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| Diamond Youth |
Ok, let me preface this by saying I know that the album I'm about to talk about is not a super recent release. And it's technically not a full album, it's an EP. But I still feel like they deserved some attention.
Anyway.
Diamond Youth! You might not have heard of them - the only reason I do is because I've watched more than my fair share of live Paramore songs, and in a bunch of the tour their singer been wearing their t-shirt. I've been looking for new bands to listen to anyway, so I just went ahead and looked them up. And they were definitely worth the listen.
With three EPs out now and an upcoming album, Diamond Youth is a Chicago-based alternative rock quartet. Their latest EP, Orange, came out in January. When I first listened to it, I was a little unsure about whether or not I really had liked it - it was a bit like having stepped into an old-school Muse album with just a hint of Foo Fighters. It was very 90s emo/college rock and though it did feel a little generic, I already knew that I liked it much better than the similar Queens of the Stone Age album I listened to just a few weeks ago (...Like Clockwork). There was no doubt the music was more complex, well done, and, well, musical, but I didn't know if it was enough to make it something that would be introduced into the library of music I listen to consistently. So, since there were only six songs on the EP (and I have more than a little free time) I went ahead and listened to it again.
The second time listening to it, I decided that I officially liked it. While still maintaining a very 90s-esque sound, they brought in different styles and influences while creating a very cohesive but not overly repetitive structure of the entire EP. They showed a distinct sound clearly set in the first track - to quote this site's review, "Cannonball is a great opening track, as it tells you everything you need to know about the band; fuzzed-out guitars and clear melodic vocals, mid-tempo yet still high energy, with a clear debt to '90s emo". The album overall was one musical arc, providing a strong opening and a buildup continuing through the the first three tracks, peaking in loudness and complexity at the fourth track, Orange, slowing back down at the fifth song Swinging From You, and completing itself by fading out, though still maintaining its old energy, at the final track Lola. The vocals reached an almost aerial quality over the songs, providing great dynamics between the swooning choruses, especially seen in Separator and Orange. Though the style and structure of the songs were still basically the same, there was some divergence from the typical style with Come Down starting as a more classic, almost 80s rock style that adds multiple layered melodies in the mix, until later turning into a bright alt-rock second verse. Because of this, the album comes across more as a large work of art rather than one long song.
There's no doubt that Diamond Youth is a good band with potential. Personally, I think they are probably the best group right now attempting this style of music, bringing different styles and musicality to the table that similar bands are not really offering. It's hard to judge how well they will do in the long run since they have not had a full record out yet, but from listening to their older EPs it is pretty clear it will be a good album. For music-lovers searching for a band that combines the best of the 90s, Diamond Youth will definitely have a space for themselves in the current rock music scene.
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