Diamond Rings: Special Affections

Diamond Rings
Special Affections
Rating: Grrrr

Looking like the lovechild of Ziggy Stardust and La Roux, Diamond Rings (aka John O'Regan) seemingly looks like he would offer up a gay, glam smorgesbord.

And I will admit, that after seeing publicity photos and the first video he did for his first single "Show Me Your Stuff"



I was convinced this was another gimmicky one look, one sound wonder that would, in this Glee-obsessed culture, be a quick splash never to be heard from again.

However, as I learned with Owen Pallett, looks can be deceiving. Once you get past the "look" of Diamond Rings and get to the meat of his debut cd Special Affections, there is definitely more than meets the eye.  His songs almost feel like a synth pop Springsteen via The Strokes, with his tales of young love thwarted.  His deep baritone belies his young age and infuses the songs with a world-weary swagger.

His songs go back and forth between more somber, goth leaning synth pop and sunnier seeming guitar pop.  Although his palette is minimal, using basic laptop keyboards and beats and three chord guitar progressions, the simplest songs can morph into complex compositions.  He has a great way with hooks and melodies, and his sound definitely has room for growth and expansion.

The darker songs explore similar themes, the naivety of first love ("Play By Heart"),



obsessive love ("Give It Up"), or the difficulty of being in an unequal relationship ("It's Not My Party").

At first I thought these moodier pieces were the standout songs, really showcasing his expressive voice, but the poppier songs have really grown on me and are probably where his strengths lie.  They are just plain catchy, and stick in your head long after you have finished listening to them.   From the guitar heavy single "Wait And See,"



through the poppy keyboards of "You and Me," the driving Strokes meets Cars synths of "On Our Own,"



and the day-glo new wave of "Something Else,"



Diamond Rings just keeps the hooks coming.  Sure, the production values on Special Affections fairly scream that it was made in a bedroom.  But when music is this well put together and made with such, exuse the pun, affection, it doesn't really matter.  And I love how Diamond Rings has really taken to making his own videos and doing his own marketing of the music.  Each one of his low-budget videos is brimming with humor and fun.



Special Affections is too well done to be merely called a guilty pleasure.  It has good bones and shows that John O'Regan is a talent that should be watched closely.  Based on his debut I think it is inevitable he'll be picked up my a bigger label, and I for one, can't wait to see what he can do with a bigger budget and canvas.

Rating Guide

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top albums of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been trimmed or polished.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.