Spark Is a Diamond
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | June 2006 |
| Founder | Alison Bellavance, Matt Boylan, Matt Hall |
| Defunct | September 18, 2009 |
| Headquarters | Philadelphia , United States |
| Products | Music albums, EPs |
Spark Is a Diamond was a hardcore punk group originating from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, established in the summer of 2006. Their sound fused elements of punk and hardcore with strong dance rhythms, featuring alternating male and female vocals. The founding members were vocalist Alison Bellavance, guitarist and vocalist Matt Boylan, and drummer Matt Hall. Hall departed in 2007 and was succeeded by Joseph Crawford. The band included musicians previously involved with acts such as Fall River and Morning For The Masses. Their style drew inspiration from groups like The Blood Brothers, Boy Crazy, and Cursive.
They initially partnered with Emerald Moon Records to release their first EP, Keep Your Eyes Off The Prize (2006).
Subsequently, the band signed with Pluto Records and launched their first full-length album, Try This On For Size (2008), which earned the title “Best Punk Album of 2008” by About.com.
On September 17, 2009, Alison Bellavance announced the group's dissolution citing "personal issues."
2006: Formation and Keep Your Eyes Off the Prize
Spark Is a Diamond came together in Philadelphia during summer 2006, consisting of lead vocalist Alison Bellavance, guitarist/vocalist Matt Boylan, and drummer Matt Hall. Bellavance and Boylan had previously been part of Fall River, while Hall had played with Morning For The Masses.
Originally called The Hush Hush, they changed their name to Spark Is a Diamond on July 16 to avoid confusion with another band sharing the same name.
On June 22, the band signed with indie label Emerald Moon Records and began recording their debut EP with producers Paul Leavitt (All Time Low, Thin Dark Line) and Matt Bayles (The Blood Brothers, These Arms Are Snakes). The EP Keep Your Eyes Off The Prize was released on November 14, 2006. In the following year, they released a music video for “Check Your Lease, You're In F**k City," directed by Adam Kobylarz.
2007-2009: Try This On for Size era and breakup
Following the EP's release, Hall exited the band in 2007 and Joseph Crawford from Hometown Anthem took over on drums. That year saw the release of a remix EP titled You Can’t Stop (Deathwish Remixes), featuring cover artwork by Dave Watt of Girlfight. The band inked a deal with Pluto Records on January 31, 2008, commencing work on their debut album with producers Paul Leavitt, Matt Bayles, Dann Miler from The Jonbenét, and Michael Fossenkemper. On March 25, 2008, they previewed tracks on MySpace and announced that Chad Middleton from VCR would contribute to the record.
Ahead of the album launch, they hosted a CD release event on May 3, 2008, featuring performances by My America Is Watching Tigers Die, Girlfight, HeyHey, and Innerpartysystem. Their first studio album, Try This On For Size, was officially released on May 6, 2008. It garnered generally favorable reviews from sources like AllMusic, About.com, AbsolutePunk, and Lambgoat. A music video for “President of The Wrong Crowd,” directed again by Adam Kobylarz, debuted on May 31, 2008. The song "Check Your Lease, You're In F**k City" was included in the 2008 compilation Hardcore, Punk, Etc. issued by RevHQ. Additionally, the band appeared in issue #46 of Decibel Magazine which reviewed their album.
On January 5, 2009, About.com honored Try This On For Size as the “Best Punk Album of 2008,” surpassing releases by notable artists such as The Briggs, Bob Mould, and Rise Against. Nevertheless, on September 18, 2009, lead singer Alison Bellavance announced through Myspace that Spark Is a Diamond had disbanded due to "personal issues."
Musical styles and influences
Spark Is a Diamond's music incorporated elements from hardcore punk, new wave, post-hardcore, metalcore, screamo, and emo rock genres. Their artistic direction was inspired by groups including The Blood Brothers, Boy Crazy, Cursive, Death From Above 1979, Everytime I Die, The Faint, Mars Volta, Pretty Girls Make Graves, These Arms Are Snakes, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
Band members
- Alison Bellavance – lead vocals (2006–2009)
- Matt Boylan – vocals and guitar (2006–2009)
- Joseph Crawford – drums (2007–2009)
- Matt Hall – drums (2006–2007)
Studio albums
- Try This On for Size (2008)
Extended plays
- Keep Your Eyes Off the Prize (2006)
- You Can't Stop (Deathwish Remixes) (2008)