Music for Men (Deluxe Version)

Editors’ Notes After professing his love for Gossip, producer Rick Rubin got his wish and committed the garrulous garage rock threesome to tape. For a band used to recording albums in hours, Gossip had the luxury to sculpt a set of songs with a producer who’s coaxed career-changing performances (Johnny Cash, Neil Diamond, Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers). Rubin works similar magic on Music for Men, peeling back the rough exterior and exposing the heartbeat underneath Gossip’s transformative rock ‘n’ roll mayhem. Vocalist Beth Ditto and guitarist Brace Paine work in tandem to build walls sweating with emotion and verve. “Love Long Distance,” "Men In Love," and “Pop Goes the World” shows Gossip’s sharpened disco pedigree with percussion and keyboards providing ample lift for Ditto’s clever wordplay. Music for Men scrapes its nails across rock, soul, gospel, dance, drawing blood and leaving an indelible mark.