In these darkening times, there’s been an upswing in more positive-thinking music, especially in the also-on-the-upswing electro-rock & -pop. Even the biggest of artists have been embracing the uplift, like Katy Perry’s "Firework" or Kelly Clarkson’s "What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger". But those are still watered-down pop for the mainstream – it’s Gossip who up-rocks for the rest of us on their latest, A Joyful Noise.
Gossip’s full-frontal LGBT activism, led by singer & alt-diva Beth Dillo, has long been a mainstay of theirs, and didn’t disappear when they moved to major label Columbia on Live in Liverpool (QRO review) and Music For Men (QRO review). It’s still in force on Joyful, though seems more positive in tracks like "Move In the Right Direction", "Get Lost", and "Horns". However, the war hasn’t been won, whether social or personal, and Gossip stills brings the tragic dance – epic on single "Perfect World", and a call to work on trust fund kids kiss-off "Get a Job", but also detailing break-ups and other anti-love themes on "Casualties of War", "Involved", and "I Won’t Play". Plus, the group mixes in some slow, dirty beats in "Melody Emergency" and "Into the Wild".
Click here for photos of Gpssip at Terminal 5 in New York, NY on May 22nd, 2012 in the QRO Concert Photo Gallery
Click here for photos of Gpssip at Terminal 5 on April 30th, 2010 in the QRO Concert Photo Gallery
No matter how diverse a crowd Clarkson tries to put in her "Stronger" video, or all the not-underweight ladies Perry used in "Firework" (accurately described as "Dove model" by Butthead…), they’re still beautiful celebrities singing to mainstream America. But in Gossip’s A Joyful Noise, we’ve got an electro-rock & -pop uplift for the rest of us.
MP3 Stream: "Perfect World"
