A weird, slightly gross name is no reason to discount a band. Besides, in an unofficial poll of non-English speakers (thanks, Google!), “diarrhea” ranks high in a list of words that simply sound the prettiest. Who knew? Diarrhea Planet doesn’t try to sound pretty, but they do crank out loud, crunched-up, borderline ambient punk-rock anthems that once would have seemed more at home at L.A.’s The Smell alongside No Age and Abe Vigoda than in Nashville. But thank heavens they’re here instead. The six-piece Infinity Cat outfit (which once included Evan P. Donohue) actually boasts four — yes, four — guitarists. Now that’s something we haven’t seen since high school, where that kind of thing worked because your mom told you so after the recital. With Diarrhea Planet, it’s fun as hell live and never loses a battle. Yeah, I said it: Diarrhea is fun as hell.
— Marissa R. Moss