{{Short description|2020 studio album by Jeff Rosenstock}} {{for|the Mike Oldfield song|Heaven's Open{{!}}''Heaven's Open''}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = No Dream | type = studio | artist = Jeff Rosenstock | cover = NO DREAM cover.jpg | alt = | released = {{start date|2020|5|20}} | recorded = February 2020 | studio = The Atomic Garden Recording Studios | genre = {{hlist|Punk rock|power pop<ref name="exclaim" />}} | length = 40:14 | label = {{hlist|Quote Unquote|Polyvinyl}} | producer = "Grammy Jack" Shirley | prev_title = Post- | prev_year = 2018 | next_title = Ska Dream | next_year = 2021 }}
'''''No Dream''''' (stylized as '''''N O{{spaces | 2}}D R E A M'''''<ref>{{cite tweet | user=jeffrosenstock | number=1265142153082056704 | date=May 26, 2020 | title=FYI it's "N O D R E A M" you would not believe how tough it was to try and get that to display properly on the internet things hahahaha}}</ref>) is the fourth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Jeff Rosenstock. It was released on May 20, 2020, without any promotional lead-up. The album was released on Polyvinyl Record Co. in the United States and by Specialist Subject Records in the United Kingdom. It is also available directly from the artist through Quote Unquote Records and [https://reallyrecords.bigcartel.com/ Really Records].
Ten percent of proceeds from any digital sales made from the album are being donated to the Food Not Bombs mutual aid network.
On April 20, 2021 Rosenstock released ''Ska Dream'' (stylized as ''S K A{{spaces | 2}}D R E A M''), a fully rerecorded rendition of the album as a ska album.
==Critical reception== {{Music ratings |ADM=7.9/10<ref>{{cite web|url=http://anydecentmusic.com/review/11421/Jeff-Rosenstock-No-Dream.aspx|title=AnyDecentMusic? Review|publisher=AnyDecentMusic?|accessdate=June 1, 2020}}</ref> |MC=85/100<ref name="MC">{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/no-dream/jeff-rosenstock|title=Metacritic Review|publisher=Metacritic|accessdate=June 2, 2020}}</ref> | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/no-dream-mw0003386738|title=No Dream - Jeff Rosenstock {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits|website=AllMusic|last=Deming|first=Mark|date=May 20, 2020|accessdate=September 5, 2020}}</ref> | rev2 = ''Beats Per Minute'' | rev2score = 79%<ref name="BPM">{{cite web|url=https://beatsperminute.com/album-review-jeff-rosenstock-no-dream/|title=Beats Per Minute Review|website=Beats Per Minute|last=Kohner|first=Kyle|date=June 1, 2020|accessdate=June 29, 2020}}</ref> | rev3 = ''Exclaim!'' | rev3score = 8/10<ref name="exclaim">{{cite web |last=Feibel |first=Adam |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/jeff_rosenstock_no_dream_album_review |title=Jeff Rosenstock's 'NO DREAM' Is Authentic Punk Rock for the Masses |work=Exclaim! |date=May 23, 2020 |accessdate=May 27, 2020}}</ref> | rev4 = ''Pitchfork'' | rev4score = 8.0/10<ref name="pitchfork">{{cite web |last=Cohen |first=Ian |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/jeff-rosenstock-no-dream/ |title=Jeff Rosenstock: NO DREAM Album Review |work=Pitchfork |date=May 27, 2020 |accessdate=May 27, 2020}}</ref> | rev5 = ''Under the Radar'' | rev5score = 8.5/10<ref name="undertheradar">{{cite web|url=http://www.undertheradarmag.com/reviews/no_dream/|title=Under the Radar Review|work=Under the Radar|last=Campbell|first=Caleb|date=May 29, 2020|accessdate=June 29, 2020}}</ref> }} ''No Dream'' was met with universal acclaim reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 85, based on 7 reviews.<ref name="MC"/>
In the review for ''Exclaim!'', Adam Feibel wrote that the album was "probably the most Jeff Rosenstock of all Jeff Rosenstock records thus far. It's fun, loud and boisterous. It's packed to the brim but sounds so simple. It's sneakily cheeky and curiously charming."<ref name="exclaim"/> Writing for ''Pitchfork'', Ian Cohen claimed that the album was "quintessential Jeff Rosenstock—an album formulated around evergreen sociopolitical concerns yet sounds like it could’ve been written 30 minutes ago."<ref name="pitchfork"/> Talking the album in a review for ''Under the Radar'', Caleb Campbell stated that "[Rosenstock] is just as self-effacing, funny, and principled as ever. He is still creating quality additions to one of the most consistent punk discographies out there. Most importantly, his music is still an absolute blast to experience, looking towards an uncertain future with a beautiful collective spirit."<ref name="undertheradar"/>
