It's an album for fans of The Quireboys, Hanoi Rocks and laid-back Rock 'n' Roll.
Let me say from the off that this may be my album of the summer! Diamond Dogs formed back in 1992 and their tenth full-length album, 'Quitters And Complainers', makes you think of sunshine, dancing and festival camaraderie. There's also a bonus disc, 'Let's Have It – Live in Bilbao', so you can test all three of those things out.
Diamond Dogs make seamless song-writing and tight performances sound easy. 'Runaway Romeo' is an organ-smattered, Bluesy Rock 'n' Roll piece with just the right amount of interest for an opener, without giving you the best. 'Alright, Alright, Alright' is pacy but happy-go-lucky and despite the rich sound, nothing feels out of place or purposeless. 'Stop Barking Up The Wrong Tree' shines the spotlight on their organist, Duke Of Honk, but also has some fantastic crooning backing vocals. 'Broken' is the first toned down track; it's mellow, meandering and gentle, perhaps lacking in impact but certainly lovely. If there is one small knock, vocalist Sören Sulo Karlsson has a tendency to sound tight or flat, more acute in repeats of choruses, and these moments are of course exacerbated when a song feels too long.
'Back To Babylon' twinkles, crashes and screams at you and boy does it work. It exudes energy and invites dancing. The production sounds pretty rough but it adds to the outdoor "jam-night" charm of the whole album. I like the slightly thinner-sounding 'Rollercoaster'; it's a tight, compact track but one that still has a Funky feel and rhythm.
On the live disc, one noteworthy track includes the dusky 'Rush For Comfort'; the piano soothes, Karlsson rasps, the guitar cuts through like silk and you're in that Jazz bar all over again. Mats "Magic" Gunnarsson (who sadly passed away last year) blasts the saxophone in 'Autopilot' bringing a whole new spark to this already hot-burning band. The live sound is a touch more aggressive and urgent and sometimes a bit crowded. It's still full of fun however and always offers something a little different. 'Yesterday's NYMPH' smoulders to tinkling piano and Karlsson is backed by a crowd eager to join in.
It's an album for fans of The Quireboys, Hanoi Rocks and laid-back Rock 'n' Roll. There are all the bells, whistles and frills you could hope for, without any of it sounding excessive. The song-writing seems to follow a formula so there isn't the variety you might hope for, but it's all done so richly and in such a kick-back style that I just want to open another cold one and play it all over again.
Sophie Brownlee