Dum Dum Girls’ latest album Only In Dreams follows on from their critically acclaimed first album I Will Be. It’s a solid sophomore effort and one that many a band have fallen over in the past under the weight of expectations.
The name of the band comes from both The Vaseline’s album Dum Dum and the Iggy Pop song “Dum Dum Boys”. Born out of California in 2008, their musical influences are easily worn on their sleeves as they take you back to the 1960s with indie sunny pop tunes. This genre of music is currently in a semi-revival and over the past couple of years we have seen the likes of Vivian Girls, Best Coast and Frankie Rose And The Outs joining the Dum Dums on the scene. But perhaps what sets the Dum Dums apart is their songs seem to have greater meaning if you look beneath the surface.
The all-female fronted indie rock band have grown up since their debut and frontwoman Dee Dee’s lyrics are more self assured. The album itself was written when she was separated from husband (Brandon from the Crocodiles) and at the time of her mother’s death. Lead single “Bedroom Eyes” allows Dee Dee to showcase her lush voice with the rest of the girls singing backup. Throughout the ten-song album, one thing becomes apparent; the production is fantastic but lacks that raw complexity and it highlights furthermore that all the songs are mid-tempo. It’s Dee Dee’s vocals that saves this album, whether singing about sorrow on “Heartbeat” or emotions on loss and death in “Teardrops on My Pillow”.
The Dum Dum Girls are certainly pushing themselves and we might very well look at them being the saviors of this revival, ensuring this was not just another fad in the musical timeline. Your move, Best Coast. Personally, I’ve found that this type of music is better presented in the live realm than listening to it on headphones, so it’s with a recommendation that you fine folk should see this infectious sing-song band while they are here in Australia over New Years. It is summer, after all.
– Jefferson Chew
