Review of By The Sword Album by Free Diamonds

Free Diamonds
By The Sword
Album Review

Free Diamonds By The Sword Album

Free Diamonds are a trio from Newcastle who combine Arctic Monkeys-style new wave with an infectious 80s punk sensibility - like the Violent Femmes brought bang up to date. Like that band, or Primus (think South Park theme tune) Free Diamonds make extensive use of humour - the song The Little Keyboard Song is actually a one minute song based on a keyboard that sounds like a Bomtempi special. The lead vocal is, perhaps, an acquired taste - it sounds as though vocalist guitarist Scott Anderson enjoys party time with helium. The music as a whole, however, is just like that too - quirky, off-centre, pogoing, calypso-ing Red Bull-soaked quick and dirty ditties. Through it all, however, each and every song, whatever its maze-like structure, has a proper melody, and would be guaranteed to have everyone dancing badly at a sweaty small club concert. If The Arctic Monkeys have become, well, just a little too mainstream for you, Free Diamonds, from the true North, may be your band.

4/5

Mike Rea


Site - http://www.myspace.com/freediamonds

Contactmusic