Cindy Lee - Diamond Jubilee
posted April 24, 2024 #
I've seen a good bit of hype surrounding the new Cindy Lee album, Diamond Jubilee. The record is only available on YouTube and Geocities. It's also just over 2 hours long. Damon Krukowski wrote a long treatise about how it contrasts the new Taylor Swift. Pitchfork wrote up a legitimately meaningful review with a score of 9.1. Cindy Lee used to be a member of the band WOMEN, which seems to push the hype even further!
Given all that, it's very easy to assume this album will not actually be enjoyable to listen to. Or that the distribution tactic of making it exclusive to a few platforms is what people are appreciating more than the music itself. Surely this is just some sort of exposition that only gatekeeping music journalists can manage to appreciate?
The answer to that is a resounding No! Diamond Jubilee does have a lot of hype surrounding it but it's absolutely legitimate. The Pitchfork calls it "the greatest radio station you’ve ever come across" and that's impossible to argue with ( it surprises me to say it but you really should read the whole thing). There are a ton of ideas across these 2 hours, most of which are influenced by Doo-wop girl groups and bedroom indie pop... but it really can't be reduced that easily. It's an impressive blend of uniqueness and familiarity all at once.
I recommend sitting with the entire record. My skepticism didn't fall away until I let the whole record play top to bottom. Like listening to the radio, I wasn't engaged the entire time but I was also never turned off. I imagine on future listens those bright spots and recessions will ebb and flow to different tracks depending on my mood. Some will argue that the record could have been reduced to one disc or a stellar 45-minute experience but I think that misses the point in this case. You're free to make your own version of the album but the real celebration here is the greatness of the abundance.
Given all that, it's very easy to assume this album will not actually be enjoyable to listen to. Or that the distribution tactic of making it exclusive to a few platforms is what people are appreciating more than the music itself. Surely this is just some sort of exposition that only gatekeeping music journalists can manage to appreciate?
The answer to that is a resounding No! Diamond Jubilee does have a lot of hype surrounding it but it's absolutely legitimate. The Pitchfork calls it "the greatest radio station you’ve ever come across" and that's impossible to argue with ( it surprises me to say it but you really should read the whole thing). There are a ton of ideas across these 2 hours, most of which are influenced by Doo-wop girl groups and bedroom indie pop... but it really can't be reduced that easily. It's an impressive blend of uniqueness and familiarity all at once.
I recommend sitting with the entire record. My skepticism didn't fall away until I let the whole record play top to bottom. Like listening to the radio, I wasn't engaged the entire time but I was also never turned off. I imagine on future listens those bright spots and recessions will ebb and flow to different tracks depending on my mood. Some will argue that the record could have been reduced to one disc or a stellar 45-minute experience but I think that misses the point in this case. You're free to make your own version of the album but the real celebration here is the greatness of the abundance.