The ever-evolving Gossip is back with their fifth studio album, A Joyful Noise, released this May on Columbia Records. Gossip is comprised of vocalist Beth Ditto, guitarist Nathan Howdeshell, and drummer Hannah Blilie. Having originally formed in Olympia, Washington in 1999, their breakthrough album came in 2006 with Standing In the Way of Control.

On this new album, the trick is that once you hear it all the way through give it another spin immediately. Because, and trust me here, the album sounds so much better on the second spin, and subsequent ones thereafter, of course. There's something to be said for getting to know the tracks before, in my case, reviewing them, and so that's what I did.

The first thing you get a sense of is the '80s/'90s vibe that pulsates its way through the entire record. Which makes a lot of sense as A Joyful Noise was produced by pop genius Brian Higgins, a man who also worked extensively with Kylie Minogue, Pet Shop Boys, Girls Aloud and more.

The first track, 'Melody Emergency' could so easily have been Animal Emotional, given that 80% of the song brings forth those lyrics, but then we're into the album’s first single 'Perfect World.' Yet another example of the '80s/'90s beat that lies underneath each track, Ditto's voice is yet again the perfect partner for the pulsing energy.

The dance floor beats return with the flowing 'Get A Job' and the pumping 'Move In The Right Direction,' before the slower steel twang of 'Casualties Of War' is brought forth. The darkly downbeat 'Into The Wild' is next, with their own brand of pop continuing with the '90s dance floor vibe of 'Get Lost' next.

The heartfelt 'Involved' allows Ditto to get things off her chest, before the '70s guitar-fused 'Horns,' the brilliant 'I Won't Play,' and then the album gets rounded off with 'Love In A Foreign Place.' Chock full of pulsing synths, wonderful guitar work, and Beth Ditto's soaringly emotive vocals, A Joyful Noise is this summer's album-in-the-sun to turn to, trust me!