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DRESSY BESSY: The happiest Band On Earth

This band is indie rock's guilty pleasure.
16 juni 2002, Southgate House, Newport (USA)

Tekst: Pat Wensink

Publicatiedatum: 29 juni 2002

The happiest band on earth hit the stage at the Southgate House. Dressy Bessy pulls along a little red wagon full of jubilation and smiles for all who give them a listen.

I know what you're thinking: "This sounds like the cheesiest thing since the Brady Bunch band," right? Just watching Dressy Bessy onstage, delighting in playing good-time rock 'n' roll with a sincere smile, will dash any critic's doubt.

Clearly, with songs about love and flowers, the band could be skating on thin ice; however, singer/guitarist Tammy Ealom skates effortlessly past that hazard. She stands as the band's beacon of sunshiny light. With a bright smile, all the while shaking her shimmy on stage, it took all of her guitar's weight and power to hold her back from breaking free of her duties and dancing. Her vocals give the band its gleeful sound on disc and stage. All at once strong and smooth, with a bit of adolescence tossed in, Ealom's voice is like pop rocks exploding in your mouth.

Dressy Bessy lit up the entire stage with music that recalled the summertime fun of '60s popsters Jan and Dean and the Beach Boys. The band spun out candy-covered tunes from all three of its releases, including 2002's stellar Sound Go Round (Kindercore). The guitars sounded more fuzzed-out than on the records, which was really fun to hear. Anytime a band can change its sound live, while retaining the elements that the audience enjoys, is cool by me. The group's amps bounced around, buzzing out old-school pop that the audience couldn't help but bop around to: It's as if the music has nicotine in it, 'cause it only took one listen before everyone was hooked.

With slacker garage rock taking the world by storm, Dressy Bessy's happy-go-lucky aura was a welcomed change of pace, if only for a night. Every year someone says that Band X is "the soundtrack for this summer." Rather than that, Dressy Bessy may become the soundtrack for ALL summers: past, present, and future. The adolescent subject matter was pulled off flawlessly; so much so, that you can't help but love these four. This band is indie rock's guilty pleasure.

http://www.kindamuzik.net/live/dressy-bessy/dressy-bessy-the-happiest-band-on-earth/1657/
Meer Dressy Bessy op KindaMuzik: http://www.kindamuzik.net/artiest/dressy-bessy