The Family Jewels
| Marina and the Diamonds
The Family Jewels
The Family Jewels is the debut studio album by Welsh singer Marina Diamandis, known professionally as Marina and the Diamonds. It was released on 15 February 2010 by 679 Recordings and Atlantic Records. Diamandis collaborated with several producers including Pascal Gabriel, Liam Howe, Greg Kurstin, Richard "Biff" Stannard, and Starsmith during its recording. She identifies the lyrical themes as "the seduction of commercialism, modern social values, family and female sexuality." -Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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The Guardian
There's no doubting that Marina Diamandis can write great pop songs. It's the rest of the package that's the problem.
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Drowned in Sound
Marina herself proclaims in Mowgli's Road; "I want to be cuckoo" but with songwriting that tends towards the idiosyncratic and production that screams "commercial pop hit", The Family Jewels seems to be to be symptomatic of a broader trend at the moment to demand our female artists be both credible and commercial at the expense of achieving anything great in either camp.
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AV Music Club
Hailing from the same school of self-aware artifice as Lady Gaga and Little Boots, Marina Diamandis’ debut as Marina And The Diamonds benefits—and suffers—from the same irony-laden emptiness. Diamandis’ songs, full of sugary synthesizer whorls and theatrical pomp, often come across as tongue-in-cheek performance-art pieces masquerading as mindless electro-fluff, with Marina returning again and again to the narrative of her own success—a tale that’s obviously a trifle premature.
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BBC Music
The consistently diverting changes in style across the album are fine – the wonky 80s shoulder-pad pop of The Outsider is nothing like anything else here, for example. But over 13 songs of Sparks-voice and many similar staccato piano riffs listeners may feel bludgeoned by Marina and her slightly overbearing presence.
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Pop Matters
It seems that Marina occasionally cannot help but cross the line between tongue-in-cheek and finger-down-throat. However, she does get away with it, and quite often surprisingly enough. As she screams, "I'm a fucking wildcard!", the new wave synths and enthusiastic beats of the slightly La Roux-esque "The Outsider" begin to make you feel as excited about her as she is, and "Oh No!" balances its sheer melodrama with a goliath of a dance rock backing track.
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Billboard
On her debut album, "The Family Jewels," Diamandis backs up her bark with a promising bite.
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Auto Straddle
Though at first glance she seemed to be just another bubblegum pop star, Marina and The Diamonds shocked and awed me much like my first experience listening to Lady Gaga. This is no vapid, shallow woman gyrating to her own voice. With this album you get pop with substance and sarcasm; layered over a jokey Gagaesque referendum on money, fame, and the American Dream. As she says in “Hollywood”, “You do anything for a dime/Looking for the golden line.”
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Telegraph
There’s a devilish whiff of smoke and mirrors about Marina. Her arch, clever debut may be too spiky and brash to be really lovable, but, if Marina has her way, you’ll probably find yourself singing along whether you like it or not.
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POParazzi
Fans of Marina’s that only know of Electra Heart are really missing out on a fantastic album of raw talent that The Family Jewels showcases.
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Music OMH
The Family Jewels isn’t the classic debut album that her early singles suggested was on the way, but there’s enough promise here to carry her through the hype.
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Sputnik Music
Marina is the self-proclaimed fucking wild card of the quirky Brit pack.
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Clash Music
Marina describes the album as “intricately produced” and that’s where the problem lies. Such attention to detail leaves some of the songs feeling pretty sterile and, as a result, it’s a frustrating listen. Cherry pick wisely.
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Popfection
The Family Jewels is an amazing record, full of impressive lyrics and well-crafted hooks.
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Redbrick
POP music should be like pop drinks. Fizzy, sweet, and ultimately bad for you. The debut album from Welsh/Greek stunner Marina Diamondis pretty much ticks all those boxes while staying a generous cut above the competition.
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All Music
The Family Jewels is a record that is creatively ubiquitous and aggressive, traits that make this album not unlike Amy Winehouse's Back to Black or maybe even Liz Phair's Exile in Guyville.
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The VP Me
Runner up in The BBC’s Sound of 2010 poll, Marina and the Diamonds puts her money where the hype is and releases her much anticipated debut album ‘The Family Jewels’. The question is, does it cut the mustard, does it measure up, is it all that???The short answer is an unequivocal “YES!”
