Diamonds & Debris

The album was produced by John Custer.[6] Robert Mason took over lead vocals and guitar, replacing Kelly Holland; it took years for Cry of Love to find a satisfactory replacement.[7][8] Lead guitar player and songwriter Audrey Freed wrote most of the album's songs without knowing which vocalist would join the band.[6] Freed used a variety of guitars in the studio, but chose to trust the quality of the instruments and amps rather than spend a lot of time trying to capture a specific tone.[9] Some tracks were influenced by gospel music.[10]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[11]
Fort Worth Star-Telegram	[12]
New Straits Times	[13]
Winston-Salem Journal	[14]

The New Straits Times wrote that Cry of Love offers "more of the raunchy, blues-tinged rockers that made its debut, Brother, so enthralling," writing that Freed "remains the propelling force, driving most of the tunes with some vibrant and vigorous Hendrixian riffing."[13] The Hartford Courant determined that "things take a turn for the better at about the halfway point ... Mason's lyrics take on a more distinct and powerful presence and the band's Southern roots begin to rise to the surface."[15] The Sunday Mail opined that the band's "vital, loud, guitar-driven approach lightly tinged with old-fashioned chug-along rhythms, works well even in this alterna-rock era."[16]

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram concluded that "Mason tries, and a few of the songs have a genuinely soulful kick, but Diamonds is mostly a pale shadow of the past."[12] The Wichita Eagle deemed Diamonds & Debris "a straightforward, guitar-oriented rock 'n' roll record, untainted yet influenced by country and soul."[17] The Winston-Salem Journal noted that the songs "pay loud 'n' proud homage to the '70s riff-rock movement."[14]

AllMusic wrote: "A little too musical for their own good, these Southern rockers fail to place their own personal stamp on Diamonds & Debris' many mid-tempo walk-throughs and forgettable ballads."[11]