From the top of the Prudential building, in the middle of the Charles, and in front of Gate E at Fenway, everyone’s screaming: We want more new music from Boston! And boy howdy, folks, I’m here to deliver once again.
This is Diane Young, who Vampire Weekend fans might note have named themselves as a play on the phrase “dying young.” The lively sound comes courtesy of Nina DiRusso (lead vox), Dan McCarthy (guitar/keys), Zachary Lee (drums), Alex Ilyadis (guitar/vox), and Jack Whelan (bass). They’ve spent the last couple of years shaping their sound, incorporating elements of guitar-driven pop, alt-rock grit, and power-emo into their energetic vibe.
It’s Happening Again is the band’s debut EP, following 2024’s singles “Impostor Syndrome” and “Astigmatism”. On the five new tracks, Diane Young meditate on getting older; more specifically, entering their thirties, and all the twists, turns, ups, and downs that come with it. While these days turning thirty feels different than it did for past generations, it still comes with reflections on adolescence and young adulthood, letting go of old pain, preparing for new problems, and finding comfort in lessons learned along the way.
For instance, “Secret Spot” — the EP’s first single which dropped in April — launches into a grunge-tinged jam about mental spirals about haunting memories from the past, evoking the record’s title: “Oh no, it’s happening again / I cannot eat or sleep or drink, just wanna forget about it”. Getting older means staring at the ceiling most nights, not just with fears about the present and future but also feeling the nibbles of the past.
It also means overcoming those fears, or at least knowing that forming healthier habits is the key to survival. In fact, studies have shown that making friends and maintaining social connections in middle age can reduce dementia risk later in life. Such is the theme on “Applebee’s”, where DiRusso sings of wanting to do something with people, whether it’s have them come over and play a game or go out. Anything’s better than staying home alone and doom scrolling.
Diane Young has plenty of friends in the greater indie scene, as evidenced on “Rearranging”, a track featuring Midwestern emo influences and the vocal/guitar chops of Christine Goodwyne from Pool Kids. The sparkling riffs accompany lyrics that comment on how memories change and fade over the years, and how hard it gets to hang on to them in their purest form.
That track has a bit of a softer edge compared to the first two, and while the volume turns back up on “Chemicals”, it turns down the tempo to evoke the slow burn of anxiety creeping its way through the body. With growing older comes being more cognizant of everything happening in your body: Every emotion, change, and cell. The bridge explodes as DiRusso and Ilyadis duet, raging about lost times and people and moments from the past. Those, like good knees and a back that doesn’t hurt and brain cells, disappear with youth.
Speaking of bad knees, the last song “Run” caps off the album with a 3/4 alt-rock anthem to youth passing into the distance. The change in time signature marks the emotional change of growing up, doing the waltz of life but finding it harder to keep in time as the years pass. It makes for a heart-wrenching end to the record, but one that shows off the band’s chops in full force.
It’s Happening Again starts a new chapter for Diane Young, who have bopped around the greater Boston scene for quite a bit, playing with local favorites like Mallcops, Cape Crush, Toluca Lake, and Roser and gaining new fans around the area. Now they’re looking to push beyond and introduce their sound to throngs of listeners all over the Commonwealth and country. Their name may be a play on “dying young”, but this band’s life is just getting started.
Take a listen to “Secret Spot” from It’s Happening Again and follow Diane Young on their socials below.
Written by Will Sisskind
