Recently, I reviewed Schematic, the latest from Zolof the Rock & Roll Destroyer. I lauded the band's songs and I also lauded their cuteness. I was pretty sure, at the time, it was the cutest thing I'd see for quite some time, unless I were to visit a factory that made puppy-bunny combos, and I wasn't planning on going to Grand Forks, ND anytime soon. (Grand Forks is where, I believe, one such factory is located, although I may be thinking of something else.
Then the unthinkable happened in an unthinkable location; I stumbled on something much more intrinsically cute than Zolof. And it was at a John Waters spoken-word engagement; the type of thing that usually has a restraining order on cuteness.
I am talking about Lavender Diamond, the band that opened up for Waters. More specifically, I am speaking about Lavender Diamond's vocalist, Becky Stark.
I was blown away by her cute, yet commanding stage presence. Wowed enough to pick up Imagine Our Love at the show, take it home, and commit it to top rotation.
Lavender Diamond plays a folksy, countrified, psychedelic blend, and Stark has a commanding, yet cute stage presence. It's the type of band that, while not fiercely punk, unironically embraces the feeling of the classic protest bands from the '60s and '70s, bands that helped pave the way for the punk ethic. And Imagine Our Love is too good to keep a secret.
The band is a simple four-piece, comprised of guitar, piano, drums and Stark's vocals, yet the sound they create is incredibly complex in its simple assembly. Liberally dosed with a wide variety of influences – and by that I feel like can I hear bits of the Beatles, Patsy Cline and The Flaming Lips on any given moment – and topped with Stark's ethereal voice, the songs are fun, romantic and whimsical.
Becky Stark's vocals and presence are what seals the deal with the band, preventing them from being just any other indie-rock Belle and Sebastian clone (in fact, I have to say that Lavender Diamond does it better then the oft-overrated B&S). Her voice is sweet and almost perfect, notched down from perfection by that slight mark that only serves to add to her intrinsic cuteness.
Her lyrics are wonderful, too. They are the type of simple lyric that seem like they'd be way to easy to write until you tried to do it yourself, when you realize they are probably painstakingly crafted. Therein lies the paradox of the Lavender Diamond, when Stark liltingly croons "I'll never stop a bullet, but a bullet might stop me," on "Garden Rose" as her band plods along with a perfectly-paced tune – it all seems too easy, even when you know it's not.
Aside from the cuteness, she's a true artist. Add in the cuteness factor, and Stark makes Lavender Diamond's Imagine Our Love a sleepy little album that is sure to become virally infectious and addictive. Pick it up now and you'll be feeling happy before all your friends.
