By the Sword

Newcastle, England's FREE DIAMONDS has always been a band that toes a precariously seductive line; you're either already infatuated with this three piece's off-kilter, quirky post-punk, adrenaline-fueled freak-outs, or you should be! Anything less than total dedication to herky-jerky pop abandon from the Starship FD and their songs wouldn't have nearly the charismatic, careening-around-the-dance-floor punch we've come to know and love. Their sophomore full-length, BY THE SWORD, is no different. FREE DIAMONDS are who they are - unhinged, sassy and boisterous and don't think for a second that they're going to apologize for it. Of course, that doesn't mean the over-caffeinated, fun-filled formula hasn't been tweaked on By The Sword. After all, no matter how unpredictable, acrobatic and dizzying the song structures, FREE DIAMONDS has always shown a strong affinity for an undeniably catchy melody. It's the reason why their music brings a mischievous smile to our faces as we allow the palatable sass to somersault around our brains before it sweetly stings our ears. If their 2005 debut There Should Be More Dancing was FREE DIAMONDS's frenzied, pogo-punk spazz-out, then By The Sword is a weird calypso two-step smashing into a sexy rumba, played double-time at a Degrassi Junior High sock hop. It's a shake-and-shimmy for the cool, nerdy kids while the jocks stand around, totally confused. Or maybe vocalist / guitarist Scott Anderson nails it when he says 'Free Diamonds is the sound of two cousins kissing; they know its wrong, but it feels dangerous and sexy.' Maybe we should all live by the sword.