Customer Reviews

Only in Dreams

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Plain straight... after my first listen to the "He Gets Me High" EP release earlier this year, I immediately longed for a full-length album and dreaded any waiting period to fulfill this new addiction. I can't believe it! Two amazing recordings in one year, or an illusionist's slight of hand.

Totally impressed and blown away by the display of natural talent and simplistic genius (stripped down guitars bass drums), the Dum Dum Girls music is reminiscent of 60's pop garage rock and a definite choice for music lovers.

The comparisons to Crissie Hynde (The Pretenders), Johnette Napalitano (Concrete Blonde), Hope Sandavol (Mazzy Star) or any array of "decade rare" female songwriters/vocalists are absolutely validated. First Class style all the way! Even a wild combination of The Jesus and Mary Chain meets The Supremes rings a close bell (with a pinch of the Beach Boys and the Ramones mixed in for flavor). Thee Headcoatee's anyone?

Top notch melodies and lyrics will sweep you away in a rhythmic dream of blissful reverb and heartbeats like a drum. Just buy the cd/lp album, download it, whatever... just support artists/musicians everyway possible, especially when they are this exceptional. Worth a million dollars and more.

Last year it was Arcade Fire "The Suburbs" and, this year, without a doubt, it's a thousand mile lead with "Only In Dreams" + "He Gets Me High" by the Dum Dum Girls.

Phenomenal Paprika!

Despite the rave reviews, I wasn't fully sold on the Dum Dum Girls' first album. But upon hearing the Mazzy Star-esque "Coming Down," it was obvious, they'd grown considerably as a band and this album was going to be something special.

Between the slicker production values and more complex songwriting, "Only In Dreams" is a quantum leap forward. Kristen Gundred's voice draws equally from the snarl of Chrissie Hynde and the seduction of Victoria Legrand (Beach House). Like the Raveonnettes, they're influenced by the echoey distorted surf guitar of the Jesus and Mary Chain, but refined into a shimmering, shoegazey dream, with all the catchiness of those classic Phil Spector girl-bands. If you doubt it, give a listen to "Bedroom Eyes," "In My Head" and "Teardrops on my Pillow."

Loved their last album and this one is even better. DD is writing great songs and their style is emerging and what a treat for everyone this band exists!

The vocals here have almost a country punk tinge to them on some of the retro rocking songs and this makes them even more awesome.

Coming down is simply a classic, with a great stretch in one part into vocal greatness, and yes, it would be nice to see a little more dream pop in their repertoire, but frankly, it's a treat whatever direction this band takes you in.

The Dum Dum girls is a great new rock band, plain and simple.

6 stars.

Gigantic step forward from the 1st album. Most of the comparisons have already been made on this thread so no need to repeat. The influence most striking to me is the Belly/Tanya Donelly one. I can't be alone in thinking this. Fantastic album anyhow.

I loved "He Gets Me High" and at first I thought this was a massive step back. The production seemed flatter and the songs, while they have great hooks didn't feel as colorful as the first album or the last EP.

After putting it on repeat for about a dozen times I realized that this is actually a genius album. Maybe she's not doing anything earth shattering here, but the songs are really tight and more evolved than anything she's done before.

I also love how (and I know I'm not the first person to say this) there's more of a Chrissie Hynde feel to a lot of the chorus deliveries. Not that you'd ever mistake this for The Pretenders, but it takes the Crystals/Ronnettes + JAMC vibe and twists it unexpectedly a bit.

Definitely worth picking up.