On The Download: Low Vs Diamond

A little over a year ago, a friend of mine asked me to come down and see her co-worker’s band, Low Vs Diamond.

I hadn’t seen the pal in a while, so I went down to meet her at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. While happy to see my friend, it was a night I brought out my snobby former music journalist shoulder chip, which was proudly on display via my crossed arms and raised eyebrows (which were crooked over a host of things, from the band’s home base – LA, to their seemingly silly name).

As Low Vs Diamond took to the stage, the 500-capacity venue had a fair sized crowd, but the free show, something the Troubadour had started doing on Monday night’s, was far from full, or so I thought.

As the band – five boys — launched into their bag of songs, like “Life After Love,” my stiff arm cross softened over their mix of emotive orchestral and honest rock song. At times, singer Lucas Field, an early 20 something, filled those homely wooden Troubadour crevices with a voice that sounded like he was channeling the late great Jeff Buckley.

Lucas wasn’t the most dynamic of frontmen that day, physically. He had the looks – a fresh face, a lanky frame, wide eyes and silky raven curls that he tucked back behind his ears — but he attacked the mic and performed anxiously, probably more to do with his tender years than anything else. It didn’t matter though. The band was magnificent and I left the venue buzzing, already texting my UK radio friends to tell them about a new band they needed to hear. Now!

As the band packed up their gear, and their clothes – they were leaving for the UK at the crack of dawn the next morning, I raved on a late night calling card line to the UK and sent over a pal some tracks from their album and the drummer, Howie Diamond’s email address. Within weeks, the band, who had recently signed a deal with Epic, were play listed on my pal’s station. She was convinced without even seeing them live.

A few months later LVD came back from the UK a different band. Lucas’ shyness had disappeared thanks to weeks slogging it out in front of tough British crowds who quickly warmed to their swoonable melodies and heart-string-tugging songs.

After the UK tour, the band finally started recording their debut album for Epic in Los Angeles.

I caught up with Howie during the recording process and I remember him telling me some of those gorgeous songs that won me over at the Troubadour, probably weren’t going to make the album. They had a host of new songs that were so much better, he said. My heart sunk as I resigned myself to losing another young band I’d fallen for to the backburner on my iPod playlist.

Cue forward to this spring when the advance of LVD’s debut album finally made its way through the mailbox: Howie was right. Astonishingly enough, the new songs were better.

The band named their album after themselves and it is easily the best debut album I’ve heard in years. It’s full of promises made and kept, swept up in emotion, raining guitars and swollen vocals.

It’s gorgeous and meant for fans who like a lot of tingling synths with their rock, who enjoy U2, Bruce Springsteen, Radiohead, the aforementioned Jeff Buckley and maybe a Verve track or two.

Their album was released on iTunes in March and gets its official release next month. Low Vs Diamond will make their late night television debut on Letterman the week the album hits store shelves, and play the Pemberton festival alongside Coldplay, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, Death Cab for Cutie, Interpol and more in July 25-27.