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Postcultural
The Family Jewels is a stunning debut, with thirteen shining examples of piano-driven songwriting. Marina is quirky and theatrical, bringing a mature, cerebral edge to what is basically a pop record (only one song clocks in over the four minute mark).
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Daily Star
THIS is the sonic equivalent of a rifle through your eccentric aunt's jewellery box.
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MUU Muse
Marina’s debut is full of infectious melodies, bright sounds and fresh, delicious hooks. Even if the album as a whole may be a bit too much to tolerate in one spin, it’s not hard to see that there are more than just a few gems hidden in this box of Jewels.
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Alt Citizen
The Family Jewels was a turning point for me. Here was this like beautiful and (vaguely) Mediterranean looking woman singing about loneliness, depression, and isolation using wit, dry humor, and catchy choruses. It was the exact and only type of vulnerability I could relate to—snide, self deprecating, and agoraphobic.
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The Modern Retro Magazine
She mixes sparkling pop with an incredible darkness that makes her stand out from the crowd. Her distinct personality shows throughout the entire album. There is no one quite like her – her sound is weird and breathtaking.
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The Scotsman
Goulding is the safer pair of hands, following inoffensively in the wake of dull electro divas Little Boots and La Roux. Diamandis is dynamite by comparison, combining the drama queen flourishes and sonic maximalism of Florence Welsh (her Diamonds are as nebulous a concept as Florence's Machine) with the semi-autobiographical irreverence of Lily Allen.
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The AU Review
The Family Jewels, her debut album, was always going to be a shock to the senses, but there's something about this aesthetic deception that lures you in even further - the album is sharply executed, lavish in its hooks and, once you familiarise yourself with it, one of the more rewarding pop album experiences in quite some time.
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CLAUS
Put a striking Greek girl in Wales who grows up to have a London accent and you get Marina Diamandis, better known as Marina & the Diamonds. Her long awaited debut ‘The Family Jewels’ is a shameless pop album, mixed with a hint of indie and sprinkled with some eccentricity. This, it turns out, is a winning combination.
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Female First
There is no doubt that Marina Diamondis has talent and judging by the brilliant reaction to debut single Hollywood, there are many people who would jump to defend the half Greek, half Welsh starlet from any criticism. It isn’t quite the album of the decade that we were expecting but it has enough catchy choruses and kooky tempos to keep us happy for the time being.
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Outline Online
Marina definitely deserves a chance. But despite the obvious comparisons to similar female artists, it is also obvious that Marina is a little bit different and definitely deserves a box of her own.
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RTE
While some of the pop and ballads on 'The Family Jewels' show that Diamandis can belt out a line and come up with a chorus, the 24-year-old flicks the 'kooky switch' with her voice far too often. Hear it used once on, say, 'Oh No!' and it stands out; hear it all over the place on this, three-tracks-too-long-to-begin-with album and it's memorable for all the wrong reasons. Forget about the theatrics; think about what serves the songs best and writing stronger ones.
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Silent Radio
Marina and her spangly Diamonds are those Turks, and they’re here to remind you that there’s plenty of life in the old dog yet. Not that they’re original mind. Siouxsie Sioux, The Cocteau Twins and Kate Bush all play big parts in the integral make up of The Family Jewels. What Marina offers is a fresh, somewhat insane reinterpretation of these luminaries with impressive results.
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Hollywood the Write Way
Marina & the Diamonds is my favorite artist in quite some time and she has encouraged and inspired me to not only be a better writer but a better person. There are not too many artists that talk about the subject matter that she does these days, so not only is her sound refreshing but her lyrics are refreshing and much more meaningful in the long run.
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flying with anna
I prefer Marina stripped down, just her voice and a piano line. I think she could do very well in the pop scene, I just hope she doesn’t over do pop and then forgets that she is really a song-writer and a very unique singer. So at the moment, I am a little undecided, although I think she’s brilliant, I also think its a little overproduced. It will be interesting to see if she is received as a pop star or as an alternative artist.
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What's the Ruckus
I love the way Marina manages to weave thoughtful lyrics into dance music rifts and beats, her use of language is very clever at times and leads to an album which I am sure I will be listening to for some time.
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Portal IT Pop
Marina is a rare example of an artist: she is completely faithful to her own work. In a time of media production, where we see artists molded by producers burying us day after day, comes a singer who writes her own songs and sings about herself. If this artistic freedom were not enough, we still have someone with one of the most unique voices of modern music.
