Diamond in the Rough (SUB80, 2007)

Andew Diamond is a California-raised reggae veteran who's performed as a drummer for the likes of Winston Jarrett, Everton Blender, The Itals, Richie Spice, Norrisman, Tony Rebel, and Foundation, but now he's stepping to the forefront as an artist in his own right. His debut, Diamond in the Rough, features the type of top-notch musicianship you'd expect from someonw with so much experience in the industry, as he calls in favors to big names like Bingy Bunny, Dwight Pinkney, Bongo Herman, and Flabba Holt, not to mention vocalists like Winston Jarrett, Prezident Brown, David Isaacs from The Itals, and Jah Lu from Foundation, and even a dub mix from Scientist. The result is a marvelous sound: primarily lovers rock and light roots with a hint of pre-digital dancehall, full of swaying good vibes and a Beres Hammond-like maturity beyond the cheap slackness of today. Some of the riddims might sound familiar -- for instance, one of the best songs, "Last Chance," ably rides the epic Real Rock riddim -- but never stale. There are more remakes on Diamond in the Rough -- at least five, including a pair of Gregory Isaacs hits, "Special Guest" and "Smile" -- than you'd expect to hear on a debut album, but Diamond handles them well and picks tunes that suit his laid-back demeanor. This casual attitude, however, sometimes hurts the material, because despite his passing resemblance to Michael McDonald, Diamond's singing voice is the weak spot on the album (which frankly can be expected, comnig from a drummer). His vocals are at times flat and unemotional and, as bad as it seems to say, sound too "American" in the face of such authentically Jamaican musical backing. Still, even with these flaws, it's a testament to his determination and his songwriting and production talent (plus the talent he chooses to surround himself with) that Diamond in the Rough ends up a sparkling good time. See andrewdiamond.com.