Wormy is NYC singer-songwriter Noah Rauchwerk. He is also the touring drummer for the up and coming LA singer Samia who supplies some backing vocals in return.
'Shark River' has a very likeable DIY ethic and is infused with self-deprecating humour. For instance, in the opening song Big Loser he sings “This is the worst year of my life. So far it’s gone pretty well.” In tone and style it struck me as like a cross between Jonathan Richman and Mountain Goats.
Rauchwerk is not afraid to show his vulnerable side and doesn’t avoid delving into dark themes of loneliness, heartbreak and death. However, he steers clear of Emo moping to focus instead on the contradictions and absurdities that are part and parcel of the modern world.
His topics are neatly summarised as embracing ”splintered friendships, shattered relationships and stagnating uncertainty.” He demonstrates that hate and love can co-exist so any venomous thoughts never descend into bitterness.
The album title comes from a story he heard as a kid about a shark that got into a river in New Jersey. This made him realise that dangers can lurk even in supposedly safe places and prompts the reflection that “You go back to a familiar place and feel like it’s gonna solve your problems, but your problems follow you.”
This insight inspires a record which is full of genuine charm and rich in homespun wisdom.
