When is an old-school rock’ n’ roll tune not an old-school rock’ n’ roll tune? When it’s a masterclass in how to squeeze every last drop of sweat, swagger, and attitude out of just under four minutes of music. “Call On Me”, the latest from The Missing Diamonds, is precisely that.
The track itself is a neat slice of the real thing—rock ‘n’ roll as the gods of music intended. It’s a cool, foot-on-the-monitor, slow-paced, stomping, fist-in-the-air groover, stripped of frills and excess, built purely on energy, economy, and intent. No tricks, no detours—just that primal groove and grind that has always been the beating heart of the genre.
I often forget, given my aged years, that not everyone grew up with such sounds prevailent in the world, and so rather than listening to the side of my brain that says, haven’t we heard it all before, I listen to the side that says, hey, not everyone was as lucky as me but at least we have bands like The Missing Diamonds carrying the torch of down and dirty, no nonsense rock and roll into the modern age. And, given the state of the current musical landscape, thank god (and by god, I of course mean Phil Lynott), they are.
After a gentle introduction to throw you off the scent, the song explodes with raw guitars and killer riffs, staccato strikes and anthemic vocals, depth charge bass lines and pounding beats. But the best thing about it is that “Call On Me” manages to harness so much power without relying merely on velocity. It is punch, not pace, that carries the day here, on/off dynamics rather than mere velocity, the result, the perfect balance of penmanship and power.
The Missing Diamonds sound like the sort of band I would have watched around the middle of the bill at Castle Donnington’s Monster’s of Rock Festival back in the 80’s whilst we waited for the likes of AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses, or Van Halen to blow the roof off, one of those cool, momentum building support bands whose importance gets over looked. I only mention this because the band’s hometown is half an hour down the road. (Local knowledge, always useful.)
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