Attention, indie head-bobbers! Dressy Bessy's self-titled album, their third release, is one of the catchiest albums of the year. On paper, Tammy Ealom (vocals/guitar), John Hill (guitar), Darren Albert (drums) and Rob Greene (bass) have the pop song down to a precise formula. The hooks are strong throughout the album, and for the most part, each song is coated with a general sense of happiness and fun.
| DRESSY BESSY 3 of 5 stars Dressy Bessy Kindercore |
This science, however, shows signs of boredom as the album unfolds. The lyrics are somewhat quirky, but Ealom's vocals are never diverse enough to make any particular song stand out. Also, for a band that prides itself on simple hooks, their songs are awfully long. Once you get past the verse and chorus, there's not much else to listen for. "Georgie Blue," almost five minutes long, is the worst offender.
"Better Luck" is an example of the band at its best. Quick, sharp and punchy, the song is over before you know it and the hook will be in your head for a while. The same can't be said for the rest of the album, though. Aside from a few exceptions -- "Just Once More" and "This May Hurt (A Little)" -- the hooks wear out their welcome by the end of the song, leaving the listener with a pleasant, harmless forty minutes, but not much more.
