Diamonds & Debris
1997 studio album by Cry of Love
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Diamonds & Debris is the second and final album by the American band Cry of Love, released in 1997.[1][2] The band supported the album with a North American tour.[3] The first single, "Sugarcane", peaked at No. 22 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.[4] Cry of Love broke up shortly after the album's release.[5]
| Diamonds & Debris | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1997 | |||
| Recorded | 1996–1997 | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Producer | John Custer | |||
| Cry of Love chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
The album was produced by John Custer.[6] Robert Mason took over lead vocals and guitar, replacing Kelly Holland; it took years for Cry of Love to find a satisfactory replacement.[7][8] Lead guitar player and songwriter Audley Freed wrote most of the album's songs without knowing which vocalist would join the band.[6] Freed used a variety of guitars in the studio, but chose to trust the quality of the instruments and amps rather than spend a lot of time trying to capture a specific tone.[9] Some tracks were influenced by gospel music.[10]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [11] |
| Fort Worth Star-Telegram |  [12] |
| New Straits Times | [13] |
| Winston-Salem Journal | [14] |
The New Straits Times wrote that Cry of Love offers "more of the raunchy, blues-tinged rockers that made its debut, Brother, so enthralling," writing that Freed "remains the propelling force, driving most of the tunes with some vibrant and vigorous Hendrixian riffing."[13] The Hartford Courant determined that "things take a turn for the better at about the halfway point ... Mason's lyrics take on a more distinct and powerful presence and the band's Southern roots begin to rise to the surface."[15] The Sunday Mail opined that the band's "vital, loud, guitar-driven approach lightly tinged with old-fashioned chug-along rhythms, works well even in this alterna-rock era."[16]
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram concluded that "Mason tries, and a few of the songs have a genuinely soulful kick, but Diamonds is mostly a pale shadow of the past."[12] The Wichita Eagle deemed Diamonds & Debris "a straightforward, guitar-oriented rock 'n' roll record, untainted yet influenced by country and soul."[17] The Winston-Salem Journal noted that the songs "pay loud 'n' proud homage to the '70s riff-rock movement."[14]
AllMusic wrote: "A little too musical for their own good, these Southern rockers fail to place their own personal stamp on Diamonds & Debris' many mid-tempo walk-throughs and forgettable ballads."[11]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Empty Castle" | |
| 2. | "Hung Out to Dry" | |
| 3. | "Sugarcane" | |
| 4. | "Fire in the Dry Grass" | |
| 5. | "Georgia Pines" | |
| 6. | "Warm River Pearl" | |
| 7. | "Sweet Mary's Gone" | |
| 8. | "Revelation (Rattlesnakes & Queens)" | |
| 9. | "Bring Me My Burden" | |
| 10. | "Sunday Morning Flood" | |
| 11. | "Diamonds & Debris" | |
| 12. | "Hung Out Redux" | |
| 13. | "Garden of Memories" |