Gossip are back with details of their first album in 11 years, ‘Real Power’, along with beautiful new single ‘Crazy Again’. Check it out below along with some exclusive insight from the band.
The Beth Ditto-fronted indie icons have not released an album since 2012’s ‘A Joyful Noise‘. Now, the ‘Standing In The Way Of Control’ trio will release their sixth album ‘Real Power’ in March 2024, produced again by Rick Rubin after he worked on the band’s 2009 album ‘Music For Men‘. It was Rubin who encouraged the band to reunite and start recording again after they celebrated the album’s 10th anniversary with a tour in 2019.
“Getting to work with Rick again was a true gift!” the band exclusively told NME. “He doesn’t remotely care about outside opinions around what you could or should be making. He creates calm, positive, open spaces- emotional space and the actual physical vibe of his studio – that make you free to experiment.
“We felt genuinely cared about and supported. We’re both such maniacs, he’s amazing at helping us focus the chaos. We were writing like crazy, there are probably 30-40 songs and bits of things that came out of it, just throwing everything against the wall and having the best time! It’s not only about music, Rick helps you connect with yourself and everything else comes out of that. It’s a deep jam. We trust him completely.”
Their return is previewed by the launch single ‘Crazy Again’ – a simmering and subtle yet soulful dose of piano-tinged electro-pop that sees Ditto tenderly singing of “being in love and feeling so safe”.
A video for the track will be released at 9am GMT today (Friday November 17). Directed by past collaborator Ssion (Perfume Genius, King Princess), the clip was shot in Kansas City and reminds fans of the band’s inimitable chemistry.
‘Real Power’ was recorded at Rubin’s home studio in Kauai in between the COVID pandemic and lockdown, and comes described by a press release as “an 11-track celebration of creative expression, and the power of chosen family in the aftermath of collective and personal trauma”.
“When we began, so much about Gossip was about running away – that was always in the music,” said Ditto. “We survived. We came from nothing, and we got the fuck out of there. And to be here 20 years later and still making music together is just incredible.”
Gossip release ‘Real Power’ on March 22. Check out the artwork and tracklist below.
The tracklisting for ‘Real Power’ is:
1. ‘Act Of God’
2. ‘Real Power’
3. ‘Don’t Be Afraid’
4. ‘Crazy Again’
5. ‘Edge Of The Sun’
6. ‘Give It Up For Love’
7. ‘Turn The Card’
8. ‘Tell Me Something’
9. ‘Light It Up’
10. ‘Tough’
11. ‘Peace And Quiet’
Ditto released her debut solo album ‘Fake Sugar’ in 2017, and has also spent much of the past decade working across music and fashion and campaigning for feminist & LGBTQ+ rights.