Although it sounds like potentially the worst show on the National Geographic channel, Diarrhea Planet is actually the irrefutable evidence that Nashville, Tenn.’s music scene is defined by much more than big hats and open mics at the Bluebird Cafe.
In Diarrhea Planet’s wild world, a band requires three unhinged guitarists, a rhythm section with the Rock power to blow out retaining walls, a Pop subtlety to add color to a finely tuned melodic sense and a frontman with the audacity and talent to seamlessly weld all of those elements into a neat but hyperkinetic package.
With all of those pieces in place, Diarrhea Planet pushes out a sound (grow up, I could have said “squirts out”) that bristles with the sing-a-long gang Punk energy of The Ramones, the rafter-rattling Glam Pop appeal of The Darkness and the raw, raucous, my-fist/your-face howl of The Dictators.
Diarrhea Planet coalesced four years ago around lead vocalist Hodan Dickie, drummer Casey Weissbuch (formerly of Cincinnati Reggae band The Pinstripes) and guitarists Jordan Smith and Evan P. Donohue, but within months filled in the sonic cracks with bassist Mike Boyle and third guitarist Brent Toler. The band digitally self-released its debut EP, Aloha, that same year, ultimately amassing more than 10,000 downloads. Smith and Donohue departed and were replaced with master shredders Evan Bird and Emmett Miller, solidifying both the band’s lineup and its signature sound.
In short order, Diarrhea Planet released the three-song 7-inch, Yama-Uba, and 2011’s 19-minute full-length, Loose Jewels, both of which garnered rave reviews and increased their slavish fan base. This month sees the release of Diarrhea Planet’s much-anticipated new album, I’m Rich Beyond Your Wildest Dreams, and judging from the first leaked track, “Separations,” it’s going to be another stellar effort from quite literally the “shittiest” band on this or any planet.
DIARRHEA PLANET plays Wednesday, Aug. 14 with Weakness at MOTR Pub in Over-the-Rhine. Check out performance times and get venue details here .
