Toronto’s Dinah Thorpe understands the line between fact and
fiction. Her double disc Truths and Other Stories straddles this
divide. Produced, mixed and mastered by the artist, Thorpe layers her
ethereal vocals over club-worthy beats. (Imagine Dido if she were a
dyke.) Academically minded, much of Thorpe’s material dives into queer
theory and gender politics. But she takes a fresh approach with “We
Brought the Thunder,” and “Milk the State Remix,” bringing a splash of
humour and a good dance beat. As a kid Dinah hated her name, but grew
into it—“Someone’s in the Kitchen,” shows such evolution. “Strap Me
In,” toys with being provocative, though it’s more about having a baby,
rather than making babies.
This article appears in Sep 3-9, 2009.