DEAR DIARY - review added 8th December 2010
Album Review: Dear Diary (self-titled) (2010)
For fans of: Hard Rock... and vocals that come and go
Chicago band Dear Diary - Jeff Evans on vocals, Mike Levin on bass, Dave Schafer and Nick Panos on guitars, and Vince Consolo on drums - was put together by the two guitarists through numerous auditions and friend's recommendations during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
They list their influences as "...everything from Rush and Styx to Def Leppard and Diving for Pearls", although they are arguably more of a sleaze-orientated hard rock act than a thoughtful progressive outfit.
During their brief existence - they broke up in the 1990s - they managed to record a couple of demos, one self-titled, the other called “2:57 AM.”. This self-titled album is a compilation of some of their works, released for the first time as an LP.
Good:
Some of the guitar playing is superb, even if it is often buried in the mix. The songs are mostly well written, and the vocals are (again mostly) great. Jeff Evans really reminds me of the UK's Steve Newman, with a hint or two of Danny Vaughn, and that can only be a good thing.
Not So Good:
There are a couple of occasions where the vocals go completely out of tune. You can put that down to the demo status of some of these songs, but it still grates and cheapens the release. The production doesn't always do the guys proud.
The Songs:
'I Want To Know' is a catchy hard rocker. 'Momma Said' is distinctly average in the verses, but the chorus is a big sing along effort. 'Slow Down' is a good track, but the vocals are iffy in places. 'Tanqueray Tina' is a heavy monster and probably the best track on the release. 'One Step Closer' on the other hand isn't great. Shame.
'Red Rose Burn' is a semi-sleazy track with a rockin' vibe. 'Dream In Color' is a cool if uneventful song - the mood it generates is awesome. 'She Danced For Me' is middle of the road quality-wise. The strangely titled 'Shiny Like The Bubbled Glass' is one of the album's better tracks. Who'd have thought with a name like that?! The acoustic 'Plain To See' doesn't really go anywhere.
In Summation:
There's plenty of good music on this self-titled LP, but it's patchy as a whole. Recommended, but suggest you have a listen to samples first.
Entertainment/Enjoyment:
Musicianship:
Vocals:
Song Writing:
Production:
Overall:
Check out... 'Tanqueray Tina'
Track List:
01. I Want To Know
02. Momma Said
03. Slow Down
04. Tanqueray Tina
05. One Step Closer
06. Red Rose Burn
07. Dream In Color
08. She Danced For Me
09. Shiny Like The Bubbled Glass
10. Plain To See
Label: Eonian Records
Artist's website(s): Dear Diary
