“Scene Sick”, the first release by New Paltz’s Diet Cig, is an infectious missive on the overbearing presence that music communities tend to foster, as well as a convincing argument on why talking about yourself is almost always boring. As “I’m sick of hearing about your band” transforms into “I’m sick of hearing about your scene, I’d rather talk about something more exciting”, Alex Luciano plainly expresses her annoyance with the internet-fueled narcissism-fest that has overtaken a serious potion of indie rock and, especially, indie rockers. The video, directed by Christopher Daly of Salvation Recording Co., emphasizes the sentiments of “Scene Sick” while serving as a gleeful and genuinely moving accompaniment to the song. Luciano dances unabashedly as drummer Noah Bowman stands motionless by her side while the scene quickly changes from a laundromat, to the woods, to the breakfast table and various locales in between. In a cathartic moment, as the chorus of “I just wanna dance” crashes in, both bodies start flail about, dancing shamelessly to the clear conclusion: “I don’t care, I don’t care, I don’t care”.
Their debut EP, Over Easy, comes out on Father/Daughter Records on February 24th.
