Last month, the gender-bending Canadian experimental rock artist Cindy Lee quietly released “Diamond Jubilee,” a dense double-album that juxtaposes lush, cinematic instrumentals with lo-fi indie rock jams and haunted girl group torch ballads.
It鈥檚 a gorgeous and unpredictable project, but one that doesn鈥檛 seem to be designed for mass consumption. Clocking in at over two hours, the 32-song opus isn鈥檛 available on major streaming services. Instead, Cindy Lee released Diamond Jubilee exclusively on a clunky聽, where fans can choose a high-quality stream or聽聽the album for $30.
Despite these barriers,聽buzz spread quickly among music lovers and critics, who began sharing a聽 that contained the full album as if it was a secret.听
On April 12, the flood gates opened after聽 鈥 the highest rating the influential music publication has given any contemporary artist since Fiona Apple鈥檚 2020 album “Fetch The Bolt Cutters” received a perfect 10.
The topic of Cindy Lee took social media by storm, with high-profile fans – from Cadence Weapon to Elijah Wood – posting effusively. On , a community music site, “Diamond Jubilee” quickly rose to become the , knocking off recently acclaimed releases from Vampire Weekend and Adrianne Lenker.
Tickets for Cindy Lee鈥檚 tour also exploded in popularity; new fans will struggle to find a way into her sold-out 海角社区官网date on May 17 at the Great Hall. A couple weeks ago in Vancouver, I had to bribe the door person $10 above the ticket price to be let inside 鈥 and that was the night before the Pitchfork review was published.
So, where did this surprise sensation begin?
Jesse Locke with Cindy Lee at Red Gate in Vancouver on聽April 11th, 2024.听
Chandra OppenheimThe emergence of Cindy Lee
Cindy Lee is the alter ego of the Calgary-born, North Carolina-based singer-songwriter and drag performer Patrick Flegel, who first became known as the guitarist and lead singer of the cult Canadian rock band聽.听
Women released a self-titled debut in 2008, followed by an acclaimed sophomore album “Public Strain” in 2010, shortly before imploding in an聽 on Halloween night in Victoria.
Cindy Lee emerged in the wake of Women鈥檚 breakup, as Flegel openly struggled with mental health issues, addiction and gender dysphoria. His earliest music under this name may have been noisy, even shrill, but it also rewarded fans with eerie, melodic diamonds in the rough, like 鈥淗olding The Devil鈥檚 Hand.鈥 In 2020, Cindy Lee’s fifth album, “What Tonight to Eternity?” was longlisted for the Polaris Prize.
On “Diamond Jubilee” 鈥 Cindy Lee’s seventh album, and its warmest, most accessible project to date 鈥 the pop hooks have shifted from the subtext to the text. Nearly every one of the album鈥檚 32 songs includes a stunning, emotionally resonant guitar solo.听
鈥淥ver time, I鈥檝e just wanted more pleasant sounds. I鈥檓 not listening to this hell ride, anguish kind of music,鈥 鈥淚 want music to make me feel good.鈥澛
Women鈥檚 Pat Flegel (left, blue shirt) performs to a crowd including Jesse Locke (right, green shirt) in Calgary, circa 2008 to 2010.听
Supplied by authorThe grassroots support for Diamond Jubilee聽has deeper implications beyond the music: the album鈥檚 method of release represents a bold act of protest against the big streaming services, in a moment when artists on Spotify with less than 1,000 streams per year have now been demonetized. Cindy Lee proved it鈥檚 possible to develop a cult following organically, keep your music away from the bean counters and still receive widespread acclaim.
These are all big accomplishments, but for me, Cindy Lee represents something much more.
Acts of tenderness
I met Pat when we were both teenage punks in Calgary鈥檚 all-ages music scene. The first time I saw him onstage was at the Carpenter鈥檚 Union Hall with his proto-Women band聽, dressed in brown grandpa pants with jet black hair teased like The Cure鈥檚 Robert Smith.听聽
As I got to know Pat better, his ravenous music tastes 鈥 including Scottish post-punk bands like the Fire Engines or Indonesian girl groups like Dara Puspita 鈥 inspired me to dig deeper. Once, he ordered an expensive imported CD to a local store, but then couldn鈥檛 afford it. I bought it instead, appreciating Pat鈥檚 picks in the same way I do now with his聽.听
When Pat became Cindy Lee, I experienced an epiphany. His powerfully vulnerable approach to artistic expression, and the way he was able to find glamour in life鈥檚 darkest corners, made me 鈥 like countless others 鈥 feel seen.听
Matt Swann, Jesse Locke, and Cindy Lee in Toronto. July 12th, 2018.听
Supplied by authorIt鈥檚 taken me my whole life to open up about my queerness, but I can thank Pat for showing me the power of my fragile feminine side, under the surface of a faux-tough, male-presenting exterior. Cindy Lee 鈥 and Pat, by extension 鈥 inspires me to be my whole self.
“Diamond Jubilee” features some of the most personal reckonings Pat has ever put to tape. On 鈥淒emon Bitch,鈥 he admits, “I鈥檝e been searching, searching / I was a foolish clown / Anywhere but here / I put my burden down.”
Anyone 鈥 like me 鈥 who has questioned their identity while causing pain to themselves or others can see themselves reflected in lyrics like these, with compassion coming back. Cindy Lee鈥檚 songs are an honest expression from a work in progress, just like we all are.
In songs or on stage, Cindy Lee has the power to inspire, enrich, and empower. To me, she is nothing less than a living piece of art.听
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