Diesel Boy is an American punk rock band formed on the campus of Sonoma State University in California in 1993 and were active until 2002. In 2022, they announced they would release a new album, which arrived in the shape of `Gets Old` at the end of last month.
Now based in Seattle, returning members Diesel Dave (vocals and guitar) and Greg Hensley (bass) are joined by Chad Philipps (guitar) and Christopher Thomas (drums), to add new layers to the band’s skate punk sound.
`Lost Decade` kicks us off and we have a brief Celtic tinged intro before it races into a melodic, one hundred mile an hour punk vibe. There are some delightful self-deprecating lyrics on route, such as “is it a reunion if nobody cares that we were gone or that we`re back.” The fast pace is retained on `Dirty Dishes` which seems to be much more reflective and understandably so as I read it was a breakup song.
`Viking Funeral` is a song made for a moss pit but seems to be a metaphor for realising that with age your thoughts and opinions change. We have another reflection on how life changes in `Corpse Paint Blues` which rolls along with captivating chugging guitar riffs and pounding drumbeats.
`The Turk` is a bouncy earworm that appears to reflect having to conform to working for the as the Skids put it “Yankee dollar” to survive. I wasn`t quite sure what the `The Finnish Line` was about but I just sat back and went along with this anthemic ditty.
`Bismarck` has bass player and vocalist Kim Warnock from the Fastbacks guesting and it`s another charming harmonious groove laden listen. The title `Short And To The Point` says it all as it`s ninety-five seconds long but packed with self-effacing lyricality.
`Festival Summer` is a tale of open-air musical events but shared in an almost at times heavy metal mash up complete with obligatory guitar solo. The sound of a modem connecting leads us into `Internet Girl` which is maybe Diesel Boy`s answer to `Teenage Dirtbag` but without the happy conclusion.
`Swan Song` as the title suggests seems to relate to the final performance or activity of a person’s career and is a blistering rock out of a number. A metal / punk / skate cross over. This long player closes with `Two Stones` which had a Smashing Pumpkins riff like opening but is a reflective, thoughtful composition that will have lighters and lit phones held aloft when shared in a live set.
`Gets Old` is a cracker and running a slither over half an hour there`s no excuse not to welcome it into your life. How would I describe Diesel Boy, well an amalgamation of the best of The Dickies, The Ramones and Bowling For Soup all melded together.
As they say Old punks never die, they just grow old disgracefully.
Welcome back Diesel Boy.
Rating 8.5 /10
