Liverpool Sound and Vision 9/10
Some people aspire to be seen as something they can never be, others to shine and lure like untapped gold in a seam, for the special breed though, for those that choose to reflect light and make a room full of people gasp at how they are then seen, to be the Diamond in the Rough is the understanding that being special is not about making others envious, to make them seethe and writhe in jealousy, but to make them feel good about life, to make them believe in their own self-worth.
Being that diamond is not about expense or looking cool, but bringing out the best in other people, and there can be no doubting the sincerity behind that sentiment as The 19th Street Band release the fabulously entertaining, but also deeply held artistic vision, Diamond In The Rough, a celebration of just charisma that lights the match, that fuels the fire, of a set of songs that capture the imagination fully and with distinction.
The reason may lay in many avenues, but the surest is to do with the character that the members not only have as individuals, but as a group, the sparkling adoption of bluegrass and roots that drives between the Appalachians and their native Ireland, the engagement between crown and sumptuous lyric and reflecting its own passion with the music which like a raging sea roars to the heavens but is certainly a spectacle to behold and seize the imagery as it bares down powerfully upon all who take notice.
Across tracks such as Nothing To Do, Hillbilly Boy, True Love, the excellent sound of The Cajun Rock and Roll Stanza and the unbridled joy that goes into Your Love Is Like The Lone Ranger, The 19th Street Band showcase their fire and polish as one would hope all diamonds do, with a sense of a wealth to which they bestow willingly on those able to appreciate the true worth of art.
Diamond In The Rough is an album of drive, commitment and community, one that is cultivated and polished but also rugged and tempestuous, a musical storm that you feel yourself come alive in.
Ian D. Hall