Dum Dum Girls wisely have hedged their bets on instant gratification, creating songs that go places fast, and those places are almost always tuneful and exuberant.
Too True is resolutely hi-fi, with perfectly layered guitars, soft banks of synths, and Dee Dee's expressive voice all fitting together in a glossy, easy-to-swallow mix.
No matter how many times Dee Dee alludes to heartbreak and ritualistic evil, Too True is a joyful career pinnacle.
Dee Dee Penny wears her heart on one sleeve and her influences on the other, and Too True is translucent with both.
Her new album, Too True, is well-crafted, well-written, and immaculate-sounding, but it's a middle-distance affair, exploring some of the same starry skies that Frankie Rose's last two LPs flitted about in.
Over the course of Too True's 30-odd minutes, the Dum Dum's craft some of the best and most varied music of their career.
‘Too True’ isn’t the record to make her legend, but it is a fine homage to all those leather-clad heroes.
Whether or not you’re familiar with Dum Dum Girls, this is winning stuff, smart and tuneful, heavy enough to command attention but light enough to keep you bopping along.
On third LP, Too True, the Brooklyn four-piece are polished, crystalline reflections on their former selves - they're balanced on a knife-edge currently, and this tonal shift could either be the best thing to ever happen to them or their utter undoing.
'Too True' is a decent enough album and one which ends more strongly than it begins. But it isn't as good as 'Only In Dreams' and because of that, it can't help but feel a bit underwhelming.
The fuzzed-up 60s girl group style is still discernable in the cinematic allure of Evil Blooms and Cult of Love’s surf twang, but other elements have wound on considerably from debut I Will Be, taking things in a cleaner, shinier pop direction.
It does remain a fine listen, especially for anyone enamoured of fuzzy guitars and some swooning vocals from Penny. It’s another enjoyable album from a band quietly proving to be one of the more consistent groups around.
Too True, though, proves badly misguided in its decision to stray from the winning pop formula that they’d done well to establish so quickly.
Built on a steady, permanenty beat and misguided by its enthusiasm, it's focused on the goth side of a 60's revival.
Where End of Daze was such a straightforward release, Too True sounds too conventional sometimes. Nevertheless, is filled with a genereous load of catchy easy-to-listen pop songs that can cheer anyone up. Cult of Love, Rimbaud Eyes, In the Wake of You and Lost Boys and Girls Club are all pretty decent playlist material.
Too true to be good? How about not for these Dum Dum Girls aren't dumb at all. Infact, they're all that. With sweet ballads, drifting vocals and killer guitar, these girls are just too good to be true. Three cheers for four piece girl bands!
1 | Cult Of Love 2:14 | |
2 | Evil Blooms 2:35 | |
3 | Rimbaud Eyes 3:30 | |
4 | Are You Okay? 2:50 | |
5 | Too True To Be Good 3:04 | |
6 | In The Wake Of You 2:40 | |
7 | Lost Boys and Girls Club 3:24 | |
8 | Little Minx 2:29 | |
9 | Under These Hands 3:29 | |
10 | Trouble Is My Name 4:01 |
#35 | / | Under the Radar |
#42 | / | Paste |