@ The Grog Shop, Cleveland OH, September 23
by Andrew Clayman
Published in The Cleveland Scene, September 2008
Denver’s Dressy Bessy is a bit like the cute child actor who grew up to be an action star. In the band’s early days, it was relatively easy to size them up on point with preconceived notions. They were named after a 1970s Playskool doll, released their records on the cutesy Kindercore label, and had direct ties to indie-pop’s legendary Elephant Six Collective (guitarist John Hill also plays with the Apples In Stereo). Plus, singer/guitarist Tammy Ealom has a Twiggy-like retro preciousness to her style that only helped seal the deal.
For fans that were pleased with Dressy Bessy’s appropriately bubblegum pop sound, however, some surprises loomed. After amping up the guitars a bit on their 2003 eponymous album, Ealom, Hill, bassist Rob Greene, and new drummer Craig Gilbert officially dropped the cuteness for good on their 2005 Transdreamer Records debut, Electrified. Slicker, heavier, and funkier, the new Dressy Bessy lost some of their twee contingency, but the smarter fans recognized an evolution, rather than a misstep. And no one can deny that Ealom still knows her way around a good pop hook.
To experience the next phase of Dressy Bessy’s maturation, you can check them out at the Grog Shop and pick up their brand new album, Holler and Stomp-- the band’s most danceable, beat-heavy effort to date.
No comments:
Post a Comment