To be honest, I don't even know where to start with this review. It has me flabbergasted. Dragonette is a band formed on both sides of the Atlantic, with two members coming from Canada and two from Britain. The name of the band was the name of singer Martina Sorbara's iPod. The style is modern Eurythmics meets Gwen Stefani meets opium/burlesque. But besides all of that, Dragonette is style.
I first heard their debut single, "I Get Around," on the Robopop compilation available on American iTunes. This compilation featured songs from other artists I enjoy (Matinee Club - formerly The Modern, and Soho Dolls) but upon first listen, "I Get Around" didn't stick. It wasn't until I first heard the wonderfully electronic Van She mix that I started my appreciation, and eventual obsession, with Dragonette.
You may actually recognize Sorbara's vocals, as she lent them to Basement Jaxx for their hot song "Take Me Back To Your House." Dragonette's first EP came with a few songs that actually aren't featured on their album: Shockbox, Magic Fantasy, and Teacher Teacher, and all three are fantastic tunes that need to be checked out. Those three followed the remix of "I Get Around," and then I got my hands on a promotional copy of Galore.
"Competition" is the next song that grabbed my attention. It begins with a semi-reggaeton beat and steamy lyrics about being a mistress that gets more attention than the lady. "Your girlfriend's the competition, someone's gotta be the one to tell her that we got it goin' on" is the line that delivers the song into fast-paced guitar-backed pop heaven. "Take It Like A Man," the second single from the album, is also the one that began their propulsion into the mainstream. It's a fun pop song with some good remixes by Bimbo Jones and Hoxton Whores, and the video is a funny 70's porn-style re-enactment. The following song is "True Believer," a melodic mid-tempo song in which Martina inadvertently makes amends for her bad girl ways by falling in love with a straight-n-narrow. Next is "Another Day," a slower tune about missed telephone connections which Martina and the guys turn into pop beauty. "Get Lucky" is, perhaps, the sorest spot on the album. Amidst a flurry of amazing pop hooks and well-written lyrics is a campy number Ms. Sorbara penned by her lonesome. It features bouncy orchestration, but ultimately lacks in meat.
Summary - Galore is my absolute top pick for best album of 2007, and hands down one of the best pop albums in the last five years. This puts many acts like Morningwood to shame. You can find it on www.cdwow.com, the US store, for no more than $15 or $16. Can't beat that for pure imported bliss!
