SPEAK took everybody by surprise almost a year ago with the massive success of their last single, "Peaks", and the intuitive methods the band used to tackle the composition for that track have just been resurrected for a second go-round with their latest offering, "Be Reasonable, Diane". Nothing about this song is particularly conventional, but there's a familiarity about the music that's too vague to put your finger on, but just present enough to evoke some much appreciated rock-nostalgia. It's the perfect balance of innovative songwriting and solid execution, and when you press play, you're instantly hit with a sense that this is a track that's punching way above its weight. All the transitions happen at precisely the correct time, and no one layer is overshadowed by another. Interestingly enough, probably the easiest way to understand what SPEAK has accomplished here is to look at the song title. There's something mildly tongue-in-cheek about an imperative statement getting pressed into service as a track title, but it makes sense, and upon reading it, you're instantly connected to the story the band is telling with their music. This micro-phenomenon is also mirrored in the bright (yet ultimately substantiative) tone of the track, and when "Be Reasonable, Diane" hits its stride, everything falls into place to form what might turn out to be one of the best indie-rock songs of the year.
La Mar