Late 90s style indie / emo done with panache
A.D.M. | Norwich, UK | 06/20/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I have really gotten into this band just recently. The Diggs are totally getting back to the late 90s, Deep Elm type sound, although the band they remind me most of is Sundays Best. Indie / emo of the highest calibre. Now, I think I prefer their previous album Commute, which was even more in the vein of the Deep Elm sound, but this follow up is still more than worthy of your time. Basically take some tasty Sunny Day Real Estate style riffing, and vocals that can be both strong and vulnerable (yet not as piercing as Jeremy Enigk). Stand out song is "Careen" which is an utter blast, bubbling the bass in a Promise Ring type fashion, with light vocals drifting over the top. This song is killer, and that bass is just spot on, moving the song along to great effect. They do have a tendency to pile on the guitar effects and post rock occasionally, but this song keeps that to the minimum, and it was also the element that they didn't really have on the previous album (probably why I prefer Commute to be honest). Still, the, dreamy shoegaze is more than acceptable and just gives the band a slightly different sound to what they had before. Songs like the gently rolling "Brigante" are pretty much perfect to my ears, it's not setting out to do anything clever or oddball. Good, straightforward music tends to be what I crave the most. "Brightness Falls" is another corking number, belting along with that Promise Ring-esque drive to things. Wonderful.
OK, so I know nobody apart from me likes Sundays Best, but if you were into that band or have a hankering for late 90s indie / emo and enjoy newer bands like Empire! Empire! or Arrows, and you want to listen to music for Autumn, then you should definitely check out the Diggs, as I think they'll be right up your alley. Oh the 90s, how I miss your music."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1