Riot grrrl trailblazers like Bikini Kill were always about up-against-your-grill female empowerment. Though clearly influenced by the lyrics of BK singer Kathleen Hanna, and the howitzer- exploding instrumentation of gender-busting power-trio Sleater-Kinney, the Gossip–fronted by the seductively vicious hellcat Beth Ditto (who owes her vocal prowess more to Aretha Franklin than Hanna)–exude more guttural, far less political soul enforcement and sexual TNT than both those revered acts.
Ultimately, the Gossip is South Bronx minimalist funk-punk group ESG reincarnated 25 years later as two hip white chicks (Ditto and newly recruited powerhouse drummer Hannah Blilie) and a slashing, barely noticeable male guitarist/bassist (the underappreciated Brace Paine) that whip up a simplistic dance-punk furor with composite songwriting and cocky self-assuredness not equaled since the female-fronted BellRays burst upon the scene a decade ago. The Gossip blows the doors off today’s unwitting rivals with unmatched vocal intensity and flawless, drop-of-the-dime instrumental versatility and dynamism that would peel paint off a 1963 Ford Thunderbird from 50 paces.
Standout tracks include the opening salvo “Fire With Fire”–where Ditto’s fire-and-brimstone caterwauling complements a riff-chunky, hip-shakin’ groove that intimidates and undulates with the bacon-fat gluttony of Andre Williams preparing his ritual R&B slop fest–and the defiantly anthem-like title cut where sturdy production from Guy Picciotto (Fugazi) exposes her jagged and gut-bluesy voice, keeping the rough edges as a reminder that, soulful or not, this band kicks ass first and asks questions later.
This article appears in Apr 13-19, 2006.