Rosenstock Kicks off 2018 With a Bang

Jeff Rosenstock is no stranger to unorthodox methods of distributing his music. Hell, Bomb The Music Industry! was built on the characteristics of DIY attitude; to give music away for free. Years after Bomb The Music Industry! ended, Jeff Rosenstock ventured on his own new solo project. He sold his merchandise and music just like any artist but there was always the uneasiness he was doing the “normal musician” thing. So for his latest release, Rosenstock went back to his roots and wished his legions of punk fans a happy New Year by releasing a free surprise album, POST-. 

Post-what though? Rosenstock explores many different genres but they don’t necessarily fit the post-genre stereotype of experimentation. Therefore, the album title may not be a reference to a genre, but more a time period. Where Rosenstock’s 2016 release WORRY focused on the idea of an impending doom and that this decade was doomed from the start, POST- lives in that doom. Post-election, post-internet, and whatever else. It doesn’t matter which one Rosenstock references in POST-, but rather that there is something off about the modern times.

 The album opens up with “USA,” which may very well be Rosenstock’s best song as a solo act. From referencing Ace of Base to the Clash, to the anthemic guitars that clash as Rosenstock says, “Please be honest / Tell me was it you?,” the 7-minute epic leads up to a proclamation by Rosenstock filled with noise and ambiance. The annunciation of “We’re tired, we’re bored” begins sounding like there is a lack of emotion — a depressive state without purpose. As the ambiance continues it evolves into something to be proud of in accepting the state of boredom. Then, as the instrumentals kick in, “we’re tired, we’re bored” becomes a proclamation of anger and discontent. This angry statement runs into the “et tu USA?” lyric. A reference to Julius Caesar’s last words to his betrayer Brutus. Maybe Rosenstock feels the same betrayal and disappointment in the country as Caesar did to his companion. The storytelling on this track is his best work since Bomb the Music Industry! It uses ambiance as a means of change, making this track a highlight of early 2018.

The rest of the album is nothing to scoff at though. “Yr Throat” references the Donald Trump EW tape leaking and relating his reaction to wondering why some people remain quiet about these issues. Some of these lyrics are Jeff’s most confrontational but also follow his state of confusion to the current era of America.

“Powerlessness” is a rare track where Rosenstock’s unorthodox voice doesn’t fit with the track and it comes off as annoying at times. But with Jeff Rosenstock, his fans aren’t going into his albums expecting Whitney Houston, so it works all right. “TV Stars” follows the same ambiance that “USA” started — it’s dreamy and peaceful. This tone is something that Rosenstock should grasp more for future releases, as he can write so much more than punk songs, and this ballad really shows that. These anthemic tracks on POST- climax with the albums’ closer “Let Them Win.” It has beautiful harmonies and one of Rosenstock’s best guitar solos. The idea of “not let(ting) them win” is something that perfectly encapsulates the message of POST-; with optimism.

While WORRY may have more fluidity than POST-, the high points of this record are Rosenstock’s most experimental and rewarding. An album with zero marketing like this shouldn’t have let anyone down, as there could not have been any expectations from fans for upcoming music; but what we get here is Rosenstock sticking to his morals as an artist while exploring more as a musician.