Worriers, fronted by Lauren Denitzio, is an ongoing evolution. It’s earnest, personal and explorative, and the newest album Trust Your Gut continues that journey as Denitzio puts everything out there for their audience. The music is consistently emotional and relatable while being clearly rooted in personal experience. The magic of the entire Worriers catalog is how Denitzio manages to be both personal and relatable. You’re sometimes listening to a journal, but you can feel everything in your heart, not just your ears. Painting with a wide brush, this record shares a lot of harsh world experiences, concluding with a simple, three word philosophy and title: Trust Your Gut. The album is about how we manage hardships. Not how we fix them -- because we don’t. Life is going to continue to steamroll you, so you need to find your place, your strengths, and your comfort zone. It preaches lukewarm positivity in a hopeless sea. It acknowledges the pain and suffering of the world, but has enough resolve to stand tall as the next wave comes crashing toward you. Sort of like Springsteen, these are songs about working through life’s struggles while finding some positive elements within them.
And it does this through the magic of song. The lyrics, as already noted, convey a lot of complex emotions. But it’s the way the melodies hook you with warm, comforting yet humble strength to go at it another day, with nods to folk-rock, quirky indie, DIY punk, and even some 1980’s dance pop that spans the full spectrum of moods. While there are dramatic and somber moments, the overall tone is resilient, strong, and uplifting. I think the lyrical snippet of “I’m not mad/ But can we never speak again?” in “I’m Not Mad” summarizes everything, in a way. Additionally, the instrumentation on this album shows some new growth, feeling more chamber-style, and sneaking in layers of depth that complement the mood but never overwhelm it, such as the piano in “Backyard Garden” and the rising organ of “Top 5.” Meanwhile, Denitzio has always been a uniquely potent singer and that’s only grown along with Worriers, using their voice to fit these complex emotions perfectly.
