Late 80s Mercedes - Album Review: Diamonds
From the opening track Dangerous which sounds very much like a theme from a 70’s TV cop show, you know you’re in for a ride, a ride that will make you smile and dance like you just don’t care. Diamonds is a wonderfully upbeat album full of the most joyful swinging funk songs you could ever hope for. The delightful beat is sustained throughout providing a groove that’s clearly inspired by the likes of James Brown and Stevie Wonder. The Late 80’s Mercedes sound is rhythmic and fat, each track has a solid foundation of great bass, drum and percussion with guitar and keyboards that all work seamlessly together and provide a perfect platform for the chunky horn section to fatten up the sound and sweetly fill the gaps around the very smooth melodious singing from lead vocalist Clint Harris. It’s so tight and groovy, there are 8 instruments going at it and they never get noisy or overpowering, they just swing in sync and provide a big ballsy sound that is just perfect to dance and listen to. The three piece brass section of Trumpet with Tenor and Baritone Saxophones form a full and punchy sound that is slick and persuasive in every track.
They have crafted tunes with superb arrangements that sit comfortably with any of the great tracks of the funk disco era. Here We Go Again fairly rips along with a cool bass riff and wonderful melody, good luck trying not to dance to this one. When the guitar strums on the upbeat in Down With Ya it creates a very cool reggae feel with great brass accompaniment and there is a very nice “all in” backing vocals on the chorus. The track Party would certainly raise the vibe and mood of any celebration in fact the whole album is great party music. There is one cover, an arousing version of Stevie Wonder's Wishing which slots in to the list as if it was one of their own. The last track is the instrumental Deadline which is very groovy with some very cool keys and fabulous brass, I was enjoying the Baritone sax solo but then it faded away, leaving me wanting more, much more.
All the tunes are catchy and fun, the lead vocals from Clint are very smooth and energetic and cap off an all-round sound that is unrelenting in its delivery of fine pop funk compositions. Diamonds is a joyful trip, a definitive soul quenching album that will make your body move in uncontainable approval.
About Late 80s Mercedes
With a sound fuelled by saxophones and trumpets, Late 80s Mercedes have carved a name for themselves by rearranging classic Top 40 songs into toe tapping, funk-soul or swing numbers alongside their own funk-inspired party tracks.
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Late 80s Mercedes
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