Artist: Diamond Rings
Album: Free Dimensional
I don't know why, and especially now need to re-evaluate, but I just couldn't get into Toronto-based John O-Regan's (AKA Diamond Rings) debut album "Special Affections." It just didn't grab me, and I never got around to highlighting it here on the blog, despite him making a bit of an underground splash. But friend and reader Chris clued me into his amazing cover of Milla's (Jovovich) "The Gentleman Who Fell," which is about as left-of-center a cover as you can do... and it was great.
So I was quite primed for a sophomore album, and this month is seeing the release of "Free Dimensional," the follow up and it. is. absolutely. amazing. A hard-hitting propulsive wash of 80's new wave, post-punk, and synthesizer rock, as well as modern beats and killer production. This is a retro-future semi-masterpiece that continues to grow on me with each listen.
Stop what you're doing and take a listen to this music.
I missed the mid-summer release of single "I'm Just Me," which has a harder-edged Pet Shop Boys feel, but recent single "Runaway Love" is an absolute doozy... a youthful ode to love that's immediate, catchy, semi-dark and just all-around bloody awesome. It's a serious contender for single of the year and one of my favorite new songs, and yet I was having a hard time picking between it and "All The Time" to highlight from the album. "All The Time" is a bit more dancey with another chorus that's pure gold. SO good.
Those three tracks are obsession-worthy, and have been hard to keep from hitting the repeat button. But there is more to discover on the record, and I'm still discovering. I love his deep, almost detached voice... best served on the poppy "Hand Over My Heart," with the deep "Bum bum" sounds over the verses. Great stuff.
I mean it... stop what you're doing and listen to these songs now...
Enjoy!
Runaway Love
I'm Just Me
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