Welcome to my blog!

UPDATE: Mediafire have suspended my account and locked my downloads. Having endured the tedium of re-uploading everything I had previously hosted on Mega Upload onto Mediafire earlier this year, I can't be arsed re-uploading everything again.

So please don't ask for things to be reuploaded!

I undertake this venture knowing that I don't have the spare time to do it, but feel that these artists NEED TO BE HEARD (please excuse my shouting!). Or is that I think I need to be heard? Or that there are (or have been) some great music blogs that have inspired me to wanna jump on the bandwagon? Probably all of the above??I hope you enjoy the blog. If I turn one person onto these bands that turned me on then it will all have been worth it!

Friday, February 11, 2011

Dig - Self titled


I know very little about Dig. I read a positive review of their debut self-titled album around the time of it's release in 1993. This review, and the fact the album was produced by Dave Jerden, then one of the hottest producers around due to his work with Jane's Addiction and Alice in Chains, convinced me to shell out some of my (then meagre) finances and take a chance on this album - and it was worth it! While the album is by no means a classic, I felt there was enough promise there for the band to eke out an existence - yet I failed to hear anything further about them until researching for this post, when I learnt that Dig were dug (ha ha) by no less than Courtney Love -  kiss of death, or what?

Dig (the band) inhabited the space between alternative and hard rock without neatly fitting into either category. Arguably their most novel aspect was that they were a three guitar band. And while Dig did not sound like that other, slightly more famous three guitar band, Radiohead, there are some similarities in how the guitars are employed: rhythm and lead guitars, and guitars providing soundscapes and textures. This provides a lush and dense wall of sounds, expertly orchestrated by Dave Jerden. Imagine shoegazer guitars atop hard rock songs and you're kinda there - definitely a unique sound with no obvious influences. While you may be able to argue that the songs on their debut album may not quite be there, you can't argue that the sound isn't!

Dig (the album) avoids the pitfalls of many debut albums by including a diversity of song styles. Let me know is driven by a crunching heavy riff, dropping back into more melodic segments during the verses and choruses, featuring tasteful use of controlled guitar feedback and wah-wah. Conversation starts subdued and sparse, above a background of (guess what?) conversation, before exploding into the chorus, and dropping back into a melodic bridge. Believe, arguably the standout track, features dense and heavy riffing in the verses before changing gears into a melodic and joyous chorus. Ride the Wave is fast and urgent. Fuck You is built around a great chugging riff that worms it's way into your subconcious, and has a catchy melodic chorus. Anymore and closer Decide are both slower, atmospheric tracks that make excellent use of the three guitar orchestra.

Dig - 1993 - Self titled

1. Let Me Know
2. I'll Stay High
3. Unlucky Friend
4. Anymore
5. Conversation
6. Believe
7. Feet Don't Touch the Ground
8. Ride the Wave
9. Green Room
10. Tight Brain
11. Fuck You
12. Decide
[hidden track]. Tahoe Hoes

FLAC: Part 1, Part 2
MP3

5 comments:

  1. I agree that their musical stylings and songs were varied. No monotony here.
    But some of the songs were rather unpleasant.
    On the whole, I did not 'dig' them (c'mon, you knew that was coming).
    Enjoyed the listen anyway.
    Thanks.
    Regards, Dave.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sorry you didn't like it Dave.

    For those who did, there's more Dig at the excellent blog

    http://ihatethe90s.blogspot.com/2010/08/dig.html

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you for your blog. Second link is always unavailabble. Coul you reshare it? Theank you. It is rare to find on flac

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for pointing this out Xandru. I've reupped Pt 2 so there is a new link:

    http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ZLPAHCE5

    ReplyDelete