Gimme a D, gimme an I, gimme an E, gimme a T, gimme a C, I and G. Who’s got spirit? Diet Cig do, by the buttload. Whether they’re singing about being slut-shamed at 16 or loving a bath, Alex Luciano and Noah Bowman deliver sincere songs with refreshing energy, creating a confident debut album that leaves behind the insecurities present on their first EP, ‘Over Easy’.
‘Swear I’m Good At This’ opens with Sixteen, which sets the frank and, on occasion, facetious tone as Luciano kicks things off with a candid anecdote: “When I was sixteen I dated a boy with my own name, it was weird in the back of his truck, moaning my own name, while trying to fuck.”
Throughout the record she continues to drop equally enviable one-liners. “I feel like garbage, doesn’t mean I’m wasted,”opens Bite Back, while on Link In Bio she harmonises “fuck off” until the final note rings out. Bowman’s broad beats and Luciano’s dynamic guitar playing - knowing when to pull back and when to give it the beans - allow them to make a racket louder than outfits twice the size.
Luciano’s ability to ricochet between introspective moments and narrative drive also endear you to her and the record. On Barf Day we revisit the singer and guitarist’s 21st birthday, while Blob Zombie tackles the internal conflict of wanting to follow your dreams but also struggling to find the motivation to just get out of bed. You can take a journey with Diet Cig, or empathise with them. Whatever your preference, you’ll find something here.
The album’s closer Tummy Ache is about Luciano’s frustrations at being a woman in the music industry and features the line “starting to get real sick of trying to find my voice, surrounded by all boys”. It ends things as they began: it’s forthright, unforgiving and all the while catchy as hell.
Diet Cig Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows
Sat October 14 2017 - LANCASTER Lancaster Library
Mon October 16 2017 - MANCHESTER Soup Kitchen
Tue October 17 2017 - EDINBURGH Sneaky Pete's
Wed October 18 2017 - GLASGOW Broadcast
Thu October 19 2017 - LEEDS Headrow House
Mon October 23 2017 - CAMBRIDGE Portland Arms
Wed October 25 2017 - LONDON Moth Club
Thu October 26 2017 - BRIGHTON Hope & Ruin
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