Dum Dum Girls
Sep 26, 2011
Formed in 2008, Dum Dum Girls are based on California. According to their Wikipedia post, their name comes from both The Vaselines' album Dum Dum and the Iggy Pop song "Dum Dum Boys."
Dee Dee Penny (real name Kristen Gundred) is the driving force behind the Dum Dum Girls and was basically the performance focus of the debut album, I Will Be. Released in March 2010 and produced by industry vet Richard Gottehrer, it was well received by critics. Then earlier this year they release the He Gets Me High EP to whet our appetites for the new album.
The wait is now over with the release of Only in Dreams. The project retains the retro-all-girl-band-indie-pop approach and yet brings the band firmly into the 21st century. All four Dum Dum Girls play and sing on the album: Jules (guitar), Bambi (bass) and Sandy (drums) join Dee Dee on vocals and guitar.
Further, Only in Dreams was recorded at Josh Homme's renowned Pink Duck Studios - which is packed with vintage amps and guitars and other equipment - and Gottehrer again produced, this time with Sune Rose Wagner from the Raveonettes.
On several levels, Only in Dreams is a great leap forward for a gifted songwriter and an equally gifted band. In addition to the focus track, "Bedroom Eyes," several other tracks stand out including the powerful "Coming Down," "Always Looking," "In My Head," "Wasted Away" and the moving "Hold Your Hand."
Only in Dreams represents a musical evolution for Dum Dum Girls and a personal one for Dee Dee. "I'm for real," she said. "We all are. I'm really passionate about this, it's all I know. And maybe we've just grown up a bit-or grown out a bit. There's some weight to what we do, and a pure intent, and I think that comes across on this album."
Dum Dum Girls are set to start a North American tour and then they are off to Europe and the U.K.:
- 9/30 Casbah, San Diego
- 10/01 Casbah, San Diego
- 10/02 Detroit Bar, Costa Mesa, CA
- 10/03 Troubadour, Los Angeles
- 10/04 Great American Music Hall, San Francisco
- 10/05 Blank Club, San Jose
- 10/07 Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
- 10/08 Electric Owl, Vancouver
- 10/09 Neumo's, Seattle
- 10/12 Turf Club, St Paul, MN
- 10/13 High Noon, Madison, WI
- 10/14 Empty Bottle, Chicago
- 10/15 Magic Stick, Detroit
- 10/16 T Lee's Palace, Toronto
- 10/17 il Motore, Montreal
- 10/19 Paradise, Boston
- 10/21 Bowery Ballroom, New York
- 10/22 Black Cat, Washington, DC
- 10/23 Union Transfer, Philadelphia
- 10/24 Maxwell's, Hoboken, NJ
For more, visit www.weardumdumgirls.com