DIGGER “Keystone”
DIGGER has a pretty well established fan base, though they never seemed to attain the level of popularity that a headlining band warrants. Why this is? Who knows…Unfortunately, I doubt this status will change anytime soon. “Keystone,” while not a dry album, just doesn’t leap up with the same kind of charm of their earlier releases, and most crucial, DIGGER’S generally engaging vocals, fester into annoying as they have been stretched beyond anything tolerable over the 35 minute course of this disc. Although not too similar in terms of darkness and gloom, DIGGER and ALKALINE TRIO have a lot in common in their pop-punk fever, surpassing ordinary expectations and covering a lot of ground with different tempos. The TRIO though have been able to assert a certain kind of personality in their music though that is instantly identifiable. DIGGER, although endearing just can’t seem to get that necessary angle working on “Keystone,” even with heart-string laden lyrics (“Stars over Boulder,” “2 Hearts and a Bottle”). The use of keyboards is also more prevalent on this disc, and while they are generally used with smarts, there’s a few times where the brightness of the ‘boards work against the momentary intentional dour. Oh well…if anything, the second track, “Gemini” is nothing short of awesome. DIGGER fans will soak this up, noting how far they’ve come from their humble beginnings, but i’m left with a tepid feeling.
Hopeless
