The Dirtmitts

One should never underestimate the power of proper vocals and fine songwriting, two things which the Dirtmitts' self-titled album has plenty of. The record opens with "In the Meantime," a fine tune which is then followed by the best track on the album, "These Hands." A string of catchy rock songs with excellent writing follow, expanding to more experimental, dreamier instrumentals near the album's end that don't have quite the same resonance. A core reason for the impact of the best songs on the album involve Natasha Thirsk's vocals. Either alone or when paired with Jennifer Dean's backing vox, they provide a luxurious texture that makes all the songs stand out, and those without the vocals seem the lesser. Musically, the band's overall sound resembles Elastica, the No-No's, and the prolonged, crunchy, guitar-intensive bits of Weezer, but they carve out their own distinctive sound that deserves to be heard. Well worth tracking down.