CD Review // Diet Cig

**Swear I’m Good At This // (*Frenchkiss Records)***

Take a moment to remember those awkward series of moments that exemplify being a teenager. Each uncomfortable exchange with a crush, and clunky maneuvering through the the social landscape can be heard in Diet Cig’s debut LP Swear I’m Good At This.

The New York duo consists of guitarist/vocalist Alex Luciano and drummer Noah Bowman. Diet Cig’s sound is one part punk, and two parts indie poured into a tall glass of pop melody. Their decidedly low-fi recordings recall soundscapes from old-schoolers like The Vaselines and Neutral Milk Hotel, with the mainstream sensibility of the post-Nirvana era. The band also made a huge splash playing a variety of showcases at SXSW in 2017. These performance chops are heard clearly throughout the entire recording.

Swear I’m Good At This opens with Luciano’s brazen declaration on “Sixteen,” with the lyric, “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,” a sort of lyrical overture to the rest of the angsty awkward elements to follow. On “Link In Bio,” Luciano shows she cares little for what others think exclaiming anthemicaly, “I know what I want, so please fuck off!”

Swear I’m Good At This is a strong debut from a 21st century indie/punk band. Somewhat lacking in originality, the duo make up for it with unabashed feeling.