On his fifth studio album HELLMODE, New York multi-instrumentalist Jeff Rosenstock uses a full range of emotions to his advantage. From hilarious one-liner lyrics to meaningful sentiments, Rosenstock has a pot of gold in his hands and he’ll let you know.
With a bumping bassline and distorted vocals, Rosenstock goes from being inquisitive about someone else’s feelings to letting them take over in “WILL U STILL U.” As the drums come in, something is waiting in the wings as Rosenstock croons. But after a final question, a blaring guitar finally jumps in to help get Rosenstock out of his head. The tiny guitar solo accompanied by a glockenspiel reminiscent of the Daisy Jones and The Six track “Kill You To Try” adds a fun touch before Rosenstock ends the track.
The instrumental throughout the album ranges from punk or pop punk in tracks like “HEAD” and “I WANNA BE WRONG,” to slower, acoustic tracks such as “LIKED U BETTER” and “DOUBT.” While the instrumentals are fun and interesting, the lyrical content is the highlight of this album.
Rosenstock’s lyricism isn’t just a one-trick pony, it’s a plethora of opinions, both serious and funny. “HEALMODE” musically is rather simple, with an acoustic guitar that hums in the background allowing the words to be center stage. The beginning of the song is very observational, creating a beautiful image of an unusual California rainy day, later it becomes a love song about how these days make the longing worth it.
“Perfect chatty days when all you need is me and all I need is you / Perfect rainy days when all you need is me and all I need is you.”
The best song on the album helps make the hilarious part come to life. “LIFE ADMIN” is another easy song with acoustic guitar and a few drums that enliven the instrumentation, until a roaring electric guitar grants a necessary breath. Still, most of it focuses on Rosenstock’s astute observations and musings. From relenting to pick up a random washer, to drinking beers on a warm day and even being rich enough to do whatever he wants in the desert like Burning Man, it’s just a wild ride.
“And I’m wondering if that pizza spot is still worth hating / Got burned last December and I’m still complaining.”
Overall, HELLMODE is a lyrically complex album that doesn’t keep its emotions tight to its chest. It makes perfect sense why it’s in a true rage mode, but it’s an insightful and powerful one at best.
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