Knockout singing and an abrasive ladette style are the qualities that have thrust Beth Ditto and Gossip to the forefront of the UK music scene with ultimate force in the last 6 months. Their music is a well thought out, high tempo affront to the senses, which is bolstered by the retrospective and remarkable rock vocals of the shameless but superb lead singer.
So I’m a fan, and when they hit their finest notes, they do so with the same anarchic freedom as The White Stripes and Wolfmother. But their latest single isn’t one of their best. There’s nothing much wrong with ‘Jealous Girls’. It starts with a typically dark and groovy guitar line and cheeky charging drum but, despite the Beth’s usual top draw and compelling vocals, it never seems to become the song that the beginning promises and trails off a little after the minute mark.
Gossip are so hot right now that ‘Jealous Girls’ will surely saturate clubs nationwide but this track just doesn’t quite reach the heights as a stand alone offering. It’s style over substance and that’s not the route that Ms. Ditto needs to take.
