Imagination and eyeshadow

I think if you’ve come across this video, you’re a hipster.” Thus goes the hilarious highest-rated comment on the YouTube video for All Yr Friends by Diamond Rings, and it’s not wrong. But it would be a mistake to dismiss the music on the basis of hipster credentials, especially since it—and the videos—are such fun.

Diamond Rings is a solo vehicle-slash-side project for John O’Regan, previously known for being the frontman of Canadian indie rock/ post-punk band The D’Urbervilles. I write that as if I were well aware of the existence of The D’Urbervilles before, but of course I had no idea. From the descriptions online (“post-punk,” for example), I’m probably better off not knowing, especially since it seems that Diamond Rings is the much more accessible proposition, a full sloppy kiss on the mouth of pop.

Diamond rings: The debut album from The D’Urbervilles’ frontman John O’Regan promises Special Affections

The last-October-released debut album “Special Affections” is full of highly danceable electro-acoustic fare, replete with drum machines, sweet synths, and minimal but effective strummy guitar work. Eighties-influenced, yes, as so much these days is, but it rises above thanks to a plethora of hooks, good and unpretentious lyric-writing (“Don’t you wait around/ for me to decide what/ I want to grow up to be,” from the song Wait and See, has been in my head for weeks), and the sheer personality and deeper-than-usual voice of John O’Regan.

In interviews, O’Regan has listed Bowie, Grace Jones, Salt ‘n’ Pepa, Janet Jackson, early TLC, Run DMC “and Dennis Rodman” as his greatest influences. When asked about “must-haves when creating the Diamond Rings persona,” he replied “Imagination and eyeshadow.”

LAUREN PRITCHARD: A surprisingly cheery cover for the wonderfully acerbic debut from the young soul singer

Speaking of personality, did I mention the videos? Not the least of their attractions are the awesomely awkward, over-the-top dance moves that O’Regan and his cohorts bust out. Whether he’s sauntering through the streets of what I assume is Toronto or having a dance-off in a high school basketball court (with the occasional slam dunk—O’Regan is a tall mofo), the moves are great fun to watch and cringe to and even learn with your friends. (Oh, you hipsters and your ironic dancing.) Check out the aforementioned Wait and See, along with Show Me Your Stuff and a couple of others, at www.myspace.com/diamondrings.

But it’s easy to get distracted by the vids and lose focus on the music—and the music is well worth your time and ears.

Also worth listening to: “Wasted in Jackson,” another debut album, this time by a young (b. 1987) American soul singer, songwriter and actress: Lauren Pritchard.

BAREFOOT IN MY HEAD: Lauren Pritchard delights soul-pop lovers and foot fetishists alike.

“She’s got a strong white soul voice and has co-written songs redolent of classic Memphis R&B,” says The Guardian, which goes on to note that the album has “echoes of the music Pritchard grew up listening to, courtesy of her parents’ collection of records by the likes of Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, the Spinners and the Temptations.” Big names to live up to, and it is to the young artist’s credit that she is not buried under their weight.

Pritchard covers a lot of bases on her debut, and can swing from painfully (or sarcastically) bereft to amusingly, deliciously vengeful. The production is quite wonderful (dig those ’70s-style horns), but even when she’s performing with a minimal setup (a.k.a. some guy on acoustic guitar), she pulls it off beautifully. Listen for yourselves at www.laurenpritchard.com.