The Volcano Diary are essentially the vehicle of singer-songwriter Alicia Dara, and define their sound as 'Americana / Electroacoustic / Indie'. 'Electroacoustic' seems a rather redundant term, but perhaps I'm just too pedantic by half.
For their debut album, The Volcano Diary have enlisted Steve Fisk, who's worked with Nirvana, The Posies and Low amongst others to handle the production duties. In fairness, he's done a pretty decent job of it, with the sound crisp yet warm with plenty of breathing space. For all that, though, there's a sense that something is lacking, and that's largely down to the material.
At its best, The Volcano Diary’s sound is reminiscent of early All About Eve, and it's not just Alicia Dara's voice sharing certain qualities with Julianne Reagan. The soft electric folk of 'Volcano' and 'Cloud Cover' are subtle yet touching.
'Lightning Seed' isn't quite in Shania Twain territory, but it's got the vibe of country-tinged soul-filled heart-rending balladeering she's best known for. For the remainder, I can't help but think 'Sheryl Crow.' Ok, so it's not actually as bad as all that, but there's a niggling sense that the songs and the sound are a bit forced and the lyrics just aren't all that much cop either.
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'Burning Hands' achieves a more atmospheric feel, with Alicia's voice sounding fragile amidst the stripped-back instrumentation, but the same approach fails on 'Error Message,' which is melodramatic and overwrought in its delivery.
As a whole, 'The Volcano Diary' is a long way off eruptive. It's pleasant enough, drive-time kind of music to chill to, and that's fine if you're not after anything challenging. I just prefer something with a bit more heat and a sense of danger.
The Volcano Diary Online
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