Dave Diamond – Trois

Dave Diamond – Trois

URL: https://www.davediamondmusic.com/

Dave Diamond’s successful career in music spans more than twenty years. A prolific singer/songwriter and session musician, Dave has recorded and performed as a solo artist and with his own band as well as with an array of other talented and acclaimed musicians such as Bob Weir, Donna Jean Godchaux, Robert Randolph, Derek Trucks, and Oteil Burbridge. Diamond has been featured in Modern Drummer and Drum Magazine, and is equally comfortable in abstract and complex musical terrain as evidenced by his contributions to Blow Up Hollywood, the art rock collective led by Steve Messina, and the musical catalogue of poet NYC poet/ songwriter Alan Semerdjian.

While it’s true that most of Diamond’s career has been spent helping shape the jam band scene in North America, it would be foolish to categorize his work as derivative of any one genre. I like most everything about his latest release. From blues and rock to southern rock and country, and even a lot of soul put into it. Produced by Dave Diamond. Recorded, engineered and mastered by Chris Laybourne at Coop Studios, Oceanside, NY with Additional recording and engineering by Michael Costanzo at MPC Recording, Dix Hills, NY this is a well-crafted album that starts off with the likes of “All Good Things,” and it’s as smooth as butter. But it also sounds like so many singers I could mistake it for someone else of the day. It has an Americana aspect to it that flies with the hipsters. But only on this track. From there on the standard in which Dave Diamond brings is that of his own, because he is no new kid on the block, he’s just new to me. If I was a bit lost on the vocals of the first track, the rest finds me well entertained. On “Breaking Hearts” it’s the drums that run the show for the most part and everyone comes in with ease and it just pleases from one end to the other. Singing about guilt trips and right from wrong, it’s easy to get through this without skipping a beat. He does the vocals justice this time as well, even if it is probably the closest to the first track in that department. Then it gets a lot more interesting on “Here In The Summertime” is as good as it gets among the set. This is killer and something just about anyone can appreciate. Much can be said about it but the proof is in the pudding, so go out and buy this recommended title. You will get this and so much more. It comes with “Little Things” that go so easy on the ears it should be exposed far and wide. This is another track I really enjoy but could be one of the sleepers of the lot. “Back Off” has more of a rocking feel to it but also a southern fried rock sound. It is welcomed at this stage, bringing a lot of diversity. “Let It Go” has the same result but a completely different feel. It stands up well between the former and “Tear It Down,” as it manages to fill the two out. But ‘Pick It Up” is much more like it. This is fantastic, with smoking lyrics.

There are some pretty epic moments on this for what it’s worth, and “California Turnaround” has to be one of them. The pace is lifted and it comes along at the right time because by then you are ready for it. Not a bad thing to say about this. It has just about everything. The next track “In A Little While” is like a sublime slice of zen. And so is “Queen Of Sorrow,” as it once again slithers through your ears like a welcome snake of sound. I somehow got a Beach Boys “Sail On Sailor” reminder from the latter track. Dave Diamond appears to be that diverse. And “Little Big Girl” has some familiarity too, but I just can’t nail where it’s coming from, and the last track “Long Goodbye” is by no means the worst either. Song for song this is a CD to inspire no matter who’s listening.

Cory Frye

I-TUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/trois/id1092802424

Score: 10/10