Marina & the Diamonds - The Family Jewels
By Nick Manteris · 0 Comments · Leave a Comment
The Family Jewels is the first album from Marina & the Diamonds. The Marina in question is Marina Diamandis and the Diamonds – while originally just based on her Greek last name – is now the term she uses to refer to her fans. The album is being released in the US today, but it was released in the UK about a month ago: it peaked at number 5 and has already earned a gold certification there. Marina is repeatedly compared to (an artist I’m not very familiar with, having never casually discovered anything of hers that I could get into: ) Kate Bush – to the point that she must surely hate the comparison. There are, however, easier (and hopefully less prevalent) comparisons to make: she has a strong voice like Florence Welch from Florence + the Machine, some of her song themes are dreamy and fairytale-esque like Bat for Lashes (and, admittedly, also Florence + the Machine) and her delivery is sometimes reminiscent of Amanda Palmer, previously of The Dresden Dolls.
Miranda recounts a telling dream in the best track on the album, “Guilty.” It’s an excellent song that we’re fortunate to get since some might find the subject matter too personal to share. “Oh No!” is another one of the better tracks on the album, and it’s the only one that features production from The Bird and the Bee’s Greg Kurstin. “Shampain” is the low point of the album – the only skippable track – and there are several songs that are just so-so: “I Am Not A Robot,” “Hermit The Frog” and “Seventeen.” (For some reason, “Seventeen” replaces the superior “Rootless” on the US version of The Family Jewels…perhaps the record label thought it sounded too much like Bat For Lashes?)
- Score
- 83%
The Family Jewels is a great debut album (one of the best so far this year) and Marina & the Diamonds is a great new artist (definitely one of the best of the year so far.) She’s doing her own thing and creating an alternative to pop that still has pop sensibilities. Check out her sporadically-updated and very readable blog on the Marina & the Diamonds website where you can also watch some of her videos or buy some of her “cannot compare it with any lipstick” UV Lip Paint…you know, if that’s the sort of thing that you’re into. Meanwhile, I’ll be following Marina on twitter and waiting patiently for the sophomore album with its (supposedly) Greek mythology-themed songs.
