Diners

Under the name Diners, Arizona native Blue Broderick creates an intimate world of amiable, introspective indie pop that ranges from crafty full-band arrangements to lo-fi solo tracks. Recording for a variety of small labels, Broderick gained widespread notice with their 2016 album three and its nostalgic streaming hit “Fifteen on a Skateboard.” They followed up with releases including 2020′s Leisure World and 2023′s DOMINO, the latter of which invigorated the songwriter’s natural tunefulness with a rock sensibility that together evoked artists like Big Star and Matthew Sweet.
Broderick came up through Phoenix’s D.I.Y. scene in the early 2010s, writing thoughtful, breezy bedroom pop songs whose lo-fi feel often belied their subtle sophistication. A multi-instrumentalist, they alternately played all the parts themself or maintained a fluid lineup of friends and collaborators to join them on their recordings, which they released under the alias Diners. Amid a scattering of smaller releases, Diners issued the full-length albums Throw Me a Ten and Always Room in 2012 and 2014, respectively.
In 2016, Broderick enjoyed somewhat of a breakthrough, releasing Diners’ third album, three, on California indie Asian Man Records. A lusher and more complex release, it contained the single “Fifteen on a Skateboard,” which racked up more than a million streams and significantly expanded their audience. An EP, A Soft Day, appeared early the next year, followed by more heavy touring. Returning in early 2020, this time on Lauren Records, Broderick’s fourth Diners album, Leisure World, was a tonally eclectic set with an easygoing feel. Produced by Broderick and Matty Terrones, the like-minded Four Wheels and the Truth followed in 2022 and included contributions from, among others, Chris Farren and Shinobu’s Bob Vielma.
Following a relocation to Los Angeles, and with a new sense of freedom inspired by coming out as transgender, Broderick ramped up the energy, volume, and crunchy guitar tones without sacrificing any tunefulness or amiability on their next album, 2023′s DOMINO. Produced by Mo Troper, it marked Diners’ debut for Bar/None Records. ~ Timothy Monger & Marcy Donelson