Dorothy Martin, the lead voice behind the band Dorothy, is one of the more talented singers on the modern Rock-n-Roll scene. First, making her present known around 8 years ago, she and her band made a big impression in 2016 with the album ROCKISDEAD. Further distinguishing themselves in 2018 with bluesy follow-up 28 Days in the Valley, the jury was still out on what they would become. In many cases, it is not until a band’s second or third album that they really begin to take shape, and it is during this time they can be made or broken. This leads us to Dorothy’s third studio album, released on Friday, April 22, 2022, through Roc Nation.
At a critical time in Dorothy’s career, Martin and her band call this latest chapter Gifts From The Holy Ghost, and for just reason. Like many of the fortunate few, Martin had a turning point in her life, one which helped her view everything in a new light, thus uncovering new inspiration. Nearly succumbing to addictions and watching her own guitar tech nearly lose their life to an overdose, Martin knew something had to give.
With a new lease on life, she found new artistic inspiration, thus the spiritual undertone of Gifts From The Holy Ghost. Now, some might ask, “Is this album preachy or religious?” The answer is no; it is spiritual, a completely different entity. Religion is organized and implies an attachment to a congregation. Spirituality is much more free, allowing someone to find hope, love, and appreciation for the beauty that surrounds them at every turn.
This is certainly the case with Dorothy, which sounds like a band who knocked on death’s door and lived to tell the tale. Possessed by positivity, this album is Gospel Hard Rock…if there is really such a thing. It is Blues, Rock-n-Roll, and uplifting Soul all in one. As the listener, you witness Martin confessing to herself in a very sincere and raw fashion. This is the case from the start with uplifting “Beautiful Life.” You are then taken in by the self-empowering “Big Guns” before Martin really strikes close to the nerve with the intense “Rest In Peace” as she conveys that no darkness can keep you down through strength and confidence.
Flowing like water, “Top Of The World” is the fitting next track of triumph before “Hurricane” expresses the shock of finding new love when you least expect it. And then Dorothy strikes gold in a big way with “Close To Me Always,” hands down the most emotional song on the entire album. Full of unfiltered feelings and an exceptional vocal performance by Martin, you would have to be flatlined not to feel this one. From here, the album rounds out really nicely with the anthemic “Black Sheep,” dirty heavy Blues of “Touched By Fire,” chant along “Made To Die,” and the final heavy hymn “Gifts From The Holy Ghost.”
When all is said and done, Martin and her tight band of rockers have put together their most mature and well-written albums to date. We live in a time when we pray to the gods of technology, and our eulogy is the latest bickering on social media. In a way, we feel soulless and empty for good reasons. For such reasons, a Rock-n-Roll album like Gifts From The Holy Ghost feels even more powerful and reminds us that life is so much more than we know. That is why Cryptic Rock is a believer and gives Dorothy’s defining moment 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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