The Gossip need new producers

Beth Ditto and the other two have their new single out this week. It's called Heavy Cross and it's such a close cousin of Standing In The Way Of Control that, if we were the parents, we'd make sure the two songs were kept v e r  y   f a r   a p a r t, so as to prevent the arrival of a freakish mutant offspring with three ears and a club for a hand.

It's a shame, because Heavy Cross is actually very good. There's a marvellously frenetic guitar riff and a stunning, impassioned howl of a vocal from everyone's favourite 16 stone lesbian torch singer. The problem is in the arrangement, which is essentially a photocopy of the band's biggest known hit.

For this, we blame producer Rick Rubin - who oversaw the band's signing to Sony. Maybe he was so annoyed at missing the opportunity to work on their last album that he kidnapped them, held a gun to their heads and forced them to record it again, like Kathy Bates in Misery.

Gossip - Heavy Cross


Luckily, Captain Pop has come to the rescue with a jaw-droppingly awesome remix, which is also out this week. It's by French DJ Fred Falke, who kicks the song into orbit, where it twinkles and shimmers like a comet. Or something.

Gossip - Heavy Cross (Fred Falke Mix)


Wouldn't it be great if Falke had produced the whole album? The answer is yes.

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