CD Review: Worry by Jeff Rosenstock

Jeff Rosenstock is the best kept secret in contemporary punk. A veteran of musical collective “Bomb the Music Industry!” and ska-punk band “The Arrogant Sons of B*tches,” his latest album, WORRY., (capitalized and punctuated) marks his third solo attempt and his first since last year’s underrated We Cool?

Comprised of 17 tracks snugly fit into 38 minutes, the aptly-titled WORRY. tackles topics such as gentrification, police brutality and beer-driven lust with the same unbridled urgency that has become archetypal of the punk schema.

On WORRY., Rosenstock adopts a sort of nouveau-frat approach to dissecting societal issues: each song features his frantic-yet-crystal-clear vocals (sometimes shouted, often off-key) that manages to come off as both exultant and anxiety-laden simultaneously.

From the opener “We Begged 2 Explode,” through the story of “Pietro, 60 Years Old,” the protest of “HELLLLHOOOLLE,” and the ultimate end of “Perfect Sound Whatever,” WORRY. is undoubtedly one of the most relevant albums this year and the anthem by which we can watch the end of the world.

— Alec Warkentin

Worry.
Jeff Rosenstock
Label: SideOneDummy
Score: A-