Marina & the Diamonds

The Family Jewels (Atlantic)

By Daniela Garcia
Published: May 28th, 2010 | 7:00am

Much like art itself, the genre of art-pop is highly subjective. Ever since Marina Diamandis appeared on the scene with her non-existent backing group, the Diamonds, and released a handful of EPs, she’s been compared to the likes of Florence and the Machine, La Roux, Kate Bush, and even Lady Gaga. Her first LP, The Family Jewels, might be proof that she’s either exactly like the aforementioned artists or sounds nothing like them. It’s all simply a matter of interpretation.

This album mainly portrays Diamandis as a creator of eccentric yet catchy new wave pop, with hints of disco and rock mixed in. Her music is topped off with quirky, almost dark lyrics that switch from surprisingly introspective to sardonically superficial. When she isn’t analyzing herself (as in “The Outsider”), Diamandis will scrutinize others (“Girls”) and attach a fun beat to it.

The Family Jewels’ popular single “I am Not a Robot” appears early on, serving as a relatable anthem for the independent set to a dreamy pop track. Diamandis croons her way through the infectious and cheeky “Oh No!” with lyrics like, “I know exactly what I want and who I want to be / I know exactly why I walk and talk like a machine / I’m now becoming my own self-fulfilled prophecy / Oh, oh no! / Oh no!” Then there are tracks like “Hollywood,” the pinnacle of Diamandis’ obsession with celebrity culture. She sarcastically sings about being compared to movie stars and goes on to confess, “I’m obsessed with the mess that’s America.”

She also shows her ability to switch gears into softer, sadder territory with the piano-based “Obsessions” and “Rootless,” yet there are a couple of tracks that almost cross the line of sounding too avant-garde. “Mowgli’s Road” is solid, but additions of strange noises and whistling make it feel slightly crazed. The Family Jewels is ultimately a strong effort from Diamandis, an artist who will surely take her genre and continue to make it her own.

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Marina & the Diamonds official Web site

Marina & the Diamonds MySpace page

Atlantic Records