Diamond Jubilee is the seventh studio album by Canadian band Cindy Lee, the project of musician Patrick Flegel. A triple album (double CD), it was released on 29 March 2024 on Flegel's own label Realistik Studios, available exclusively on YouTube or for purchase from a Web 1.0-style Realistik Studios website. On 23 October 2024, it was released on Bandcamp and physical pre-orders were made available. Later that year, Superior Viaduct's sublabel W.25TH released a CD and triple LP (avaliable in gold or black vinyl) of the album.
The album received widespread critical acclaim upon its release, listed by Pitchfork as the best album of 2024 and the third best album of the first half of the 2020s.
The building on the cover of the album is the Alberta Terminals Limited grain elevator located in Lethbridge, Alberta.
At first I said "oh no, another long, useless album from the tasteless community". But no, that was far from it. That was amazing, I loved it.
Dracula is the best song (for now - I may change in the future).
Diamond Jubilee is a strange indie rock album by Cindy Lee. Strange in the sense that it is so long, so lo-fi, so hard to find on streaming media and still so intriguing. The tracks are sometimes more unfinished shapes of music, but it all works great. All combined it is a banger of an album and the best of 2024, though I understand it's not for everybody.
Canadian musician Patrick Flegel's seventh album as Cindy Lee is an ambitious, sprawling collection that overflows with brilliant ideas. Some fascinating guitar work and vocals that perfectly contrast the raw, rattling instrumentation. Drawing heavily from 1960s pop with touches of The Beach Boys, Phil Spector girl-pop, and psychedelic rock.
At over two hours and 32 tracks, Diamond Jubilee is undeniably too long. While the rambling, kitchen-sink approach has its appeal, the album's greatest strength is also its weakness. Cut this collection in half and you'd have a 45-minute masterpiece.
Is this too long? Maybe. It doesn’t feel that way, though. I loved every minute of this and it was my first time listening. There’s a perfect blending of genres, and fantastic experimentation with both production and instrumentation. The vocals are angelic and both serve as another instrument while also providing the final bit of emotion required to get these songs to where Cindy wants them to be. I couldn’t find this on the usual go to apps for listening so I heard it from a guy on youtube that posted the whole album. I’m not sure if a lot of the songs are intentionally meant to end abruptly of if that’s a product of listening in the wrong place. Great album either way. Glad to have heard it. Great inclusion. 4/5
I'm not usually a fan of double albums, let alone triple albums, but this album is perfect to throw on and let play in the background while you work. Just really solid music throughout with plenty of variety. Overall just very calm and relaxed rock album with a lot of thought and effort put into it
4/5
I tend to let the experience of listening to the whole album in one siting influence the score on here, and this one is just sooooo long...
Of course, I resume full responsibility for not using mind-altering substances, knowing that this might have reduced my appreciation of the album.
Clearly a lot of people really love this and I can see an appeal. On the other hand quite a lot of it sounds like it's being played through a metal trash can stuffed with lint. At better points, dreamy lounge music floating through some dim country bar off hours. Early in I thought I was likely to get very sick of it at length and to its credit that didn't really happen, but it did largely fade into the background of whatever I was doing. Interesting, but a triple album is a really aggressive way to introduce a band to a general population.
Not available on Apple Music. Found a playlist on Youtube/Youtube Music though. Was pretty long. Kind of shoe-gazy, which I find disinteresting. Decent background music while working, but was somewhat forgettable to me.