Hokey smokes, does Beth Ditto have a great singing voice. She’s got me to the point where I just want to turn on the radio and hear her singing. I don’t care what station I’m listening to. Sports, news, music, whatever. I just want to keep turning the dial and find Beth Ditto on the other end.

Her voice is powerful, soulful, expressive, and filled with so much character and personality. She sounds like she could sing absolutely anything.

And it’s paired with a band that knows exactly how to get you moving.

Real Power is a terrific combination of punk energy and danceable rhythms. There’s a little bit of everything here. Classic disco and soulful pop, the melodic sensibilities of 80s and 90s R&B, and the fuzzier edges of indie and punk rock. But Gossip bring all those ingredients together in a way that feels like something brand new.

The opening track, “Act of God,” is a perfect introduction. Beth’s voice seems to travel through different musical eras, starting a little Ronnie Spector-like before moving into a more soulful R&B delivery and eventually opening up into something that recalls the big, expressive vocals of classic Diana Ross disco. Meanwhile, the music is a heavy, thumping combination of rock and dance-punk, driven by a terrific bass line. It’s catchy, energetic, and the kind of song you wish would just keep playing.

The title track pushes that disco influence even further, with a combination of heavy, distorted guitars and a big, celebratory dance groove. It’s a song about collective strength and people coming together. This is a stadium anthem. The kind of song thousands of people should be lining up to sing together.

Gossip also know when to pull things back. “Don’t Be Afraid” is a gorgeous, slow-burning soul song with sweeping production and an unabashed emotional quality. It’s a post-breakup song, but there’s more reflection and acceptance than bitterness in its delivery. The vocals remind me of Lisa Stanfield at times.

That restraint carries into “Crazy Again” and “Edge of the Sun,” two lighter, more contemporary pop-oriented songs. The former is a particularly nice change of pace, with Beth adopting a softer, sweeter approach that reveals another side of her voice. There’s a lovely pop sensibility to the song, including some fun lyrical nods to the music of the 80s. “Edge of the Sun” moves further into polished disco-pop, with a ridiculously infectious chorus.

“Give It Up for Love” brings back the big dance energy, with a funky, slightly psychedelic groove. It opens with that terrific choppy disco guitar sound before layering in spacey production touches, bass, and plenty of dance-pop energy. There’s something wonderfully playful about the combination.

And then there’s “Turn the Card Slowly,” which shifts gears again, offering one of the album’s most emotionally effective performances.

This is a beautiful slow burn that gives way to a terrific distorted guitar passage in the bridge. The song deals with the painful realization that a relationship is ending, and the uncertainty of waiting for the inevitable. Beth’s performance is extraordinary, finding just the right balance between vulnerability and power. Honestly, it belongs in the conversation for one of the best songs of 2024. It’s the kind of song I think people would immediately connect with if they gave it a chance.

There’s another interesting combination of sounds in “Tell Me Something,” which starts with a fuzzy edge before opening into a big disco-pop groove. The piano brings in a little 70s singer-songwriter flavor, while the rhythm and increasingly powerful arrangement give it the feel of a disco anthem. It’s almost like Carole King wrote a song for Gloria Gaynor.

“Light It Up” takes a gentler approach, beginning with a soft, almost yacht-rock quality before gradually building into something more electronic and dance-oriented. The arrangement keeps evolving, but never loses the warmth of its opening. “Tough” follows with another guitar-led slow burn, beginning with a softer, atmospheric feel before building into some terrific power-pop moments. The guitar work is especially effective, and the song’s message about accepting vulnerability adds another emotional layer to the album.

The album closes with “Peace and Quiet,” a gorgeous, soulful ballad that brings together some of the softer pop and R&B influences heard throughout the record. It’s a song about coming to terms with loss and separation, and the sense of acceptance in the way the song unfolds makes it a fitting conclusion to an album that explores love, change, heartbreak, and the strength it takes to move forward.

Real Power is a fantastic album. Gossip move effortlessly between punk, disco, funk, R&B, and pop, finding different ways to bring all those sounds together without ever losing their identity. And at the center of it all is Beth Ditto, whose voice seems capable of making just about anything work.

It’s got great songs, terrific grooves, memorable melodies, and wonderful arrangements. More than anything, it’s an absolute pleasure to listen to. This is one of those records that I genuinely believe should be on everybody’s radar.

These are songs that deserve to be heard, danced to, and loved.

Verdict: Masterpiece

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