A guitar, cello/violin, and bass trio led by a guy named Eef, Clem Snide are every bit as unconventional as you might think. That their sound is firmly grounded in post-country melody makes the whole thing even more remark... more »able; think of Nick Drake, Ida, Neil Young, and Neutral Milk Hotel all meeting in the back corner of a rarely visited small-town bar and you'll get an idea of what You Were a Diamond sounds like. The lyrics are just as inscrutable as the sound; the first verse of "Better" simply asks the singer's friend to take off a sweater, "'cause it's warm outside." But it's sung with such drawn-out longing that it seems like the most important thing in the world; when Eef turns his attention to grander issues, such as "Your Night to Shine," the tone is heartbreaking. In a lesser band's hands, this sound and emotion would be an affectation--in Clem Snide's, it's simply sublime. --Randy Silver« less
A guitar, cello/violin, and bass trio led by a guy named Eef, Clem Snide are every bit as unconventional as you might think. That their sound is firmly grounded in post-country melody makes the whole thing even more remarkable; think of Nick Drake, Ida, Neil Young, and Neutral Milk Hotel all meeting in the back corner of a rarely visited small-town bar and you'll get an idea of what You Were a Diamond sounds like. The lyrics are just as inscrutable as the sound; the first verse of "Better" simply asks the singer's friend to take off a sweater, "'cause it's warm outside." But it's sung with such drawn-out longing that it seems like the most important thing in the world; when Eef turns his attention to grander issues, such as "Your Night to Shine," the tone is heartbreaking. In a lesser band's hands, this sound and emotion would be an affectation--in Clem Snide's, it's simply sublime. --Randy Silver
"Listening to this CD fills you with the kind of thrilling heartbreak that a prolonged road trip with the unrequited love-of-your-life might--while her boyfriend is at the wheel. Through his sneaky lyrics and plaintive vocals, Eef Barzelay constantly elicits sad smiles. Songs like "i can't stay here tonight" and "yip/jump music" are filled with rich contradictions, heightened by the refreshingly simple texture of a snare drum, an upright bass, a cello and a rhythm guitar. Listen to this when you want to fill in the little lost moments of your day."
Drumless and beautiful
Derek Stubbs | 10/10/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Eef Barzelay's voice on this album is so beautiful, it is impossible to put into words. As always, the lyrics are witty and imaginitive. My personal favorite songs are "Yip/Jump Music", "Lost on the River", "Chinese Baby" and Estranged Half Brother."
Another Welcome Release
The Last Person You'd Expect | Seattle, WA United States | 11/19/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Ghost of Fashion and Your Favorite Music were both such wonderfully rare-quality CDs that I was a tiny bit worried that Diamond wouldn't live up. However, this CD is not one iota less of a masterpiece than the other two. Because it is a re-release of an earlier out-of-print CD is no reason to ignore it."
Clem Snide is Wonderful
Isaac | Washington DC, USA | 10/11/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I think clem snide is wonderful and thank god they put this album out again cause i couldnt be without it. If your going to buy this which probally means you have bought the other three cds then you'll pretty much agree with everything i say.
SO BUY IT!"
Humble Snide
Mark Eremite | Seoul, South Korea | 02/08/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"It's been said that the musical instruments that come closest to approximating the human voice are the stringed, played with bows. On this record, Barzelay's soulful, sandpapered voice is accompanied by a chorus of string arrangements, provided by Jason Glasser. The result is a humble, crooning record that toes the alt-country line without losing its own sense of self, its sebaceous swing (so to speak).
Whether Clem Snide is stumbling drunk and lonesome through the un-hung curtains of "Row" and "Uglier Than You," or playing western-sounding word games in "Nick Drake Tape" and "Lost On The River," it still sustains its basement-made melodiousness. This tone, one of acoustic notes bounced off concrete, sometimes plays thin enough to be forgettable, but this only happens with the songs that sound like shadows of others that Snide has already done better ("Estranged Half Brother" is one example). The rest of the songs are well-written and well-shaped, and it's no wonder that, occasionally, the album clones itself. It's hard not to fall back on something that's already worked so well."