Avi Diamond describes herself as a “Pittsburgh-based singer/songwriter” whose style “sounds like a mix between Fiona Apple, Thelonious Monk, and Radiohead.”
The titular track from Avi Diamond’s new album Barefoot sounds like the result of PJ Harvey shacking up in Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago cabin, grabbing an acoustic guitar and a slide, and having some catharsis of her own. The song itself is a straightforward, homespun piece, all fingerpicking, light strumming, and gentle handclaps; Diamond works the slide to perfection, too, using it to create both forceful, gliding chords to introduce the chorus and rootsy, spiderwebbed fills to accent the verses. Diamond’s lyrics are what make “Barefoot” stand out, though. They’re melancholy, but a wry sense of humor shines through the sadness. She remembers the way a former significant other “played with her spoon when she sipped her tea” (an especially moving moment), but also tosses off the unexpected couplet “Oh, make me straight/It could make me lose weight” with no explanation as to how one would affect the other (resulting in a bemused grin from yours truly upon hearing it). The song has a ton of personality, and captures the many dimensions of heartbreak within its confines.
Corrections: Mac Inglis is the one playing the slide on this song. Additionally, the line is “Self hate won’t make me straight, but it can make me lose weight.” So, not a non-sequitur, but still a great lyric!
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Bored In Pittsburgh 