ROCK
“Get Behind Me Satan”
White Stripes
V2
It’s best to approach a new White Stripes release with open-mindedness and few expectations. Last time around, some fans were upset that the notoriously self-limiting duo released a single, “Seven Nation Army,” with a bass guitar. (In fact, it was simply frontman Jack White’s guitar run through an effects pedal.)
The first single from “Get Behind Me Satan” isn’t such a departure. The AC/DC swagger in “Blue Orchid” is undeniable, with Jack rocking his best ’80s falsetto. The track makes sense for the band fleshed out by Jack’s ex-wife, drummer Meg White.
Song No. 2, “The Nurse,” will throw even the casual fan. Dominated by Caribbean marimbas, subtle maracas and the occasional snare-cymbal blast, it’s hard not to get lost in this percussive experiment.
The minimalist neo-garage group is still unafraid to rock out while slowly expanding its comfort zone. The country ditty “Little Ghost” smacks of Jack’s Loretta Lynn adoration. “My Doorbell” is all about the awkward, cumbersome phrasing that Jack specializes in while he brings an entirely different dimension to “The Denial Twist” and “White Moon.”
The White Stripes will play Red Rocks on Aug. 22.
– Ricardo Baca
ROCK
“Electrified”
Dressy Bessy
Transdreamer
Fans might not have thought it possible but singer Tammy Ealom unleashes more charm, attitude and sass here than on past CDs from her 1960s-inspired garage rock band.
Album opener “Second Place” features the Austin Powers vibe people expect from Dressy Bessy. But the song also hints at the personal and musical maturity Ealom, along with drummer Craig Gilbert and bassist Rob Greene, brought to this album, the fifth full-length from one of Denver’s best-known acts.
Although “Small” and “She Likes It” till no new ground for the band, “Electrified,” with its punchy, pom-squad vocals and gritty guitars, and the inherent cool factor of “Stop Foolin’,” make this CD a keeper.
Dressy Bessy makes an in-store appearance at Twist & Shout on Tuesday and plays a CD release party at the Gothic Theatre on Friday.
– Elana Ashanti Jefferson
