My Golly, Miss Holly

[September 24th, 2003] The way things stand at this moment in pop culture, any discussion of English garage-pop revivalist Holly Golightly demands at least a mention of the White Stripes. Not to do so would be like trying to ignore the proverbial pachyderm sitting in the parlor. Wait, was that an "Elephant" reference? How insipidly cute.

Elephant (V2/BMG) is, of course, the name of the White Stripes' latest release, a fairly dreary record brightened considerably by Golightly's duet with Jack White on the closing track, "It's True that We Love One Another." Cementing public recognition of this mutual admiration society, Jack contributed typically silly liner notes to Golightly's latest, Truly She Is None Other (Damaged Goods).

If this famous association turns more ears in Golightly's direction, fantastic. Truly, she is deserving. Holly Golightly made a name for herself back in 1991, when she became a founding member of Thee Headcoatees, a girl-group project masterminded by punk rock renaissance man Billy Childish that lasted four years.

Her solo years since have proven Golightly to be far more of a tunesmith than Childish. Over the course of 11 full-length albums and scads of singles, she has staked her claim in terrain more melodic and soulful. Truly She Is None Other is Golightly's sharpest recording to date and stands as a shining introduction to her work. Slide country-blues and girl-group pep is lathered up in singularly dark metaphor and impassioned mod-soul. There is a luxurious, state-of-the-past quality fans of the Detroit Cobras and Neko Case should find to their liking. Dusty Springfield also floods the frame of reference, all romance and embittered toughness. These are the sounds of a girl's girl, someone as glamorous as her Breakfast at Tiffany's namesake, with a spirit befitting the enameled garage pop she sings.

Of course Jack and Meg love Holly. You should, too.