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In the Company of Men

Everything about Gossip is big. Zaftig, out-and-proud front-woman Beth Ditto. Thunderous beats. Spacious grooves. Post-punky/funky guitar riffs. And their third release was put together by music’s biggest producer: Rick Rubin.

Music for Men (out today) features Brace Paine’s flailing‚ Gang of Four-ish guitars and Hanna Billie’s butt-shaking drums for 12 revved-up tracks about “breaking up or breaking down” — as Ditto puts it on “Love Long Distance.” The first single‚ “Heavy Cross‚” sidles up to you like Stevie Nicks’ “Edge of Seventeen” before heading off to the dance-floor. “Pop Goes the World” updates the gay-libbing “Standing in the Way of Control” with a cowbell and a happy groove. And the chorus of “Men in Love” should be required singing in gay bars around the world: "Na na na na — men in love…with each other!"

Rubin was put on this earth to produce Gossip. He captures the band’s ferocity, pop smarts, humanity and sense of humor without dimming one iota of their ebullience. And Ditto’s a curious original, sounding like Martha Wainwright, Cyndi Lauper and Dolly Parton rolled into one. Like we said: big. But when this fat lady sings, the party isn’t over. It’s just getting started.


Music for Men is available digitally today and will be released on CD October 6 from Columbia Records.