Fake Sugar is the debut solo studio album by American singer Beth Ditto, known for her work with the dance-punk band Gossip. Produced by Jennifer Decilveo, it was released on June 16, 2017, through Virgin Records. The album's first single, "Fire", was released in April 2017.[1] Incorporating influences from a wide array of genres, the album is regarded as Ditto's "embracement of her Southern roots".[2]
Fake Sugar is a Southern rock[3] and pop album.[4]AllMusic reported that the album's "polished pop ambitions allow Ditto to try on different sounds, whether it's the stomping glam-pop of "Oo La La" or "Go Baby Go," a tribute to Suicide's Alan Vega that borrows the duo's sleek beats."[2]The A.V. Club stated: "The record revolves around pulsating disco grooves, corrugated pogo-punk riffs, and a glittering pop sheen, all arranged so there’s plenty of room for Ditto to stretch her voice and approach."[5]The Guardian wrote that the record "runs the gamut of classic 1970s and 80s pop – Fleetwood Mac, Blondie, Suicide, Paul Simon – alongside the odd angular stomper that nods to the Soulwax remixes of her former band."[6]Paste magazine noted that "while there are still elements of dance-pop weaved throughout the record, the album falls more comfortably between honky-tonk, soul and disco."[7]PopMatters stated that Fake Sugar's sound "moves seamlessly from straight dance pop to a rawer, more soulful brand of R&B-indebted punk."[8]
At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 74, based on 17 reviews, indicating "generally positive reviews".[9]The A.V. Club critic Annie Zaleski stated: "Ditto’s powerhouse voice remains a steely, piercing instrument imbued with Southern sass and dynamic range."[5] AllMusic's Heather Phares described the record as "a welcome return from a one-of-a-kind voice and personality who was missing from music for too long."[2] Calling the album as a "surprisingly sweet listen", DIY magazine critic Lisa Wright thought that Fake Sugar "paints Ditto as a more diverse, often even restrained artist than the larynx-shredding punk aggressor of the mid-00s."[10] Kate Hutchinson of The Guardian commented that the album "doesn’t make it much clearer what kind of pop star Ditto wants to be – but she’s one to be strutted to, at the very least."[6]The Independent's Andy Gill described it as "a bit of a mixed bag – no great surprise".[11]
musicOMH's John Murphy was mixed in his assessment of the record, stating: "It’s that smoothing of Ditto’s edges that prevents Fake Sugar from moving from a good, perfectly serviceable pop album to something truly great."[4] Emily Mackay of The Observer wrote: "A couple of songs hang too much on their belting choruses, but moments such as the disco-Stones shuffle of Oo La La and the unabashed, dreamy balladry of Love in Real Life more than compensate, and it's a comfort to hear Ditto’s wise, dauntless voice once more."[12]Paste critic Ilana Kaplan noted that the album "bridges the gap between love and loss and taps into her Southern roots to create a record that fully encompasses the person she's become."[7]Pitchfork's Laura Snapes stated: "Ditto’s non-traditional view down a well-trodden path is welcome, but you do wish she'd kick up the dust a bit more."[3] John Paul of PopMatters wrote that "there’s nothing fake about Ditto anywhere on the album, making Fake Sugar an overwhelmingly welcome return from one of pop music’s greatest vocal talents."[8]The Skinny's Nadia Younes described the record as "a real reinvention for Beth Ditto, but it’s not so much of a reinvention that her signature traits are unrecognisable."[13]
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