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blog post Wrath of Khanna's Album of the Week:“All Yr Songs” by Diamond Rings

posted by Vish Khanna on Aug 19, 2009

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Hello and howdy to you all or perhaps even "y'all." My Album of the Week is not an album at all; in fact, it's a brand-spankin' new split seven-inch featuring a song each by Diamond Rings and PS I Love You! Who are these people you ask? Well, I'm going to focus in on Diamond Rings today because its mastermind, John O'Regan, joins me on today's show! But if you know what's good for you, you'll learn a bit more about PS I Love You too, okay?

UPDATE: Interviews up!

Diamond Rings Part I:

Diamond Rings Part II:

You may know John best as the lead singer for The D'Urbervilles. Well, John's a complex young man with a number of artistic interests, many of which incorporate different kinds of music, graphic art, and pop culture generally. He's working towards translating all of those and more into a new venture called Hype Lighter and I'll be asking him more about that today.

As for his new single "All Yr Songs," you can hear it on today's show or watch the new video above for the full flavour of this little pop gem. When I saw Diamond Rings play recently, it was a pretty sedate, folk show but I think that was an anomaly. John's got some hooks in him and I imagine you'll be hearing some inventive things from Diamond Rings down the line.

On today's show, I'm going to give away one copy of this limited run of Diamond Rings/PS I Love You split seven-inches. Get your mailing address ready and be prepared to e-mail feedback@cbcradio3.com with "Diamond Rings Contest" in the subject. I'll reveal the contest question during the interview with Jonno...

UPDATE: MARTIN CATHRAE IS OUR WINNER! CONGRATS MARTIN!

Are you keen to hear more from Diamond Rings? Old or new, Canadian or not, what is YOUR album of the week?

posted by Vish Khanna on Aug 19, 2009

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#1 posted by
MikeV
on Aug 19, 2009

First of that is the greatest music video ever! I really can't wait to hear more from Diamond Rings.

As for my album of the week it is also not an album but rather Dark Mean's frankencottage EP. Thanks to fumblebee who posted the other day that the EP was available for free of their website. I finally listening to it last night and it brought some hapiness to an otherwise mundane evening!

#2 posted by
suckamc
on Aug 19, 2009

haha love the video, looking forward to hearing more. :)

I'm having trouble thinking of my album of the week, but I think I'm going to go with MikeV's last week's pick and say Most Serene Republic's And the Ever Expanding Universe.

Martin

#3 posted by
tb3
on Aug 19, 2009

No thanks, not keen.

My album of the week is Bruce Peninsula's "A mountain is a mouth" which I finally picked up in anticipation of them playing LOLA. What a great great album, I can't believe it took this long for me to get this.

#4 posted by
TheRadioHead
on Aug 19, 2009

Not my cup of tea.

Also in that I finally I picked up the Weakerthans Reunion Tour. What kind of Winnipeger am I to not have gotten it 18 months ago? Nothing surprising on it, heard it all at one time or another, but for the first time I am really listening to it.

The flutes, horns, pedal steel, ambient sound, and Jason Tait's amazing drumming, so much more accessible to me since seeing him sit in for RPC's drummer at The Lo last fall. The references to St. Vital, where I grew up, and St. Boniface, where I have lived all my adult life. It is an amazing album.

I also picked up Be Good Tanya's, The Blue Horse, from 2000, in the used bin. Their lovely voices and sweet banjo picking lifted my spirits on these grey rainy days.

Bruce Peninsula's album is a great one. I am so sorry to have missed them here this summer, but the came during Folk Fest week.

#5 posted by
Colin Medley
on Aug 19, 2009

Thanks for posting my video Vish!

#6 posted by
fumblebee
on Aug 19, 2009

It took me an hour and a half to get to work today. I usually takes about 50 minutes. Summerside is locked down like the freakin' Pope,President (US) and Prime Minister are going to have a tea party.

Wish I had thought to look at the video before I left this morning can't see it at work :(. My album of the week this week is probably also the Dark Mean EP. I started listening to Sunset Rubdown after Craig mentioned them on the blog yesterday and I have to say that I might have found next weeks album I listen to constantly this week.

#7 posted by
fumblebee
on Aug 19, 2009

I noticed I didn't mention WHY it is locked down (it isn't for a tea party). The 2009 Canada Summer Games (yes I needed all those capital letters) are being held on PEI this year. Summerside gets the first week of stuff then they all move right next door to me at UPEI for week 2 (oh boy).

#8 posted by
dawn.h
on Aug 19, 2009

Enter Comment Here:

#9 posted by
dawn.h
on Aug 19, 2009

(oops.. hit Enter by mistake)

I am totally having a Martin breakfast.

Cinnamon raisin bagel!

#10 posted by
dawn.h
on Aug 19, 2009

Oh. And I'm kicking it old school for my album of the week. Sloan's Twice Removed.

#11 posted by
suckamc
on Aug 19, 2009

yay for a quality Martin Breakfast! :)

Martin

#12 posted by
KidGotham
on Aug 19, 2009

I have been listening to the Weakerthans quite a bit lateley. No specific album. They are one of the few bands that when I hear one song, I have to listen to their complete discography.

