Music > Album Reviews

Brody Dalle // Diploid Love

24/04/14

16 year old me is very happy right now. Aside from Spinerette (can we forget that ever happened, please?) this is the first chunk of meat from Brody Dalle we’ve had since The Distillers’ seminal 'Coral Fang' way back in 2004 and I’m pleased to say it is a blistering return to form. 'Diploid Love' is abrasive, intelligent and undeniably personal, touching on motherhood, love and death.

The surprising horn sections on opener ‘Rat Race’ and ‘Underworld’ make for a triumphant entrance, an inspired fan fare adding purpose, not just dynamic. Ferocious drums put us right where we want to be, back in the belly of the Brody Dalle beast. As you would expect from anything Dalle touches, deliciously layered vocals full of surprising twists pepper every corner of this record. Part honey, part snarling beast. All perfect pop. All genius.

When the album does take a break and mellows, it’s done with care and intelligence without losing any of the edge. ‘I Don’t Need Your Love’ is downright beautiful. It’s a shame this cannot be said of ‘Carry On’. Vocally it’s up there with the rest of the album but the crude electro drum beat is basic and borderline cheese. Why is it happening!? Oh well, 8 out of 9 ain’t bad. A quick recovery is made with the crowning glory of this record, ‘Meet The Foetus / Oh The Joy’, bringing home the thunderous energy we’ve been craving. It’s catchy, it’s heavy, it’s epic. Oh the joy indeed!

8/10 Ellie Jones