Happy end of the week to fans of Jeff Rosenstock! The alternative aficionado dropped a brand new surprise album this week, which marks the fourth full-length of his discography that he’s released under this moniker.
NO DREAM was recorded with Rosenstock’s personal experiences in mind, stemming from, as he states himself, “the anxiety I was feeling from the last two years, this existential crisis of wondering who I am.”
You may recognise Rosenstock from New York ultimates Bomb the Music Industry!, in addition to ska-punk act Arrogant Sons of Bitches. Under his own name, Rosenstock has earned a following of fans with cult-like loyalty, meaning that instantly unveiling full-length records with no lead-up is a strategy rarely received poorly.
“I got so used to putting out records that only a few people in the punk underground liked,” he commented of his history, a statement that no longer holds weight with the attention and coverage afforded to his current offerings. That past has informed what his signature sound has become, as he adds that “you learn new words but you don’t forget the old ones.” In that same vein, this record touches on the ultimate question that creatives ask themselves – is anyone even listening?
“I thought I had just made a record for no one,” Rosenstock admitted. “What’s the point of feeling this way? Does it help to vocalise it?” Based on the current traction that NO DREAM is picking up, the ability for listeners to empathise with Rosenstock’s plight is unequivocally valuable, an argument against his concern that he might just be screaming into the void.
NO DREAM was recorded in collaboration with Jack Shirley, of note for working with artists including punk icons Joyce Manor and post-metallers Deafheaven at Oakland’s Atomic Garden.
You can stream the album in its entirety below.
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