Apocalyptic close harmony duet, a post punk Everly Brothers.

6 MP3 Songs
ROCK: American Underground, ROCK: Americana

Details:
Imagine an alternate universe in which the Everly Brothers had employed Nick Cave as a lyric writer. Little Susie would be dead from carbon monoxide poisoning and the narrator of âAll I Have To Do Is Dreamâ would be trapped in a peyote-induced coma. These notions give you some idea of where The Diamond Platinum Rings are coming from â crazy talk set to catchy tunes.

The close harmony duo is the brainchild of Boston native, Seth Goodman, whose off-kilter take on the world informs each of the songs on The Diamond Platinum Rings new EP â6 Songs From The Ghost Netâ.

âThe first band I really took to was the Monkees and then, as I got older, I got into Blue Oyster Cult and later punk rock. But my most recent passion has been for the Everly Brothers and like-minded, close harmony duets. There is something special that happens with close harmony, duet singing. Itâs called âthe third voiceâ. Itâs a separate sound that occurs when two people blend their voices together. I find that the third voice really resonates with me at a gut level. When done right, it can have a soothing, ethereal quality that can really move people. When I was a kid, I listened to hardcore and punk rock â angry music. That kind of energy has really colored my take on the close harmony duet, even though they might seem at odds with each other. The DPR has really evolved into a combination of a lot of the punk rock, post-punk, and country bands that I really love with a close harmony duet at the forefront.â

Goodman sings, plays guitar and does most of the writing. Guitarist, bassist, and singer Kevin Mahoney is the other half of The Diamond Platinum Rings but, for the album, the band also features several other musicians including NKLS Ward (Eileen Rose, X-Ho-Ag) on bass, Eric Meyer (Hallelujah The Hills, Ho-Ag) on drums, and Ted Collins (The Silver Lining) on keys. Tom Hamilton (The Lemonheads, Bullet LaVolta) engineered and co-produced with DPR.

The music ranges in mood from melodic melancholy to urgent power pop. None of the numbers outstays its welcome. The discerning listener, and there will surely be many, will detect echoes of The Clash and Paul Weller, Crowded House and Calexico.

âA ghost net is a fishing net that is lost at sea and rolls around picking up all kinds of debris, lost cargo, trash, and sea life, getting wider and wider,â explains Goodman. âIâm likening this image to the fact that there are a lot of musical influences washing around and mixing in with each other. But also, more importantly, is the idea that weâre bound by forces beyond our control that are devoid of reason and arenât a part of some larger scheme. Being alive can truly be like being caught in a ghost net. And all we can do is howl at the moon, railing against our own seemingly senseless limitationsâ.

Certainly the warm vocals on "Six Songs From The Ghost Net" are at odds with the dark lyrics. This is a world where time flies even when youâre not having fun, itâs permanently midnight, and, even if the sun does shine, itâs probably going to burn your retinas out. "Adams Street", for instance, the EPâs opener, addresses loss and the relentless passing of the years through the image of an abandoned building. "Green Glass and Gold", with its sitar-like sixties sound is about the inevitability of death. "Great Wide World", despite its perky Motown backbeat and frenzied guitar part, was inspired by a favorite saying of Ma Goodman to the effect that we are, each of us, alone in the world, fending for ourselves.

Existential angst, nihilism and alienation - it seems a long way from the Monkees and the Everly Brothers. Goodman bursts out laughing. 'Yeah, I guess. But we've got catchy tunes and I still want the audience to tap their feet, sing along and have a good time at the shows. It is Rock and Roll after all. Itâs still a primal thing at itâs core.â And so are the aptly named Diamond Platinum Rings. They sparkle in the dark.

People who are interested in The Clash The Mekons The Everly Brothers should consider this download.