DIANA
PERPETUAL SURRENDER (JAGJAGUWAR)
DIANA are an enigmatic foursome from Toronto, where they must be putting something in the water with the number of great bands hailing from there.
Consisting of Joseph Shabason, Kieran and singer Carmen Elle, with Paul Mathew recently joining the live line up, Shabason and Adams met while studying jazz at music college where they played extensively together.
Having lent their skills (saxophone and drums, respectively) to many bands, including BONJAY, THE HIDDEN CAMERAS and Shabason's recent contributions to DESTROYER's excellent "Kaputt", it was a leap of faith to make their own full-length.
But the time had come. After a songwriting sabbatical in the Canadian countryside, Shabason and Adams went into the studio with engineer and co-producer Roger Leavens.
They asked Toronto musician and vocalist Carmen Elle to sing on a track, as both Kieran and Joseph knew her from her work with other bands such as the much feted but short-lived SPIRAL BEACH, all of whose members have since gone on to play in various successful Canadian bands from Austra to Doldrums.
The pair thought her voice might add something special, this turned out to be a huge understatement.
Even though Shabason and Adams wrote the songs, the lyrics and melodies belonged to Elle the moment they escaped her mouth, each nuance of phrasing and melody deepening the sentiments.
With this last dazzling piece of the puzzle in place, DIANA was born.