Review: Dum Dum Girls - I Will Be

Apr 062010

This debut LP from the Dum Dum Girls is a tease. You see, in name, in style, in hype they’re retreading ground already gleefully stamped all over by the wonderful Vivian Girls. Even three tracks into I Will Be, there’s little to distinguish them from their Brooklyn counterparts. It’s all DIY-surf-echoed gubbins; it’s good though – opener It Only Takes One Night shakes, clatters and rolls along, recalling the fantastic Raveonettes tune Attack Of The Ghost Riders.

Then, it happens. You see, they’ve been hiding a stupendous trick up their sleeve. In Jail La La they possess perhaps the greatest single we’ve yet seen from this genre rediscovery. It starts simply enough, a night out gone wrong, admittedly, some of the best use of la-la-las since Kylie. But the chorus, oh boy the chorus. It’s like getting showered in sunshine. The harmonies take you back to whatever era you count as classic girl group, with the aching refrain “someone tell my baby / or else he won’t know I need saving” repeating until fade.

Thankfully, the rest of I Will Be stands up to inspection. The second half of the album in particular rattles by in what seems like no time at all, even if by the end it is all getting a little derivative. Closer Baby Don’t Go brings things to a hal in nice style though, slower with the sound of lapping waves behind another gorgeous harmony. Little guitar runs and wistfully playful lyrics throughout help make this a cohesive whole – rather than ten tracks of come-on and one of full blown aural pleasure.

Rating: ★★★★☆☆

Dum Dum Girls – Jail La La (mp3)

Jail La La video

*PS – get this one on wax, it comes as a lovely red/black spatter vinyl. Yum.

Buy I Will Be from Norman Records

London Live: 22-28 February

Feb 212010

Gig Of The Week: Dum Dum Girls / MALE BONDING, Barden’s Boudoir, Thursday

A bumper, bumper week sees the return of our weekly gig guide to what’s happening on London’s live music scene. So bumper that I really struggled to pick a single gig – but the one that has come out on top is a cracker. Get yourselves down to Barden’s Boudoir on Thursday night to check out two of legendary label Sub Pop’s latest signings. From LA there is the awesome Dum Dum Girls, playing in advance of their debut full length, I Will Be, due out in March. Playing too are Dalston’s MALE BONDING – who recently rocked as support for the Vivian Girls on home turf at the Trinity Hall, Dalston. Both bring ferocious pace and lo-fi thrills to the party, expect it fast and loud and Barden’s is a great place to watch it unfold.

Sadly I’ll be missing the show in favour of the live return of Brighton’s Blood Red Shoes who play the regular New Slang show out in Kingston. Box Of Secrets was a joy for me, and remains a regular feature on my playlists and I cannot wait to see what their forthcoming sophomore LP, Fire Like This, will bring. Elsewhere, the ongoing rush of the NME Awards shows continues with New Young Pony Club headlining a bill that also includes the excellent Chew Lips and Teeth on Monday at the Islington Academy. Girls at Scala should be a riot too, and if you fancy something a little quieter try the Jagjaguwar showcase at the Windmill, Brixton on Tuesday. Two big shows in support of the ongoing Haiti Earthquake appeal are obviously for a good cause but the line ups are deeply uninspiring.

Brain-melters Ungdomskulen play The Lexington on Thursday – the busiest day of the week. You could also pick Los Campesinos! at Koko, but if like me you like things a bit more intimate – wait a week and catch them at New Slang, Shearwater (Scala), Casiokids (Barfly) or if you like things a but more retro try Pere Ubu at the Garage. Things slow down a bit as the weekend draws near but Friday sees Xiu Xiu rip up the Luminaire which has to be worth a view. If you’ve got nowt to do all day Saturday there’s an excellent one day festival – Owl Parliament – happening at Union Chapel. Featuring  Mount Eerie, Jeremy Walmsley, Aidan Moffat and Darren Hayman amongst others this should be a fantastic day, evening tickets are a little less than all-day ones. Finally, Hot Chip play a couple of nights down at the Brixton Academy.

Dum Dum Girls – Catholicked

Male Bonding – Rehearsal Song

Photo: MALE BONDING. Taken by Sebastián J @ Barden’s Boudoir, 20/12/09

If you’re struggling to find any of the venues listed, they’re all on our map of London’s gig venues and record shops – here. Read on for all our recommendations this week.

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