Punk rock is emotion in its rawest form, expressed through music. Usually, the motion that’s associated with punk is anger – but those who listen to modern punk know that anger-laden tunes are only a small facet of a galactic genre.
Diet Cig, a duo from New York City comprised of Alex Luciano (guitar/vocals) and Noah Bowman (drums), describes themselves as “two homies just making tunes and eggs on the regs.” That friendship is evident throughout their first EP, Over Easy.
Diet Cig makes music that sounds the way a nice cup of hot tea on a cold day feels. Granted, you might be holding that cup while pogoing around your kitchen. One of my favorite memories of my housemates involves a Diet Cig song – I was listening to “Pool Boyz” on the way to swimming in Oberlin’s arboretum with them. It was the perfect summer jam to soundtrack a perfect summer moment.
Their tunes are poppy enough to be accessible to those who find punk’s style too abrasive, but Diet Cig’s rhythms are aggressive enough to satisfy those who have a hardline definition of the genre. The group also knows how to make everyday fun punk and make joy cool.
That said, Diet Cig’s work isn’t all about stomping gleefully through fields on flowers on sunny days. Their new single from their debut LP, Swear I’m Good at This, touches on the difficulties of navigating the punk/DIY scene as a woman, on how hard it is to “be a punk in a skirt,” making her physically ill.
“Tummy Ache” is departure from their previous work, with quiet guitars slowly building to an all-out attack of Luciano’s sheer frustration and anger, yet still catchy enough so that it gets lodged in your head all day. The sound shows artistic growth from the group’s early EP and singles, evidenced through Bowman’s varying drum fills and Luciano’s skillfully crafted guitar licks.
Luciano has found her voice, and will use it like a weapon to assert her place in today’s punk world. It’s an empowering and relatable message for us girls doing music-related things. Though the boys may still not take us seriously, “Tummy Ache” helps us remember that we know our worth and not get those intrusive thoughts get us down.
Swear I’m Good at This is out April 7th and Diet Cig will be touring North America for the first half of this year. Dates listed here.
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