Dum Dum Girls

Upon the release of Dum Dum Girls' He Gets Me High EP earlier this year, critics were quick to point out lead singer/songwriter Dee Dee's (nee Kristen Gundred) growth as a songwriter and her newfound penchant for writing more emphatic, propulsive songs than were featured on their 2010 debut, I Will Be. Only in Dreams picks up where that EP left off, and Gundred addresses far more serious subject matter than she did on the first record. Her mother sadly passed away in the last year, but even without that knowledge it's easy to read Only in Dreams as a melancholic, if not downright tragic, record, at times. Tracks like "In My Head," and "Wasted Away" may be up-tempo, but their poignant lyricism, and Gundred's preference for minor keys, lends Dum Dum Girls' catchy songs drama and depth. Album closer "Hold Your Hand" is the most beautiful thing the group have performed yet, capping off their most consistent and satisfying effort to date.