Released: July 28
Kevin Rowland reunites with producer Pete Schwier and returns with Dexys’ first original album in over a decade, ‘The Feminine Divine’.
Reemerging with a newfound positivity, the eighties superstar conjures a narrative in which the central character starts to really take stock of his life and his attitude towards women over nine tracks that lean into the band’s history.
It’s hardly surprising; dipping into the archives for a song he’d originally written in 1991, the album’s opener, The One That Loves You, revives the swagger of early recordings and wouldn’t sound out of place on ‘Too Rye Ay’ (1982).
But in the spoken introduction to It’s Alright Kevin (Manhood 2023), he vows to reveal what he “really thinks” on the call and response track, while horns on I’m Going To Get Free, courtesy of original Dexys’ trombonist Big Jim Paterson, add to the classic vibe.
On the second half of the LP, it’s all change as the group offers a musical cabaret like nothing Dexys have done before; a synth-heavy affair, written in collaboration with Sean Read and Mike Timothy, that continues to explore the overarching themes of the album in a new light.
Extended spoken word sections on Goddess Is place Rowland front and centre in typical showman style, while a back and forth with a female guest vocalist turns heads on Goddess Rules. With two ‘goddess’ songs on the tracklist, it’s hardly surprising they opted for a painting inspired by Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire and volcanoes, for the artwork.
Come the mid tempo, funk-influenced Dance With Me, there’s a sense of equilibrium that feels like a reset for the band, with the concept of the record playing into a larger overhaul of their musical direction.
‘The Feminine Divine’ is a curious beast; translating as two EPs rather than a cohesive record, it makes for a jarring transition that interrupts the flow mid-listen. That’s not to detract from the music – which, in the case of both halves, is of fine quality – but the overall concept feels somehow undercooked, with the two distinct directions sitting together with a sense of unease.
