[rating=3.50]
The Diplomat is a true DIY group. Unsigned and expertly unpolished, the group is the brainchild and vehicle for
The album kicks off with “Green,” a piano instrumental sounding like an aged vinyl record and lays down the tracks for the original and unpredictable paths that lay ahead. The album really takes off with “That Morning,” an acoustic driven rocker where one can’t help but draw influences from the likes of Elliott Smith to The Smiths. And that’s not a bad thing. The album boasts an overall feel only akin to DIY masterminds Guided by Voices (similarly held together by one man) and The Diplomat barely fumbles as they are passed the torch. Another highlight, “Hot Bizzness” has Fain sounding like Morrisey and Win Butler’s lovechild crooning over a 50’s doo-wop bass line, in turn layered over with Nintendo-like synths. This Is My Mountain is a refreshing indie album in today’s bloated music scene mixing acoustic, electric and electronic sounds yet firmly grounded by melody While the album does start to wane a bit on the second half, it never loses the spark that The Diplomat have infused it with. If nothing else, the album boasts an amazing amount of potential and will definitely make The Diplomat an artist to keep on your radar.