I won’t pretend. The Dip is one of my favorite bands. I saw them at last year’s Hinterland Music Festival in Iowa and have tickets to see them in Nashville this April. When The Dip drops an album I’m looking for crazy good vocals, boss horns, and good feelings just bubbling up. This album doesn’t disappoint.
The opening track, “Paddle to the Stars” delivers. The slight distortion on Thomas Eddy’s vocals, work, the horn works, and I really like the background singers on this song. In fact, I was really connecting with the background singers throughout this album. The third track takes a moment to get rolling, but when “When You Lose Someone” kicks in the trifecta of Eddy’s vocals, horns, and background singers give such an emotional lift. This tune also has a great trumpet solo.
The Dip delivers a little bit of variety on this album. A bit of campy fun on “Vacation.” A nice groove on the song “Crickets.” The song “Apollonia” has the sound of a seventies R&B cross-over radio hit. The little gem on the album is “Real Contender.” This one is relatively laid-back and smooth. The horns and background vocals are brought down, and Eddy carries the track nicely.
Sticking With It isn’t track for track as strong as The Dip Delivers album, but it’s a very hip album and a good listen. It’s great to hear one of your favorite bands add new elements to its music. The background singers are something I hope they incorporate in their upcoming shows. It was nice addition to their sound.
As I say to almost anyone who will listen, “Check out The Dip.”