Courtney Love. Janis Joplin. Grace Slick. Amy Winehouse. These are names one doesn’t toss around lightly – they represent a cannon of badass lady rockers with true charisma and formidable pipes. Keeping up this grand tradition is Dorothy Martin, the lead vocalist for eponymous rock n’ roll outfit DOROTHY. As head of this L.A.-based four-piece, Dorothy has all the makings of a great rock frontwoman with a distinct style one might call couture grunge, a voice that simmers and pierces and a confidence that makes her seem as if she was born to perform. It helps that her band members know exactly how to support her too; Eliot Lorango plays a heavy bass that matches Dorothy’s gritty vocals, guitarist Mark Jackson knows how to skillfully build from the thundering bass, and drummer Zac Morris provides a frenzied rhythm that lets Dorothy really let loose. Throw in some hand claps and tambourines and their blistering debut track “After Midnight” comes to life, a bluesy rock ode to midnight trysts filled with too many shots and dirty dancing.
The video, like the song, is simple yet stylish; Dorothy dons red lipstick, a luxurious vintage fur coat that she sheds towards the end to reveal a tattered band shirt, and inky black hair she tosses around in a classic devil-may-care manner. Dorothy’s electrifying verses are the main focus, but her band members are equally immersed in their parts – particularly Morris, whose drumming is unhinged and powerful. Essentially, it’s a performance video, but the swing of a spotlight only allows the viewer to see erratic, clandestine moments of the action, making it feel as if viewers are getting a private glimpse of the awakening of a great rock star.
