Labels: Deep Elm
Review by: Andy Malcolm
It is pretty bizarro that some band from Newcastle should sound quite a lot like Rapider Than Horsepower (a band that it is bizarro enough in its own right). I guess its mainly the hyperactive vocals that engender that comparison, along with the large degree of sass that Free Diamonds inject into their music. I am highly allergic to sass, and Free Diamonds posess so much of the stuff that it has become insanely contageous. In fact, the city of Newcastle has had to erect a 20 foot high wall to prevent people from entering and contracting a sass infection. Sass masks have been issued to all essential visitors. Not that many people want to visit Newcastle in the first place, but hey. On this occasion though, I am happy to inhale as many sass fumes as Free Diamonds have to offer. For this… is the good shit.
Anyway, combined with the afforementioned outlandish levels of sass you get some super catchy songs that are right up there in the fun choon stakes with Meneguar, which is a mighty fine compliment if ever I heard one. Sure, there is the occasional cliched funk-punk moment (I refer you to “The List of Everyone”) that fits in with the “New Wave of the British Wave of the New British Wave of Wave” and all that other stuff that the NME bangs on about, and there is a strange chorus on “Lovers Die Young” that sounds like a Strokes riff crossed with “Higher and Higher” by Jackie Wilson. Hmm! Free Diamonds though generally has too much oddball weirdoness (especially in the vocals) to acquire a chart busting position on Top of the Pops. But you never know.
Overall this clocks in smartly at half an hour, which is pretty much spot on. Any more than that and the crazed vocals and toxic sass would probably start causing weapons to be wielded angrily. Any less and it would all be over far too fast. So I end up drawing the conclusion that what we have here is a quality post punk / indie band that have more than enough smarts about themselves to do something slightly different (although I’d be extremely shocked if the band is not familiar with Rapider Than Horsepower) and create a really solid debut album. Nice one!