[Album Review] Max Webster | Diamonds Diamonds

By ’81, the behind-the-scenes activity at camp Webster was not going well. Disarray with lineup changes and an apathetic record label were the driving forces for Kim Mitchell to dissolve the band. The greatest hits compilation Diamonds Diamonds was the send-off and marked the last Webster output during their original run.

In addition to the ‘hits’, the band added two previously unreleased tracks to entice hardcore fans to buy the compilation. The quality of these is OK…

Hot Spots – C+
I don’t know what it is, but when this band breaks into a blues riff, I just want out. They are going for a bar band vibe which I don’t feel they excelled at. The chorus is pretty good, but those verses… “Well, my baby’s got a chevy, it’s a four-door with second-hand tires…” Oh boy. I forgive it though since it was recorded during the session for their debut album when they were still finding their groove.

Overnight Sensation– B-
A leftover from Mutiny Up My Sleeve, this definitely feels more like a Webster tune but too much cowbell for me. I do like it better than two songs on Mutiny, Waterline and Hawaii.

As for the remaining tracks, they are indeed Webster classics…

Gravity
High Class In Borrowed Shoes
Diamonds, Diamonds
Summer’s Up
Blowing The Blues Away
Let Go The Line
A Million Vacations
The Party
Paradise Skies
Lip Service
Hangover

…and it is remarkable how they got it right for the most part. A good measurement to gauge the quality of a song is to look at how well it is received over time. Almost everyone here is still played on Canadian radio some 45+ years later. While it could be argued that room should have been made for America’s Veins, Astonish Me, On the Road, Charmonium, Check, or Only Your Nose Knows, the biggest omission by far has to be Toronto Tontos. In fact, Toronto Tontos cannot be found on any of Max Webster’s ‘official’ compilation albums. What is wrong with this universe?

Anyway, if your level of Max Webster enjoyment is at the ‘hits level’, Diamonds Diamonds will do a decent job for you. It is missing a few ‘worthy’ tracks, while the two ‘unworthy’ ones are not bad. Overall, it is an enjoyable listen. It is out of print right now and somewhat of an uncommon find on LP, and almost rare on CD. I wouldn’t go out of my way to get it, but I also would not shoo it away if a copy fell into my lap. For the right price, of course.

3.5/5

Get your maximum amount of Webster right here:

Max Webster
High Class In Borrowed Shoes
Mutiny Up My Sleeve
A Million Vacations
Live Magnetic Air
Universal Juveniles
Diamonds Diamonds
The Party (Box Set)