Chris Staples: Don’t Worry [Album Review]

Chris Staples
Don’t Worry
Hot Tub Recordings [2025]

“Don’t Worry delivers ten new gems from the criminally underrated singer-songwriter.”

Album Overview: Chris Staples has been making music for around three decades now. He helmed indie rock band Twothirtyeight until 2003, after which he recorded under the moniker Discover America before reverting to his given name in recent years. After a pair of strong albums on Barsuk Records, he started putting out new music via his own Hot Tub Recordings label, including this latest LP, Don’t Worry.

Musical Style: Staples has always been a “songwriter’s songwriter,” someone who has an uncanny ability to write catchy melodies and relatable, heartfelt lyrics that grow on you like dandelions on a spring lawn. Acoustic guitar and Staples’ understated vocals form the basis of the songs, some of which add in drums, bass, and keyboards along the way.

Evolution of Sound: There aren’t too many surprises on a typical Chris Staples record, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The Discover America albums Staples released in the late 2000s were diverse in terms of production, but that also means they’re a little more tied to that specific era, while the more recent records under his own name—Don’t Worry included—have a more timeless quality.

Artists with Similar Fire: Anyone who connects with the immediacy and authenticity of confessional singer-songwriter fare should find plenty to love on Don’t Worry (as well as Staples’ previous outings). The unadorned production style and intimate vocal delivery call to mind acts like Elliot Smith, Bright Eyes, Pedro The Lion’s David Bazan, and Swearing At Motorists’ Dave Doughman.

Pivotal Tracks: The first four tracks are consistently strong, with the appropriately icy “A Cold New York Morning” and its steady, almost funky groove being a particular standout. The title track is more somber but is elevated by guest backing vocals from Kylie Dailey. The album’s penultimate track, “Talk About Your Day,” is a raw and heart-wrenching exploration of grief, while closer “Two Carat Diamond” feels like a Raymond Carver story set to music.

Lyrical Strength: Staples tackles a lot of personal topics on Don’t Worry, from looking back on more youthful days to meditations on failed relationships, loved ones passing away, and even some lightly veiled commentary on current events. They’re the kind of lyrics everyone can relate to on some level, specific enough to get the pathos across but open-ended enough to allow your own details to fill in the blanks.

Final Groove: Don’t Worry’s ten tracks maintain the high standards set by Staples’ earlier albums. While it doesn’t stand out from the pack, it’s an especially resonant collection of songs that shows off his talents for melody and lyrical depth. If you’re already a fan it’s a must-have, and if you’re new to his music it’s a solid starting point for an artist with a highly-consistent back catalogue. 

CHRIS STAPLES REVIEW HISTORY
Cheap Shades EP (2015) / American Soft (2014)

CHRIS STAPLES LINKS
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp