"Movement" by the Gossip

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Thoughts? I found myself a bit let down when I first heard it a while ago. I think the best they've ever put out was the EP, Arkansas Heat. Movement works a thicker kind of groove. Not as ebullient as past stuff.

― Jeanne Fury (Jeanne Fury), Wednesday, 4 June 2003 20:35 (twenty-two years ago)

What do The Gossip sound like?

― Mike Taylor (mjt), Wednesday, 4 June 2003 20:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Sex.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 4 June 2003 20:42 (twenty-two years ago)

I would suggest a match up of Dan singing "When Doves Cry" and Beth singing "God Bless the Child," but that's been done. ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 4 June 2003 20:45 (twenty-two years ago)

The EP's the best thing I've heard by them, and even IT wasn't even that good. I think Christgau got them totally right in today's Voice:

GOSSIP
Movement
(Kill Rock Stars)
A fat sexy lesbian teenager whose entire trio escaped Arkansas for Olympia? A big voice with its emotions out front? What's not to love? Nothing, declare gossipmongers bowled over by their strenuous gigs. To which well-wishers must inquire, Er, how about music? Beth Ditto gives no indication she could sing the tunes that aren't here. Brace Howdeshall applies punk chops to a soul concept. Kathy Mendonca doesn't know what an offbeat is. And face it, folks—when it comes to putting good old rock 'n' roll on record, a bass player really helps. C PLUS

― chuck, Wednesday, 4 June 2003 21:21 (twenty-two years ago)

And while we're at it, the Bell Rays (or the Now Time Delgation? I get 'em mixed up) sound WAY too much like Black Crowes, by the way.

― chuck, Wednesday, 4 June 2003 21:23 (twenty-two years ago)

christgau hates fun.

― di smith (lucylurex), Wednesday, 4 June 2003 21:30 (twenty-two years ago)

well, i don't! and i don't get them, either. (i mean, i understand why people WANT to like them. but their records are no fun at all.)

― chuck, Wednesday, 4 June 2003 21:32 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah yeah yeah, the gossip aren't deadly virtuosos, but they're yards better than those god awful zeppelin-and-beatles-for-breakfast-lunch-and-dinner white stripes. the gossip make the guitar'n'drums concept work in a way that smooths out the gap where the bass would be, and in a way that doesn't beg for piano or a string section or whatever else the white stripes have pulled in to disguise their limited concept. in fact, brace from the gossip tunes down to C# i think ... which is pretty low.

oh i just re-read my first sentence. yeah yeah yeah is not actually intended as a pun, but while we're on the subject of guitar and drums ...

― fields of salmon (fieldsofsalmon), Wednesday, 4 June 2003 21:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Maybe if they'd rip off Zep or the Beatles once in a while, they'd come up with a melody or two. Or learn how to make their music dance a little -- I'm sure Beth HERSELF knows how to dance (and I like how they dedicate the new CD to Aaliyah & Left Eye as well as Darby Crash or whoever), but that's not enough. And neither are good intentions.

― chuck, Wednesday, 4 June 2003 21:44 (twenty-two years ago)

To be honest, I've never actually heard The Gossip. I've heard Beth, though, and she's fucking great.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 4 June 2003 21:49 (twenty-two years ago)

I like how Chuck's last point reencapsulates the whole 'is indie culture afraid of pop these days? should they do anything about it?' conundrum we've had here. There still isn't any answer, is there?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 4 June 2003 21:54 (twenty-two years ago)

they have no rhythm

i saw beth buying oranges the other day. i had a 24 pack of toilet paper (it was on sale). i have a feeling this made me look weird.

― jess (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 4 June 2003 22:22 (twenty-two years ago)

They're coming from a big noize standpoint---when you look at Nathan/Brace's other bands, esp. Die Monitrr Batts, The Gossip makes more sense.

― truant (truant), Wednesday, 4 June 2003 22:33 (twenty-two years ago)

i bit of info on arkansas heat:

playing take back the revolution backwards reveals the intended chant "pull out satan's baby teeth"

― reo fordecor, Thursday, 5 June 2003 00:19 (twenty-two years ago)

I dug their earlier stuff, but I haven't heard this. The old stuff was kinda samey but fun.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 5 June 2003 00:25 (twenty-two years ago)

i saw beth buying oranges the other day

*sobs*

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Thursday, 5 June 2003 01:54 (twenty-two years ago)

i think this is currently my favourite album of 2003.

― brian badword (badwords), Thursday, 5 June 2003 02:47 (twenty-two years ago)

I was about to say "Brace? Who the f@ck is Brace?"

If they ever made a record that lived up to their searing live shows, they'd be one of the greatest bands on earth. But otherwise they're an above average blues bar-band.

Nice enough people, though.

― kate, Thursday, 5 June 2003 08:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Kate just nailed it.

― Jeanne Fury (Jeanne Fury), Thursday, 5 June 2003 13:00 (twenty-two years ago)

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