By emo standards, Senses Fail do a helluva job on their album, Let It Enfold You (Vagrant). You get powerful lyrics, quality music, and an overall enjoyable experience. Heres my song by song review of Let It Enfold You.
1. Tie Her Down 3/5
This is not a bad song, but it's kind of weird. It is presumably about the singer killing a woman. Its a pretty graphic song as well. It is however a catchy and rocking way to start off the album. It grabs your attention, and I have to Senses Fail props for that.
2.Lady In A Blue Dress 4.5/5
Lady In A Blue Dress is the song that made Senses Fail sound like Thursday to me. In the beginning, the singers voice and delivery, as well as the music sounded like the popular new jersey band. This song is catchy and I really liked the lyrics. For example, "Ill put a little sour in your sweet, youve got so much f***ing toungue in cheek." Its an enjoyable song.
3.Youre Cute When You Scream 4/5
Yet another graphic song about killing a woman ("Ill take you to the top, of this building and just push you off. run down the stairs so i can see your face as you hit the street.) I like this song though. Its a short song (2:25) but it is a song that you really get into.
4.Buried A Lie 5/5
This is their "mtv" song. It's not as graphis as the other songs i that instead of killing the woman he's examining her dead body because she was murdered. It does a great job capturing the punk/emo formula. This is after all the reason I baught the cd.
5.Bite To Break Skin 5/5
This song has a cool intro. Im a bass player, and i like how they used their bass as the main part in the background of the verses. This is the first song on the disc that feature the screaming aspect of Senses Fail. This song really shines from the bridge to the end. The screaming and matching guitar work in this part keep this song stuck in youre head for hours.
6.Rum is for Drinking, Not for Burning 5/5
This is my favorite song on the cd. They performed this song on Conan O'brien. I like its catchiness. The bass player lays down a relatively simple but effetive solo. I think this song really captures what Senses Fail is all about. They show their good musicianship for an emo band, and it is a well written song.
7.Slow Dance 4/5
Slow Dance exhibits Senses Fail using a new effect other than the good old distortion; the flanger. This song is a good choice following rum is for drinking, not for burning, in that it keeps kind of a pirate theme. Another very catchy, well written song.
8.Choke On This 3/5
A decent song, but forgettable. This song sounds like every other song on the cd, not saying that every song sounds the same. It just seems like it was forced on the album somehow. The songwriting isnt too great, and it is a very basic screamo song, made complete with backup power chords, and that one high note. However, I really like the bridge in this song. If they could have built upon it, they wouldve had something here.
9.NJ Falls Into the Atlantic 3.5/5
This song has good potential. It had a softer approach, good verses, and a nice bridge, but the chorus is bad. It just gets annoying. The lyric part wasnt written for a chorus. It starts off the song but should not be the focal point.
10.Let It Enfold You 5/5
I really like this song. Its the longest song on the cd, and very well written. This song really "enfolds" you. From the starting guitar part to the excellent verses, chorus, and everything in between, this song really shines on this cd. It is a great song and is worthy to be the name of the album.
11.Irony Of Dying On Your Birthday 4/5
This song is the very definition of punk. With slashing chords, sweet riffs, and a very usable, yet offkey, scream part it will appeal to non fans of emo. A good song to listen to. Everything is perfect for a punk song, except the lyrics to the chorus.
12.Angela Baker and My Obsession With Fire 2.5/5
This song is the "falling action" of Let It Enfold You. Its not bad, but not up to standards with some of the other songs on the album. The weird title attracts attention, but the songwriting is less than stellar, and the music feels it was made for another song.
13.Martini Kiss 4.5/5
A song that proudly ends off the album, its got cool guitar riffs, and a dark sound. The lyrics were obviously written for the final trach on this album (Burnout, not fade away.) This is the most poetic song on the disc and leaves the taste in your mouth that Senses Fail has some serious potential at being underground heroes like Taking Back Sunday.
Album 4/5
For a rather dry genre, getting dryer, Senses Fail find something in their album Let It Enfold You. It is probably the second best emo album Ive heard behind "tell all your friends" by Taking Back Sunday. The album is full of really catchy well written songs and I recommend it to fans of emo and punk.
