Dolly - Dolly (International Deluxe Edition) (1998/2020)

Taking their cue from the highly active female-fronted alternative rock movement of the '90s, Dolly makes music that lands somewhere between the lush simplicity of Veruca Salt and the poignant songwriting of Bettie Serveert. They have definitely learned their lesson from the masters and utilize the sense of dynamics and use of fuzzy production techniques that have helped many like-minded artists put across their message. But for what Dolly offers in sheer visceral pleasantries, they still have a bit of a problem in the songwriting department. Their songs are quite enjoyable, but they don't really stand out from one another. The simple melodies and stylish guitar work do more damage than help, as they tend to make everything sound the same even though there is a very noticeable difference between the tracks when actually examined. But the band makes a very enjoyable noise, even if it is fairly indistinguishable, making this an entertaining but unessential album. Fans of this style of playing should definitely check this out; the band has the right idea, they just need to perfect the delivery.