Tender Trap - Dansette Dansette

  by Rachel Williams

published: 9 / 7 / 2010

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Review

Tender Trap’s new album ‘Dansette Dansette’ might at first listen sound like a tribute to the innocently sweet girl pop of the 60s. The female harmonies of Amelia Fletcher and the newly added Elizabeth Morris (Allo Darlin’) and Katrina Dixon seem to mirror those of the Supremes, Betty Everett and others who sang songs about the love of a good man. On closer listen you realise, however, that these are not love songs, but a collection of feminist empowered pastiches. The title track 'Dansette Dansette' opens the album and is a lovely piece of harmonic pop in the vein of Motown’s greatest female artists, but, however, it is an answer to their lacklustre leanings towards love; Amelia sings sweetly in her whispery waivery voice but her lyrics poke fun at the likes of Sandie Shaw and the Supremes and their naivety. In ‘2 To The N’ Amelia sings, "It's the end of an era/And love comes no nearer" highlighting the distinction. Amongst the 60-esque soul pop can also be heard punchy punk and fuzz pop numbers such as ‘Do You Want A Boyfriend? ’ and ‘Girls With Guns’ which adds gusto to the girl power. Instead of advising how you might be able to tell if he loves you (“It’s in his kiss”), Fletcher and co’s answer to ‘Do You Want A Boyfriend?’ is that he has to please you "Psychologically" and tease you "Gynecologically." These are songs about vengeance; "Do you know what you’ll get if you do that again?/A bullet to the brain!" and sisterhood; "You can sink or you can swim/All you need to do is stop your thinking about him/and pull each other through." Influences such as Riot Grrl punk and Shoegaze also shine through - Fletcher shamelessly namedrops the Jesus And Mary Chain. It is also distinctly reminiscent of Amelia Fletcher’s earlier outfits Talulah Gosh and Heavenly and it is refreshing to hear such deliciously powerful pop. Aside from the punk pop and pastiches, it is important to mention, that there are some wonderfully grown up aspects to the album. ‘Suddenly’ is one of those moments, still superficially 60s in sound, it has a wonderful soft and deep feeling with a wonderful chorus that drops as Amelia sings huskily, recalling Dusty Springfield’s 'Breakfast in Bed'. 'Dansette Dansette' is therefore an album of many angles and depths; it is both an exploration and answer to pop, both serious and hilarious, grown up and childish. Great.

Track Listing:-

1 Dansette Dansette
2 Fireworks
3 Do You Want A Boyfriend
4 Suddenly
5 Girls With Guns
6 Danger Overboard
7 2 To The N
8 Counting The Hours
9 Grand National
10 Capital L

Band Links:-

http://tendertrapband.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amelia_F
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tender_T

Label Links:-

http://www.fortunapop.com/
https://twitter.com/fortunapop
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fortuna