While they may be in the background a lot this week, my actual pick for album of the week comes from the UK's Frank Turner, and his disc "Love, Ire and Song". His music is some of the best I have heard in ages. If you haven't heard anything by him, do it. His cover of Bad Brains "Pay to Cum" is crazy, and nothing like the orgininal.

#13 posted by
Karl Raupp
on Aug 19, 2009

Does it have to be released this week? Are their rules for this sort of thing? If there is I'll just do what I do best and skirt around them...

My album of the week is I Built My Own Spaceship by the Astroyeahs. Heard them for the first time the other day and it turns out they are Canadian, have a couple of songs up here on New Music Canada AND the album is a pay-what-you-can download. A good indie sound to them and any band that lists Magneta Lane as an influence is A-OK in my books.

Nice!

#14 posted by
dawn.h
on Aug 19, 2009

I'm not sure this Diamond Rings song is my cup of tea either.

But it's got some sweet lyrics.

Like:
And in the summer weather
We'll put suntan lotion on together
Because I wouldn't want your skin to burn

Or:
And in the winter weather
I'd lend you my warmest sweater
Because I would not want you to get cold

And it's catchy.

And the video has some footage that reminds me of Organized Rhyme and the music videos of my teenhood.

#15 posted by
suckamc
on Aug 19, 2009

nice pick, I'm downloading now, enjoyed the two songs the Astroyeahs have on NMC.

Martin

#16 posted by
Vish Khanna
on Aug 19, 2009

No problemo Coco!
Some people here don't like it!

#17 posted by
Benoit from Ottawa
on Aug 19, 2009

Real query: the "posters" that aren't so sure about the above video, is it the video or the music that they don't go for so much?

#18 posted by
tb3
on Aug 19, 2009

Yes.

#19 posted by
Vish Khanna
on Aug 19, 2009

Well, tb3's post reads "After seeing the video...No thanks, not keen," and others have said they agree with him. But perhaps it's a combination of the two?

#20 posted by
tb3
on Aug 19, 2009

The song:
Talking over a Casio clap track. That has been done. Stick a fork in it. And the lyrics are trying too hard be humourous and ironical read like someone paying homage to 'I'll be loving you' NKOTB all while it's so funny cause no one will know we're doing this for funzies.

The video:
It's a green screen exercise in 'hilarious' desktop wallpaper backdrops and a revolving door of outfits and 'looks' that make him even more ironic. Acid washed jacket and twin eyeliner… Wow so funny. So retro. So… boring. Seriously the video feels like it should be on latfh.com.

I am sorry, but the project start to finish reads like a Hipster-Off. The only thing missing was he PBR, the ironic Sally Jesse Raphael prescription glasses and the fixie.

The D'Urbervilles I like. This I do not.

Sorry you asked Benoit from Ottawa?

#21 posted by
tb3
on Aug 19, 2009

That is just how I see it. I don't expect anyone else to feel the same. My comments are not an exercise in orchestrating group think.

I initially just said, "not keen" and left it at that switching the topic to the album that I loved this past week.

But when Vish said that "people" it was just me and TheRadiohead, the elders of the blog that didn't, I felt I should at least validate my opinions.

Truth is, so far it looks like more 'people' liked it than didn't, Vish. Look what you started.

#22 posted by
suckamc
on Aug 19, 2009

I spelled the city wrong in my first email, was I too late, will it be counted against me, will my second correctly spelled email be counted? Burning questions in the life of Martin.

Martin

#23 posted by
Benoit from Ottawa
on Aug 19, 2009

No, not one bit. Au contraire, thanks.

#24 posted by
Benoit from Ottawa
on Aug 19, 2009

Re "Sorry you asked Benoit from Ottawa?", no, not one bit. Au contraire, thanks.

#25 posted by
tb3
on Aug 19, 2009

I have never ever heard of these guys and this track is fantastic! Reminds me of Big Star and Teenage Fanclub!

Love it.

Here's a Question for you Vish. Did they call their album Thirteen in homage to Teenage Fanclub's wonderful album by the same name?

#26 posted by
Vish Khanna
on Aug 19, 2009

Not sure about that one. Perhaps I can ask them for you?...

#27 posted by
Vish Khanna
on Aug 19, 2009

Congrats Martin; you win a copy of this new Diamond Rings/PS I Love You seven-inch!

#28 posted by
suckamc
on Aug 19, 2009

wohoo! :D

Martin

#29 posted by
The Hobo Night Stalkers
on Aug 19, 2009

D-Rings has the sweetest moves.

#30 posted by
Vish Khanna
on Aug 19, 2009

Ah, but not everyone agrees...

#31 posted by
tb3
on Aug 19, 2009

Your abacus is broken. More people liked the song than didn't.

Of the people that spoke directly about their opinion of the song, there were more people who liked it than didn't. So, I am not sure what you're trying to do by keep bring up that people didn't like it…

Like it:
1) Vish
2) MikeV
3) Martin
4) Colin (of course)
5) The Hobo Night Stalkers

Didn't Like it:
1) Me
2) TheRadiohead

On the fence but leaned more towards liking it:
1) dawn.h

So, why do you keep pointing out the opinion that had the lower consensus?

