Review Summary: When I was sixteen
Age is such a fickle thing. It’s a number which changes every year that dictates how and when you should act a certain way. When you’re young, the world seems like a magical place overflowing with innocence and charm. Everything is the way it always should be. As the number increases, however, the charm that once characterizes one’s life seems to fade away and a sense of weight and responsibility begins to take reign. Things that seemed like the end of the world during one’s younger years now become trivial things that hold no more influence than the changing of the skies. The stupid fun in life that was at the forefront of everything stops rearing it’s head as often. So how do you deal with such changes and the realization of that change during the transitional period between young and old?
Diet Cig explores this question with copious amounts of sugar and pep throughout the 29 minute runtime of their debut album,
Swear I’m Good At This. The themes of teenage anxieties and adulthood terrors slip and glide throughout each glittery track. Lead vocalist Alex Luciano authentically fumbles through lines that showcase her personal coming of age story that many can be able to relate with. With each verse of sarcasm, naivety, or just plain nostalgia, the future starts to feel less uncertain and trepid.
The instrumentation, while amateurish and uninventive at times, is uplifting and comforting. The guitars sound fuzzy and sugary, which complement the high pitch of Alex’s vocals. The drums are simple but warm sounding in every track. Every melody is sweet and upbeat. Every song feels like an extremely youthful look at life with it’s synths and vocal effects. The album as a whole is a well made and extremely solid pop punk/pop rock, especially considering it is a debut effort.
The childlike and natural lyrics are also a high point on
Swear I’m Good At This. “Sixteen” ponders the implications of having sex in the back of a truck with someone that has the same name as you. “Bite Back” explores feelings of loneliness that comes around when people don’t have the time to hang around like they used to. “Apricots” showcases the feeling of homesickness and coping with new change in one’s life:
When I'm homesick
I go to the supermarket
I buy all the things I think my mom would get
Why did I buy four apricots?
I'll never eat them before they rot
They'll just become an afterthought
Swear I’m At Good At This is an exercise in age, and how the changing of it can affect a person as they go from one end of the spectrum to the other end. Sugary melodies and youthful lyrics brings up images of summer in your late teens as you ponder about the future. Considering that this a debut effort, it is surprising how solid the entire effort. Diet Cig prove that they can make a good pop rock effort worthy of many listens and I can’t wait to see how they improve on their sophomore effort when it comes.
