Gossip – Real Power
Although at times it sacrifices bite in favour of a certain kind of generic polish, Real Power – Gossip's first album in over a decade – is a lot of fun
Legendary indie-rock band Gossip have made their first new music in over a decade with Real Power, an upbeat album full of the group's signature anthems. The group dropped singles Act of God, Real Power and Crazy Again earlier this year, promising a tracklist of heartfelt and inspiring bangers.
The album delivers a high-energy homage to the geometric pop sounds of the 80s, with touches of rock and funk. The subject matter is uniformly geared toward growth and resilience, with energetic instrumentals to match. In classic Gossip fashion, the real focal point is lead singer Beth Ditto's recognisable voice. Ditto's growth as an artist is on full display on Tell Me Something, which sticks in the mind as the album's most memorable track.
Real Power trends away from the raw punk-disco sound of the likes of Standing In the Way of Control in favour of a cleaner, more composed aesthetic, with Rick Rubin's seasoned production felt throughout. Bright, angular trebles mix with catchy melodies to create a cohesive, if not somewhat uniform, voice for the album. Real Power is a lot of fun, though at points it seems to sacrifice bite in favour of a certain kind of generic polish.
Listen to: Edge of the Sun, Turn the Card Slowly, Tell Me Something