but with crystal clear production which allows all of the group's dynamics, depth and layers to be heard without obstruction. The real treat comes with the gut-wrenching and gorgeous "Take Care Of My Baby," a ballad about loving a person who has a hard time loving themselves, and the inevitable self-destruction that follows. When Dee Dee sings "I would watch as you were sleeping to make sure you were still breathing" in earnestness it carries the heartbreaking weight of a classic country song. To round out the ep the girls take on the much beloved and sacred "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" by the Smiths. This could easily be a recipe for disaster, but not in the hands of the Dum Dum Girls. Instead, they beef it up and make it into a "these go to 11" rocker, while still retaining Johnny Marr's spectral guitar effects throughout. It's one of the best cover songs I've heard in...well, forever. More than anything the Dum Dum Girls sound more confident than ever on "He Gets Me High," invoking even greater anticipation for their next full-length."He Gets Me High"
Dum Dum Girls - He Gets Me High (OFFICIAL VIDEO) from Sub Pop Records on Vimeo.
The Beach Fossils are another previously lo-fi act that have taken a more polished approach on their new ep "What A Pleasure." This rather generous eight song offering finds the band sounding less submerged and hazy than they did on their wonderful debut record, which also made my "best of" list last year. Admittedly this batch of songs is less compelling than their debut, which may be why the band is offering it up as an ep. You can get away with toss off tracks on an ep and not get dinged for it. Most of the tracks are casual fit-for-spring songs, at the same time they lack the enduring charm of the band's debut. "Pleasure's" two best tracks "Face It" and "Distance" have already seen the light of day on the band's excellent 7" release earlier this year. Both are perfect Beach Fossils' songs that explore slightly (and I mean ever so slightly) darker textures than the band did on their debut, while still retaining memorable hooks and melodies. If you missed that 7", "Pleasure" is worth it for those tracks alone. "Calyer" is another highlight that finds the band effortless turning in a rocking easy breezy number that sounds far more developed than some of the other tracks here, proving that the band more than has it in them to produce another full length of wonderfully understated indie rock. "Face It"
Then there is Burial's "Street Halo." I don't think it's an overstatement to say this is the most anticipated EP of 2011. If you don't know who Burial is, then you are probably reading the wrong blog. If so, I will attempt to illuminate you. Burial is by far the most creative, beloved and well known name in dubstep, his dark ghostly take on the genre set a thousand ships sailing, including Thom Yorke's "Eraser" and Radiohead's "King Of Limbs." You digging that new James Blake? Well, you can thank Burial for setting the stage for him as well (of course you can thank Massive Attack for setting the stage for Burial, but we will save that discussion for a different day). Anyway, we last heard from Burial in 2007 with the much lauded "Untrue" LP and "Ghost Hardware" EP. Unlike a lot of current musicians, his absence was noticed and rumors of possible new work was always met with anticipation, and until now, disappointment (I'm still waiting for that DJ Kicks album he was supposed to do). Finally we have an actual new collection of Burial tracks. Granted there are only three, and they total just over twenty minutes, but trust me when I say they were worth the wait. The tracks on "Street Halo" are the best that Burial has ever produced. Each track maintains his trademark spectral haunt, but contains a coiled energy unlike anything he has ever created. His approach is more streamlined, yet just as hazy and dark as his self-titled debut. Some of the pitch-shifted vocals of "Untrue" remain, but they are far more subdued, blending into the overall sound of each track here, rather than rattling about at the forefront. Elements of IDM and even techno and house are present, but it is far too cerebral an affair to call dance. There is also something deeply beautiful and cinematic about each of these tracks, even as they remain entirely restrained. I really can't say enough good things about "Street Halo." I only hope that this is a prelude to another full length soon. I don't think I can wait another four years for a new Burial record."Street Halo"
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