Search - Diggers :: Mount Everest

DUG IT

francis martin | Manchester , England | 12/04/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"From the moment the opening track ," Peace of Mind" blows the listener away in an understated pop masterpiece of epic proportions to the fading guitars at the end of the last track,"up Against It" , Mount Everest stands out amongst more predictable and noisier contemporaries as a beacon of hope to all true lovers of the British genre. Songs about the inner torments of young Scottish men; lost love in the amusing "OK Alright" , leaving the nest in the abrasive "East Coast" , losing playground pals in the truly ironic "Hormonious" , and "Come On Easy" - a gay cowboy fantasy? Fans of gloriously inventive and bright harmonies will be in paradise, as will those who still love the old favourite - a damn good tune. The penultimate track "They Said I'd Know" could've been REM's comeback tune had Stipe and co still possessed the razor sharp writing skills these young Scots fledglings seem to have an abundance of.The Beatles, Crowded House, The Kinks - don't be fooled; I'm sure it was a curious Travis I saw at a Diggers gig back in '97, and where did they come from! Well here, I think, is the answer."

A melodic masterpiece of understated genius.

francis martin | 08/16/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album surprises and delights from beginning to end. Lazy comparison will be with the Beatles, however Badfinger, Steely Dan, The Kinks and others are just as valid reference points. Personal highspots include the refrain from 'Peace of Mind' :like a lost march from Les Miserables- and the lazy Stone Roses lilt of Hormonious. Harmonies are always winning and the vocal in general here is always to the fore- unlike so many contemporary Brit- bands. The low- key production hits the mark- top marks to Charlie Francis (whose connection with Sean O' Hagen's High Llamas gives another clue to what this sounds like). PERFECT!"

The elusive perfect pop album

Mark Mauer | Los Angeles, CA United States | 06/23/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this record because for a few brief wonderful months there was a label called Big Deal which was putting out great pop albums. Alas, radio no longer plays power-pop and these albums by Cockeyed Ghost, Love Nut, Gladhands, BMX Bandits all just vanished fast. Read the reviews below for why this record is so good; I just want to reiterate what they said. AND also if there are other Diggers fans out there; do they have anything else available anywhere? I hope the fact that this didn't sell millions of copies won't keep them from making more music. Good stuff. By the way, if you dig this and have it already, then look for records by THE MOMMYHEADS similarly gorgeous songs."