Lonely Diamond is the third studio album by Australian band Ocean Alley. It was released on 19 June 2020 under Unified and Sony Music Australia.[8] The album was announced in April 2020, alongside the release of the album's fourth single, "Hot Chicken".[6]
The album was Triple J's "Feature Album" in the week leading up to its release.[9][10]
Two singles from the album, "Infinity" and "Stained Glass", featured in Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2019, at number 24 and number 54, respectively.[11]
Background
Following their success in the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2018, in which their song "Confidence" topped the poll and they had four overall songs in the countdown,[12] the band returned to the studio to begin recording their third studio album.[1] The album was announced in April 2020, alongside the release of the album's fourth single, "Hot Chicken".[6]
Release and promotion
On 22 April 2020, Ocean Alley began posting short video clips on Instagram of roast chicken heating in a microwave and of a rotating drumstick, teasing the release of "Hot Chicken", the fourth single from the album.[13] The posts included links to the band's official website, which displayed the album's artwork, a sign-up link to pre-save the single, and a timer, which counted down to 12:00pm AEST on 27 April.[14] When the website's timer ended, text announcing the premiere of "Hot Chicken" later that night on Triple J and the album artwork were shown.[14]
The band additionally set up a Facebook event simply titled "Hot Chicken"; the event began at the same time and date as when the timer on their website ended.[13]
In the week leading up to the album's release, it was the "Feature Album" on Triple J.[10]
Singles
The album was preceded by four singles: "Stained Glass", released on 21 February 2019,[2] "Infinity", released on 6 June 2019,[4] "Tombstone", released on 11 December 2019,[5] and "Hot Chicken", released on 27 April 2020.[6] All four singles were premiered on Triple J prior to their official release. A fifth single, "Way Down", was released alongside the album on 19 June.[7]
In a positive review of the album, Tyler Jenke of Rolling Stone Australia said: "Ocean Alley have not only managed to exceed expectations with their latest record, but they've managed to set a new standard for what their music can be."[15] He continued: "...the blissful inclusion of songs such as the album's title track serve as a masterclass of restraint, with the group experimenting with a mixture of old and new styles, all while ensuring the tune doesn't overstay its welcome."[15] He also named "All Worn Out" as an album highlight, describing it as "serving as something of a fierce ballad".[15]
Declan Byrne of Triple J said of the album: "You can hear Ocean Alley pushing themselves beyond the coastal, warbled reggae rock of earlier releases and ramping up the '70s influences."[10] Byrne described the tracks 'Up In There' and 'Wet Dreams' as "amospheric slow jams".[10] Byrne also described the track "Way Down" as a "standout", saying "[it] shows off their signature style but with the underwater feel replaced by warmer sounds, the colour scheme shifted from blues to yellows".[10]
Tour
In February, Ocean Alley announced a tour in support of the album.[16] The tour was originally scheduled to begin in May 2020,[3] but was postponed in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[17]
In a statement regarding the postponing of the tour, the band said:
The tour is now scheduled to commence in February 2021.[17] The tour will feature Psychedelic Porn Crumpets and Dulcie as support acts, and is expected to finish in March 2021.[17]
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