Lavender Diamond – Imagine Our Love
The Jenny Lewis sound capturing indie/folksters of Los Angeles’ Lavender Diamond, have been slowly planting seeds of intrigue on both sides of the Atlantic in readiness for the release of this, their debut album. A weaving, string based accompaniment wraps tenderly around the crisp, Joan Baez vocal pinch of Becky Stark, for ‘Garden Rose’ that proffers strolling, summery poetry. This immediately sets a peaceful tone that helps the impact of the booming drum pushed previous single, ‘Open Your Heart’. These opening snippets of hearty optimism help the album commence with the carefree nature of a spring lamb.
From the sorrowful, but light sojourn of ‘I’ll Never Lie Again’ to the Elaine Page veined, slowly thrusting piano push of ‘Dance Until It’s Tomorrow’. Lavender Diamond stretch folk to the limits of its tenderness and wrap an accessible pop ribbon around it. The subtlety, but warmth of the accompaniments is like creating a blank canvass for the colourful Becky to illustrate with her soulful, tender and passionate pitch. An echoing feel that reverberates from the booming ‘Like An Arrow’, sees the leading lady scattering her vocals to give off a lovelorn battle-cry that not many people would be able to shield themselves from.
True explorative and cushioning pop music seems to be produced with effortless poise. The hymn-like ‘Bring Me A Song’ contains ethereal vocals and is punctuated by brisk piano trickles, giving this particular number even more heart. Togetherness is a constant theme and it will have even the loneliest person hugging their bottle of whisky, even closer than usual. The hushed sound of album closer ‘Find A Way’, embodies contentment through the slow piano trickle and tenderly caressed guitars. The Lavender way is fresh and sincere and it looks like it is going to continue because they seem like a quartet who won’t change because of fads or trends.
www.myspace.com/lavenderdiamond