The snappy running time of Swear I'm Good at This means all 12 tracks breeze past in an instant, as if you're sprinting straight through the emotional core of vocalist Alex Luciano, grinning maniacally as you run. Since the release of the Over Easy EP back in 2014, Diet Cig's enduring blend of youthful fun and young defiance has given them an irresistible magnetism. Their debut record doubles down -- or triples, if we're talking about actual time -- on those sentiments and exposes a deeper level of honesty, although that same honesty might make it hard for anyone over a certain age to relate.
The opening number, "Sixteen," sets the scene for the next 30 minutes, in that it features a deeply personal story -- with a clear comedic edge -- before launching into a satisfying pop-punk breakdown; from here on out it's a maelstrom of fuzzy guitars and crashing cymbals that would otherwise be classified as unrelenting, if not for the quick-fire track list. Every song sticks around just long enough to make a point, which mainly involves either an admission of loneliness or a middle finger to something that has pissed Luciano off. Thankfully, the loneliness motif never comes across as a cry for help, or the need for sympathy, not in the least part because Luciano's public face is of a happy-go-lucky young musician. Instead you get songs like "Bite Back," which addresses one of the most common forms of anxiety in a way that feels inclusive, explicitly stated when Luciano confides "There's something nice about knowing everyone feels hopeless."
A well-timed change of pace occurs midway on "Apricots," in the form of an acoustic ballad that gives you a minute to catch your breath; it's wholly unsurprising that the softer side of Diet Cig works so well, as Luciano cut her songwriting teeth armed with just an acoustic guitar. As far as closing statements go, "Tummy Ache" couldn't be more apt, equal parts a call for gender rights, a tale of personal struggle, and a direct screw-you to an industry that isn't quite equal yet, so in many ways it describes Diet Cig's debut album down to a T.
© Liam Martin /TiVo