“Timeless”: Beth Ditto names the best album of the last 30 years
Every week, hundreds – if not thousands – of albums are released into the ether, composed of countless different genres, styles and artists. While a select few might stick around for a little while after their initial release date, the vast majority come and go without much of an impact. It takes a very special album, therefore, to command an intense level of respect upwards of two decades since its original release. If anybody is qualified to talk about the timeless quality of music, it is Beth Ditto, the frontwoman and vocalist behind noted 2000s dance punks Gossip.
From their formation in 1999, Gossip immediately established themselves as a group like no other. With the band, Ditto paid homage to the punk and riot grrrl legacy of Olympia, Washington, breathing new life into the style with the added influences of soul, dance music and electronica. Their defining anthem, ‘Standing In The Way Of Control’, is up there with the most iconic tracks of the mid-2000s; its success and popularity continue into the modern day. A major part of what makes Gossip, along with Ditto’s various side projects, so compelling is the various different influences that are incorporated into the band’s sound.
Within the records of Gossip, you can hear the impact of everything from X-Ray Spex to Tori Amos, all of which culminate in distinctive and original sound. As you might expect, therefore, Ditto boasts a particularly impressive record collection, and there are a few titles which have always stood out to her. Alongside her love for Missy Elliott, Paul Simon and Roberta Flack, Ditto has long since held a special place in her heart for The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.
The first and only solo album recorded by The Fugees’ vocalist, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is an undisputed masterpiece of neo-soul, awash with influences of reggae, jazz, and hip hop, among many others. Originally, the album was released in 1998, just as Ditto and company were gearing up to formally begin their lives as Gossip. Inevitably, the release of Hill’s album completely changed the landscape of popular music at the time and had an undeniable effect on the early work of Gossip as a result.
Although the neo-soul star might not be the most obvious influence on the punk-centric sound of Gossip, Ditto’s vocal performance regularly pays tribute to the soul singers of the past, so Lauryn Hill seems to be a perfect fit. Explaining her utter adoration for the record, Ditto told Tidal, “I’m not sure if another album that solid and effortless has been made since by anyone,” a bold claim indeed but one that is admittedly hard to dispute.
Continuing in her assessment of Hill’s defining work, Ditto shared, “Every song stands on its own. To me, they all have a meaning and a place in my life,” adding, “It’s also so timeless. She followed zero paths. It’s just perfect, in my opinion.”
The Gossip vocalist is certainly not alone in that view. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill seems to be one of those very rare albums that transcend nations, musical subcultures, and genres; you would be very hard-pressed to find somebody who is indifferent towards the album, let alone someone who dislikes it.