#32 posted by
Vish Khanna
on Aug 19, 2009

I stand corrected; everyone likes it!

#33 posted by
tb3
on Aug 19, 2009

Is today a bad day for you?
Why so angry?

You got your Wilco tickets, shouldn't that make you happy?

#34 posted by
Colin Medley
on Aug 19, 2009

Thanks for the nice comments! It is so funny/so retro, isn't it? We had a lot of fun making it and I'm glad you took the time to watch it. : )

PS: What's latfh.com?

#35 posted by
Vish Khanna
on Aug 19, 2009

I never said I was angry. Today's a fine day for me. How are you?

#36 posted by
tb3
on Aug 19, 2009

I don't know I was hoping you'd Google it and explain it to me.

I think the .com has something to do with the internet, though.

#37 posted by
tb3
on Aug 19, 2009

Again with the hostility? I don't think you're paid to yell at people on the blog are you? You're going to scare away people, Vish with this anger. Perhaps there's some sort of sensitivity training for you? Have you read The Secret? It helped me a lot.

/end

Vish you of all people should know I am 20% serious. I do stand by my opinions about the song. I am 1 person though. The video has been viewed over a thousand times and has a favourable rapport.

So I'm serious when I ask why you kept bringing up that "people" didn't like it. And wouldn't mind if you commented on that.

But the shit about me saying you're angry – typical "what glue is tb3 huffing??" conjecture.

And Medley, settle down, I am an old fogie who's opinion really doesn't count. Irrelevant and washed up am I. You video and comment irony is totally lost on me. Save it for your friends who totally get it.

Snickers friends. Let's hug.

#38 posted by
Colin Medley
on Aug 19, 2009

Well, obviously.

#39 posted by
flipzoso
on Aug 19, 2009

I was actually talking to someone about this after a show recently of how addicting the video is. How awesome the dance moves are (and they are choreographed!). The person actually spent the time to learn the dance moves, haha.

Anyways the song is great for what it is -- a nice summer poppy sing-along hit. The melodies and hooks are indeed catchy.

Also, I love it when Bruce Peninsula is mentioned in the discussions. Yes the album is amazing, but if you see them live your minds will be blown. Some of their new tunes are insanely good too. Check them out in all respects.

#40 posted by
Vish Khanna
on Aug 19, 2009

I was just saying that some people didn't like the song and its corresponding video. Some people do like one or the other or both as well. That's all I was saying.

#41 posted by
Colin Medley
on Aug 19, 2009

The truth is, I honestly like the visual style we replicated in the video. It's meant to pay tribute to some truly great music videos from my youth, including ones I grew up watching (MC Hammer, Vanilla Ice, etc.) and ones I've recently discovered on YouTube. It's not meant to be ironic.

#42 posted by
tb3
on Aug 19, 2009

But what I am getting at is why did you only point out that people didn't like it? You're only interaction was to twice point out that fact.

Which is kind of weird when I tried to respect the fact that my opinion was just mine and left it to one line that I wasn't keen on it. That was it.

Far more was said about why others liked it.

If your commentary truly was 'the sky is blue' observation, wouldn't you leave that to other people's observatory powers, letting them read the blog, rather than drawing attention to it?

#43 posted by
Vish Khanna
on Aug 19, 2009

I didn't say you don't like it. I said some people don't like it. That implies that some people do. I never mentioned your specific opinion on it at all. It was just a quick observation that alluded to basic facts about the blog comments made here about the new Diamond Rings song/video for "All Yr Songs."

#44 posted by
tb3
on Aug 19, 2009

The thing I will never say is that you're without talent when it comes to your videos and editing. They are very well done. And this video was that. It was very smooth, and I am always impressed with your quality. That's the truth.

What I was speaking to was the content. The notion of paying homage to the late 80's over indulgence and style has been played out. I know you know what latfh.com is, so you know what I am talking about.

I get the reference points harkened to in the song and the video. For me, I just feel it's long over and has been played out.

But admittedly I am outside of the realm of relevance so my opinion is of any consequence really to the next wave. Maybe it is still hip to milk that retro love? What do I know, really?

All that said, I didn't mean to knock on your video abilities Colin, as that was absolutely not the intent. Like I said, I am always impressed by the quality of the video work.

#45 posted by
tb3
on Aug 19, 2009

Maybe it seemed that I cared that you pointed out that "I" specifically didn't like it. Or that I am insinuating that you were only interested in my opinion. To that, sorry my words failed me. That part I could care less about.

As people who know me, know I have no problem sharing my opinion and standing up for it. I just find it interesting that was the only points you drew attention to. The not liking it points. I don't care that I was one of the people though.

Only when asked by Benoit why I didn't like it, did I share my opinion. Because honestly it was better left alone. I think anyway.

#46 posted by
Colin Medley
on Aug 19, 2009

Alright, that's cool. I don't think it's played out, but maybe I just live in a bubble. And I honestly don't know what that website is, and I'm not going to visit it because apparently it's full of videos identical to my own.