Who’s your favourite Dorothy? The ruby-slippered youth in Oz … “Sarong Girl” Lamour … or the girl you love talking to at your favourite dive bar whose parents named her after lounge singer Vallens? Either way, you can’t go wrong – and you can’t go wrong with this record, a gift of classic, anthemic Blues Rock with a timeless quality, a late-night club vibe and a sassy, surefooted strut and swagger. PLAY IT LOUD.
LA outfit Dorothy appear to be working studiously, resolutely (only occasionally precariously?) on a project that is evolving, emerging, morphing into something of a treasure chest of memories, nods and tributes to some super-fine, hugely successful and mightily memorable bands from the past – but they also offer a fresh, new-car-smell experience to be savoured right here, right now. Take a whiff.
Opener Beautiful Life is a superior, straight-ahead riffy rocker, Kiss meet Pat Benatar at her feistiest, with the purest of hooks and some ace slide geetar that sounds like a motor-sickle revving up. With that great start, we’re off. The band are pretty darn good (BETTER than that), but it’s also obvious from the get-go that Dorothy Martin’s spectacular voice is the USP. This isn’t Benatar, Gene Simmons or Paul Stanley. Not Barbra Streisand, not Pink, not Adele. This is Dorothy.
Big Guns could be an AC/DC title and the song ripples, pops and grinds like Shania Twain (which Mutt could link those two … not to mention the Leppard?!) while rocking out simply but effectively before arriving at a splendid, scenic bridge and offering the opportunity for a major singalong exit. Why does nostalgia never go out of date? Yes, it’s a dumb song but who said dumb can’t be fun? Rest In Peace turns up the atmospherics and effects, with a Bon Jovi, Western movie feel, and is a superb drum track. Despite all that, despite the collective excellence and all-round commitment, still nothing can obscure the fact that THAT voice is the key – the attitude, the guts, the ambition, the high and heady possibilities.
Top Of The World again recalls Angus, Brian J & Co with echoes of Back In Black, no less (“I’m back … I’m back … on top of the world!”). Next up, Hurricane will surely and definitively join the roster of your favourite all-time songs with “hurricane” in the title (think about it – there are a few). Dorothy’s Hurricane is an absolute belter, a hooky delight, pumpin’ and throbbin’, a strategic synths and syncopated skins super show. Close To Me Always is next up and seamlessly registers as if it were a power ballad from the 1990s that could have/should have been the song to close out movies Armageddon or Con Air (yes, that is a compliment, since we’re talking Aerosmith and Trisha Yearwood respectively – both songs written by Diane Warren, btw). But, again, Close To Me Always is brand new, truly irresistible, a massive, magical, emotional rollercoaster: “They say the Good Lord laughs when we make plans/ So Baby here’s to us for lovin’ when we had the chance …”
OK, you’re right – time to take a breath, time for a reality check, time to reasonably recognise and freely admit that little of this music can claim to be unique or wholly original. Fair comment – but this record is something special, bright, epic and loud. The drum sound on Hurricane, the title track and elsewhere, could drop a charging, raging, prehistoric behemoth to its knees at 24 and a half paces – yes, the mixing, engineering and all-round production are just so perfectly precise (take a bow, Chris Lord Alge).
Are all the tracks of the same high song-writing standard? Black Sheep is probably the dumbest of the lot, and the most derivative, while Touched By Fire and Made To Die are also a bit “by the numbers”. Having said that, Touched By Fire boasts a spine-tickling solo and a nice call-and-response section which should work well in a live setting, as will much of Dorothy’s already impressive canon (this is Martin’s third studio album with the eponymous band). Made To Die showcases the rhythm section’s titanic togetherness and includes some shreddy histrionics. When it comes to out-and-out, banished-to-the-attic, red-headed step kids, even Black Sheep fails to qualify – maybe just too much of a Rock Of Ages, usual suspects photofit, but put it in an identity parade and most easily-distracted headbangers would give the benefit of the doubt, rock out of the cop shop and mosey on down to that aforementioned dive bar where the Blue Velvet girl is armed and ready with some seductive chat to lead us all astray.
The titular closing track successfully and satisfyingly completes a proper musical feast, crowd pleasin’, lovers squeezin’, top-down breezin’, all-senses teasin’. This album reviewing lark can be tough, tryna find new ways to say the same thing – putting it purely and simply, I LOVED THIS ALBUM! Hot tears came to my eyes more than once and I was reminded of when the world was beautiful, life was wonderful, and by the end I was convinced the very same wonder and beauty somehow endure (it’s a Beautiful Life!). The first hearing of the Track Five/Track Six pivot of Hurricane and Close To Me Always is, I firmly believe, something I will never forget – blew me away.
If you think that’s over the top, the accompanying PR bio includes much talk of divine intervention, a real or apparent miracle, a spiritual journey, an awakening, conquering darkness with light. Whatever your own thoughts, whatever your own beliefs, take it from me – keep the faith, listen to the music, listen to the voice, and be assured this girl, this band and this album seriously KICK ASS. Gifts From The Holy Ghost is something of a rock ’n’ roll miracle in and of itself – that conclusion isn’t open for doubt or debate. Selah.
Gifts From The Holy Ghost is out on April 22 via Spinefarm/Roc Nation