You will agree that there is an ever-occurring phenomenon called a disappearing artist. I am not adverting to artistic people who were kidnapped or proclaimed missing by a police department. I am referring to artists who experience great success in their niche and then decide to get lost from the public eye. Beth Ditto almost became a disappearing artist. At the time when her band Gossip was on the edge of becoming one of the most relevant indie acts out there (Standing In The Way Of Control, Heavy Cross), Beth represented an iconic figure who seduced the audience with her wit, image and confidence. Corpulent lady is finally back again, and this time she is bringing us her first solo album. Yas, qwen!
Fake Sugar is a sweet release. No alarms and no surprises here. Ditto is loyal to her rock roots, so each song is the domain of everything we are used hearing from her. The music style does not differ much from what Gossip was all about, although it is a bit of a departure from direction she was taking with her EP. Just take a listen to I Wrote A Book, my favorite from that collection, and you will notice that there are a lot more electronic elements than here.
Fake Sugar unfolds with first single Fire, and I am not sure how I feel about it. If I was at Ditto's place, I would release the second track In and Out as the first single. The track offers much more grit, despite its seldomly cheazy lyrics such as Heaven wasn't built in a day. Title track is woven in indie country, and it suits her voice perfectly. The smoothness of this number prepares you for another pearl titled Savoir Faire that sounds like it came directly off Gossip's sophomore record. The spin Beth might be a slightly more polished production with plethora of background vocals enriching the chorus.
Hands down track of the album is We Could Run. It's melody falls somewhere between The Killers, Garbage, even Celine Dion and any 80s rock, but you wouldn't notice it because it's wrapped up in an indie rock arrangement. Also, Beth's idiosyncratic interpretation makes everything banal sound authentic. Go Baby Go is totally forgettable, while Oh My God has a serious potential to become a solid radio hit. It has that radiophonic drive. Ditto also delivers an emotional performance in a ballade Love In Real Life. In one moment, I even had a feeling like I was listening to Robyn here.
Beth Ditto, I am so glad you did not disappear