Kyle Kohner was slightly more reserved when appraising the album for ''Beats Per Minute'', claiming that "NO DREAM can be rather skin-deep when it comes to commentary on society-at-large, it’s a little more complex and tender when the record veers to Rosenstock himself as the subject. Through every desire to watch it all crash and burn into rubble, Rosenstock also throws in instances that are disarmingly human."<ref name="BPM"/> Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Mark Deming called it a "passionate and kicks out the jams, not suggesting he wants to reinvent the wheel but that he knows how to get it to roll and pushes it fast and hard in the right direction."<ref name="allmusic"/>
===Accolades=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+Accolades for ''No Dream'' |- ! scope="col"| Publication ! scope="col"| Accolade ! scope="col"| Rank ! scope="col" class="unsortable"| {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- ! scope="row"| ''Pitchfork'' | The 35 Best Rock Albums of 2020 | {{center|—}} | {{center|<ref>{{cite web |title=The 35 Best Rock Albums of 2020 |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/best-rock-albums-2020/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=March 1, 2021 |date=December 15, 2020}}</ref>}} |- ! scope="row"| ''Stereogum'' | ''Stereogum''{{'}}s 50 Best Albums of 2020 – Mid-Year | {{center|14}} | {{center|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/featured/best-albums-2020-midyear-list/|title=Best Albums of 2020 So Far|website=Stereogum|date=June 10, 2020|accessdate=June 16, 2020|archive-date=June 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611202727/https://www.stereogum.com/featured/best-albums-2020-midyear-list/|url-status=dead}}</ref>}} |- ! scope="row"| ''The Ringer'' | The Best Albums of 2020 | {{center|9}} | {{center|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theringer.com/music/2020/12/17/22179357/best-albums-year-lil-uzi-vert-bad-bunny-fiona-apple|title=The Best Albums of 2020|website=The Ringer|date=December 17, 2020|accessdate=December 18, 2020}}</ref>}} |} {{clear}}
== Track listing ==
{{track listing | title1 = No Time | length1 = 0:54 | title2 = Nikes (Alt) | length2 = 1:51 | title3 = Scram! | length3 = 2:51 | title4 = N O{{spaces | 2}}D R E A M | length4 = 3:50 | title5 = State Line | length5 = 2:59 | title6 = f a m e | length6 = 4:10 | title7 = Leave It in the Sun | length7 = 2:31 | title8 = The Beauty of Breathing | length8 = 2:57 | title9 = Old Crap | length9 = 3:24 | title10 = ***BNB | length10 = 3:30 | title11 = Monday at the Beach | length11 = 0:56 | title12 = Honeymoon Ashtray | length12 = 4:28 | title13 = Ohio Tpke | length13 = 5:48 | total_length = 40:14 }}
== Personnel == '''Death Rosenstock''' * Dan Potthast – acoustic guitar, keyboards, vocals * Jeff Rosenstock – lead vocals, guitars, keyboards, mixing, "n more" * John DeDomenici – bass * Mike Huguenor – guitars, vocals * Kevin Higuchi – drums
'''Additional personnel''' * Chris Farren – keyboards, vocals (tracks 8 and 12) * Laura Stevenson – vocals (tracks 3, 6, 7, 8 and 12) * Lauren Brief – vocals (track 4), backing vocals, claps * Bob Vielma – trombone (tracks 6, 10 and 13) * Gilbert Armendariz – backing vocals, claps * Angelina Banda – backing vocals, claps * Sim Castro – backing vocals, claps * Laura Hammond – backing vocals, claps * Neil Sharma – backing vocals, claps * Jack Shirley – recording, engineering, production, mixing, mastering * Ben Levin – illustrations * Hiro Tanaka – photography
== ''Ska Dream'' == {{Infobox album | name = Ska Dream | type = studio | artist = Jeff Rosenstock | cover = | alt = | released = {{start date|2021|4|20}} | recorded = 2021 | genre = {{hlist|Ska punk|punk rock|ska}} | length = 39:30 | label = {{hlist|Quote Unquote|Polyvinyl}} | producer = Jack "Metal Guy" Shirley | prev_title = No Dream | prev_year = 2020 | next_title = Hellmode | next_year = 2023 }} {{Music ratings | rev1 = The Needle Drop | rev1score = 8.0/10<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvJVJwVKRPY |title=Jeff Rosenstock - ''SKA DREAM'' ALBUM REVIEW |date=April 21, 2021 |last=Fantano |first=Anthony |author-link=Anthony Fantano |place=The Needle Drop |access-date=February 7, 2025 |via=YouTube}}</ref> | rev2 = ''Pitchfork'' | rev2score = 8.0/10<ref name="pitchfork-jeff">{{cite web |last=Shoup |first=Brad |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/jeff-rosenstock-ska-dream/ |title=Jeff Rosenstock: ''SKA DREAM'' Album Review |work=Pitchfork |date=May 5, 2021 |accessdate=May 5, 2021}}</ref> }} '''''Ska Dream''''' (stylized as '''''S K A{{spaces | 2}}D R E A M''''') was announced through Twitter on April Fools' Day, 2021, and was released on April 20.<ref>{{cite tweet | user=jeffrosenstock | number=1377670986581995522 | date=April 1, 2021 | title=4/20}}</ref> Due to the lack of other promotion, many assumed the announcement was a joke.
