After bursting onto the scene post-pandemic, Diet Lite became one of the city’s most active and popular projects. In 2023, that rapid ascent to Milwaukee music prominence culminated with the release of Into The Pudding, an ambitious and all-around excellent 18-track album. Since then, the local rock trio has been quiet compared to its early years, as live outings have dwindled beyond sporadic festival performances, opening opportunities for out-of-towners, and occasional tours.
It turns out the self-imposed slowdown—at least relatively speaking—was for a reason. Diet Lite spent the winter writing and workshopping new material in northern Wisconsin, then going to Jamdek in Chicago to record that output on analog tape. The final product is Double Wide Yukon, Diet Lite’s Into The Pudding follow-up that will be released on Friday, November 14.
Prior to a relatively rare local performance as the musical headliner on the Milwaukee Record Stage at tomorrow’s Bay View Bash and in advance of the band’s November 21 album release show at Vivarium, Diet Lite decided to release a music video for a single from that forthcoming record. “Pack It Up” is a jagged garage rock powerhouse with a post-punk twist that fans of bands like METZ and Cave In could get behind.
The propulsive number gets an equally grimy video treatment from Milwaukee videographer WAK, who portrays Diet Lite singer Max Niemann playing supernatural tricks on his bandmates that start out innocent before turning deadly for all parties involved. Before Diet Lite plays Bay View Bash (7:30 p.m. on the Milwaukee Record Stage) on Saturday night, check out the “Pack It Up” music video now.