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Rolling Stone
Marina's songs have everything. They are catchy and edgy at the same time - catchy enough for the charts, edgy enough to touch the indie environment as well.
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Male Xtra
There is no doubt that Marina Diamondis has talent and judging by the brilliant reaction to debut single Hollywood, there are many people who would jump to defend the half Greek, half Welsh starlet from any criticism. It isn’t quite the album of the decade that we were expecting but it has enough catchy choruses and kooky tempos to keep us happy for the time being.
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Laut
Marina remains individual despite high hit parade compatibility. And delivers an entertaining debut.
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Word Smith
Not only does Marina have style, charisma and a great stage show to boot, she has an album ablaze with singles and at least some truly sparkling songs, none more magnificent than ‘I Am Not A Robot’ and ‘Obsessions’. In its quest to appeal to all, this record does fail to be the creative success it could have been, but fans of Regina Spektor, Feist or Kate Bush will find much to get steamed up about. When you X-Factor in the vivid beige-ness of today’s charts, this is as good as pop is likely to get this year.
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James Hendicott
This album will divide (like ‘Hollywood’, you’ll either love it or despise it), but whichever way you fall, Marina’s produced something distinct, easy to relate to and amazingly assured. Believe the hype.
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The VPME
Runner up in The BBC’s Sound of 2010 poll, Marina and the Diamonds puts her money where the hype is and releases her much anticipated debut album ‘The Family Jewels’. The question is, does it cut the mustard, does it measure up, is it all that???The short answer is an unequivocal “YES!”
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Rie Reviews
She’s got a gorgeous voice, she’s witty and clever, and she’s insanely cute *swoon* - her 2010 album ‘The Family Jewels’ is available on iTunes and several of her videos can be found on Youtube. Go and listen to her – you won’t be disappointed (well let’s hope not!)
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NewsOK
If "The Family Jewels” has an obvious flaw, it is the kind of premature grandeur usually exhibited by rappers flashing cash on their first album covers. This ultimately does not register much, since Diamandis seems so capable of growing into her self-constructed mythology — if the record industry machinery works for her, "Shampain,” "Hollywood” and the amazing dance track "Oh No!” will secure the fame she deserves. For those left cold by Lady Gaga, Marina and the Diamonds are worth truly going gaga over.
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Indie London
The Family Jewels is a great debut album that marks the arrival of a fairly sizeable new talent.
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DIY Mag
Remarkably consistent, and at times quite affecting (the piano-led tracks ‘I Am Not A Robot’ and ‘Obsessions’ showcase her tender side; the former is one of the album’s highlights), this album lives up to all the hype. However Marina may feel about where she is now, we wouldn’t have it any other way.
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Totally Dublin
For all its merits The Family Jewels is lacking a moment to compete with those records and for that reason alone Marina and The Diamonds must try harder. It’s all very well to release a solid album that will please the expectant hordes and help the record execs sleep a little easier in their beds – but where’s all the chaos, absurdity, and even-a-three-year-old-gets-it effortlessness the best pop entails? Not on The Family Jewels, that’s for sure.
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Teen Ink
No matter what, Diamandis always proves to be the artist. Her songs are strangely liberating, as unpredictable and fierce as they are appealing.
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Nietzsche Said It Best
Here we see that Marina Diamandis is not just a quirky pop star. There is much more to her. In fact, when you take the album as a whole, this is the feeling you are left with. She may indeed be quirky, but more than that, she is individual, and she doesn’t want to follow anyone else’s path. If the coming months and years bring more music of this quality, Marina & the diamonds is going to be a huge success.
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2 Up Top
‘The Family Jewels' was originally conceived as a 12-track album, and ‘Oh No!' was mastered and added so late in the game it was not included on the original promo CD. With Phil Collins drums and yelping Lene Lovich vox proclaiming "I'm gonna live, I'm gonna fly/I'm gonna fail, I'm gonna die", it's the perfect summation of a singer simultaneously wracked with doubt and unfailingly secure in what she's produced. Frankly, with a debut this astonishing, we think the time for Marina to stop worrying is here.
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Electricpig
Marina and The Diamonds is definitely worth your time, just don’t expect The Family Jewels to be easy to get your head around. The gems are there but finding them takes a bit of digging.
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