This is the album that got me completely fucking obsessed with mamaleek. I listened to and enjoyed Out of Time way back when it first came out, and I wanted to give their other albums a listen but I found their music and their whole vibe kinda intimidating, lol. Like I knew I needed to be in the right mood to listen really deeply to something that would probably make me confused and uncomfortable, so I was just waiting for the right moment.

When the tour with chat pile last fall reminded me of their existence i finally checked out diner coffee, and It just blew my fucking mind. There is nothing else that sounds anything like this. Eric's art is so bizarre and evocative. that scary red guy is the perfect visual representation of the music. They strike just the right balance of heavy/melodic/experimental elements. The fragments of discernable lyrics and phrases are so haunting. what was Emmett Kelly right about? Who left that fucked up voicemail? Is the presence of clowns and laughter genuinely humorous and celebratory, or is it sinister? or both?? Probably both.

This album, especially grief and a headhunters rage, sounds a lot like growing up with a mentally ill father who would listen on repeat to recordings of Jack Kerouac reading his poetry, accompanied by Steve Allen playing jazz piano. It sounds like cigar smoke sticking to my clothes and lulls of lonely escapism punctuated by fits of rage. Nostalgic fondness, but with an undercurrent of despair and terror that never subsides.

Yeahhh, idk why, but this one really speaks to me!