Dorothy - Through The Years (2023)

DOROTHY, like Blondie and DAUGHTRY before them, is a group, not a person. Nevertheless, it's clear that Dorothy Martin is the driving force of the Los Angeles-based quartet: she's not only the namesake, she's the singer and the star around which the other members rotate. Due to landing a contract with Jay-Z's Roc Nation, the modernized blues-rock group -- they split the difference between the Black Keys at their most electronica and the full-throated wail of Adele -- became a hot pick to click in the mid-2010s, with their 2015 digital EP serving as a teaser for their 2016 full-length ROCKISDEAD. The band continued to hone their sound on subsequent efforts like 2018's 28 Days in the Valley and 2021's transformative Gifts from the Holy Ghost.

DOROTHY was built around Dorothy Martin, a singer who was born in Budapest but raised in San Diego. As a child, she started singing early and eventually made her way to Los Angeles, where she eased her way into certain rock circles. She began working with guitarist Mark Jackson and producer Ian Scott in 2013, and soon DOROTHY formed with Martin, Jackson, bassist Gregg Cash, and drummer Zac Morris. The summer of 2014 brought the single "After Midnight," which quickly gained traction on social media, and an eponymous EP followed in the fall of 2014. The EP earned attention from L.A. Weekly and Rolling Stone -- the latter named DOROTHY one of the 50 Best New Artists of 2014.

All this chatter was enough to earn the attention of Jay-Z's Roc Nation, and in the summer of 2015, the band signed to the imprint and set out on tour opening for Miguel. DOROTHY began working on a new album in late 2015, releasing the singles "Raise Hell," "Get Up," and "Missile" prior to the appearance of the full-length debut ROCKISDEAD in July of 2016. Early 2018 saw the release of the single "Who Do You Love" in anticipation of the arrival of the band's Stones-ian sophomore effort -- the Linda Perry-produced 28 Days in the Valley -- which arrived later that March. Early 2021 saw the release of the EP Thrive in the Darkness, then, inspired by a period of personal upheaval that saw Martin experiencing a profound spiritual change, DOROTHY released Gifts from the Holy Ghost in 2022. The album preached positivity and resilience, while maintaining the raw power and unfiltered rock & roll aesthetic of the band's previous efforts. © Stephen Thomas Erlewine