New Music Reviews: Dum Dum Girls-He Gets Me High (EP)

In a matter of around fourteen minutes and a total of four songs, this little sampler serves as a nice appetizer for anyone who found a lot to like about the Dum Dum Girls debut album "I Will Be" from last year as well as bringing in some new listeners who may not be familiar with the band. Lead vocalist and bandleader Dee Dee (Kirstin Gundred) is no longer recording four tracks from her bedroom as she did on the debut and the production value helps let her songwriting on three originals shine through. Her delivery is very reminiscent to Chrissie Hynde leading a sixties girl pop group. If the sound is a bit cleaner than before, the Jesus and Mary Chain influenced guitar buzz is still in tact, just more controlled. And it works.

The three originals tell of a quick tale of falling, being, and losing love which is highly commendable in such a short set. Lead off "Right Feels Wrong" charges along with shimmering guitars and a mid section of fuzzed out guitars with Dee Dee portraying the feeling of someone first falling in love. Second track "He Gets Me High" then portrays the feeling of being deep in love "So much weight upon your voice, I have no choice...He gets me by, he gets me high". It's perfect updated sixties guitar rock in every sense of the term. The third song wraps up the trilogy of  love with a very tender ballad "Take Care Of My Baby". It may be the weakest of the three, but Dee Dee's vocal delivery is both bittersweet and unbelievably intimate, each line being delivered by someone leaving her love...for better and worse.

Odd, but still kind of delightful, is the way the EP wraps up with a Smiths' cover "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" which is more sped up and guitar heavy than the original. While the breathtaking strings from the Smiths' version is gone, it still stays true enough to form to be an enjoyable conclusion. In this context, it's the encore for Dee Dee who after leaving here love is looking to just ...get away, I guess.

It will be nice to see what the next stepping stone will be for Dum Dum Girls on their next output. "I Will Be" was an intriguing debut (review from last year here) and this EP solidifies things even more that Dee Dee has got the know how to become even more of a force with a solid set of material. The future looks bright, third time may be the charm for her all around focused classic. It's just a hunch.

Grade: B+

JHO Picks:
Wrong Feels Right
He Gets Me High
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

Source: http://www.jhostation.com/2011/03/new-music-reviews-dum-dum-girls-he-gets.html

Heavenly Komeda Smudge Los Campesinos!