Although the song titles are all altered to contain puns and references to ska culture, the lyrics are identical to the original album (with the exception of a rapped guest verse by Boboso on the third track and a few additional lines sung by Anika Pyle on the final track). Two tracks' new arrangements contain brief quotes from songs by other artists: the first track quotes "Our Time" by The Suicide Machines, the seventh quotes "Nite Klub" by The Specials.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pearis |first=Bill |date=April 20, 2021 |title=Jeff Rosenstock releases ''Ska Dream'', a ska version of ''No Dream'' |work=BrooklynVegan |url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/jeff-rosenstock-releases-ska-dream-a-ska-version-of-no-dream-stream-it/ |access-date=October 18, 2022}}</ref>
''Pitchfork''{{'}}s Brad Shoup wrote that, "for longtime fans of [ska], though, each 'hup' and 'pick it up' is truly affecting", and said the album had "ample artistic merit".<ref name="pitchfork-jeff" /> Anthony Fantano of The Needle Drop ranked the album 10th in his top 50 albums of 2021, saying the songs of ''No Dream'' "sound even better as ska versions".<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhMqqAK5eAc |title=Top 50 Albums of 2021 |date=December 22, 2021 |last=Fantano |first=Anthony |author-link=Anthony Fantano |place=The Needle Drop |access-date=February 7, 2025 |via=YouTube}}</ref>
=== Track listing === {{track listing | title1 = No Time to Skank | length1 = 1:27 | title2 = Airwlks (Alt) | length2 = 1:42 | title3 = SKrAm! | length3 = 2:39 | title4 = S K A{{spaces | 2}}D R E A M | length4 = 3:11 | title5 = Horn Line | length5 = 3:18 | title6 = p i c k i t u p | length6 = 4:45 | title7 = Leave It in the Ska | length7 = 2:33 | title8 = The Rudie of Breathing | length8 = 3:05 | title9 = Old SKrAp | length9 = 3:11 | title10 = ***SKA | length10 = 2:31 | title11 = Monday at Back to the Beach | length11 = 1:14 | title12 = Checkerboard Ashtray | length12 = 4:28 | title13 = Ohio Porkpie | length13 = 6:01 | total_length = 39:30 }}
=== Personnel === '''Death Rosenstock''' * John DeDomenici – bass * Kevin Higuchi – drums, percussion * Mike Huguenor – guitar * Jer Hunter – trombone, trumpet * David "Hooplah Jones" Rerhig - Saxophone, trumpet * Rick Johnson – Hammond, Farfisa, Casio CZ101 * Christine Mackie – bells * Dan Potthast – acoustic guitar, piano, vocals * Jeff Rosenstock – vocals, guitar, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, Farfisa, Juno 106, Moog Prodigy, lyra, Wurlitzer, bells, Space Echo, artwork design * Laura Stevenson – vocals
'''Additional Personnel''' * Ara Babajian – additional cymbals (track 6) * Sean Bonnette – vocals (track 13) * Boboso – rapping (credited with "sick bars") (track 3) * George Clarke – vocals (track 4) * David Combs – vocals (track 3) * Chris Farren – guitar, vocals (track 7) * Augusta Koch – vocals (tracks 2 and 4) * Angelo Moore – saxophone solo (track 6) * Franz Nicolay – piano (credited with "luxurious piano") (track 6) * nonregla – dub effects, production (credited with "additional cool dub shit") (track 5) * Elise Okusami – vocals (tracks 3 and 7) * Mike Park – tenor saxophone (track 8) * PUP – vocals (tracks 10 and 13) * Anika Pyle – vocals (tracks 2 and 13) * Shannon Toombes – vocals (tracks 2, 7, and 9) * Matt Embree – drum recording * Ryan Perras – guitar recording for Mike Huguenor * Jack Shirley – mixing, mastering * Ben Levin – illustrations
== References == {{Reflist}} {{Jeff Rosenstock}} {{Authority control}}
Category:2020 albums Category:Jeff Rosenstock albums Category:Polyvinyl Record Co. albums