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By: Grant Kelly, Contributor

[Realistik; 2024]

Rating: 8/10

Key Tracks: “Baby Blue“, “Government Cheque”, “What’s It Going to Take”

Diamond Jubilee is the newest album from trailblazing Canadian hypnagogic pop act Cindy Lee, and the group’s first since 2020. The project, headed by singer and guitarist Pat Flegel (formerly of indie rock band Women), has become especially known for the way it filters sugary 60’s pop through the lens of raucous, lo-fi noise rock, in a way that can sound sinister and vindictive just as easily as it can channel breathtaking beauty. Nowhere is this concept more evident than on 2020’s What’s Tonight To Eternity—an extremely intimate and downright terrifying exploration of grief and tragedy, motivated by the passing of former band member Christopher Reimer as well as the life of Karen Carpenter and the entertainment media parasitism that led to her untimely death in 1983. 

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While little has been revealed narratively about Diamond Jubilee compared to some of the band’s previous work, that doesn’t mean it’s any less significant. At around two hours in length, it’s the longest album the band has released thus far, and I’m inclined to say it’s the band’s most musically expansive project as well. The opening title track is a mellow and atmospheric guitar-driven tune that sees Flegel musing longingly about love and old memories, setting the album off on a noticeably lighter tone, but with a familiar melancholy retained from their previous albums. 

The song also introduces a welcome country and folk influence to the band’s sound, an unexpected but fitting addition that mirrors the sense of rural lonesomeness portrayed in the album art. Similar musical stylings appear throughout the rest of the album, such as on the songs “Glitz”, “Baby Blue”, and “Dallas”, among several others. 

“Dreams of You”, “Olive Drab”, and “Always Dreaming” incorporate more orchestral string instruments into the group’s usual rock ensemble, adding an extra touch of brightness to the album’s overall sound. Closer to the album’s first side, an instrumental track titled “Realistik Heaven” follows in the footsteps of these songs and provides a gentle and luxurious bridge into the second half. 

The second side of the album, while not a dramatic departure from the first, has a noticeably bouncier, punkier energy, perfectly illustrated with the opener “Stone Faces”. “GAYBLEVISION” sees the band suddenly diving into a bristling, Suicide-esque minimal synth tune, whose sound palette is hinted at again on the track “Lockstepp”. “Dracula” is a restless dive back into Cindy Lee’s trademark cavernous sound, with ascending and descending bass and synth lines that have a knack for controlling your attention. 

“Government Cheque”, “Golden Microphone”, and “What’s it Going to Take”, are some of my favorite songs on the album—faithful and endearing nods to the mid-century pop they’ve been known to draw from, with just enough edge and eeriness to keep them sounding fresh. “24/7 Heaven” is as glorious a closer as I could have asked for, drawing in all the different elements from across the album—twanging guitars, washes of feedback, and lush orchestral swells—into one fluid ambient piece that leaves you to continue the album’s journey on your own terms. 

Part of me wishes Diamond Jubilee was a little more concise, because a two hour runtime for any album can be difficult to digest, especially to newcomers of the band. At the same time, there is a certain charm to the album’s more sparse and meditative pace, which allows for more variety and plenty of time to get lost in its enchanting, strangely familiar world. Life is all about the journey, not the destination, after all. 

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