Senses Fail, during the making of this album:
Buddy Nielsen : Vocals
Garrett Zablocki : Guitar
Heath Saraceno : Guitar
Mike Glita : Bass
Dan Trapp : Drums
Original Release Date: October 10, 2006
Label as produced by: Vagrant Records
Garden State Kids
Senses Fail just seems to be one of those bands that you
enjoy because they have pop-punk melodies with throaty screams which seem to have become standard to a genre. Senses Fail just seems to be one of those bands that you
hate because they have alot of harder rock/metal tones and for there roots in pop-punk, you can label them for being pop-punk kids, with poetic lyrics, trying to be all hard (and in your opinion failing at it?). Well, if you fit into the "like" category you can stop reading this review right now because if you liked original Senses Fail quality stuff, you'll be getting more of the same with not so much different songs, but really well produced ones than usual. If you hate Senses Fail and came upon this review on general curiousity or just wanting to see a crappy review to there newest album, well I'll try my best to depict this album as well as I can write about it. Maybe by reading this, I can surprise some old fans to the usual genre, and new ones to some outside ones.
Anti-Depressants
"Still Searching", is Senses Fail 2nd full release with Vagrant records. The topic of this album as cliche as the title is, draws some questioning in my mind. There is no doubt though that this album is about lead singer Buddy Nielsens growing up on Anti-Depressants and range of shrinks. I found this album to be a huge step up for the band simply because it just seems like the vocals and lyrics are from the heart. "Let it Enfold You" and "From Depths Of Dreams" were passionate and intended to being emotionally equipping but "Still Searching" has a sense that, this has all happened to someone before and it's really from a 1st period sense of heart/view. I am someone who grew up taking Lexapro 10 mg pills which is an anti-depressant drug that basically does what the stereotype of medication through therapy does. The lyrics and vocals just seem so sincere towards the subject that it makes me reflect upon my own life. Buddy Nielsen mentions about how on previous albums the lyrics always seemed in a 3rd person sense that were outside of the box, and on this album everything was built up from the inside of him. It truly does show...
Young Kids, Young Adults
It seems like a band these days no matter what genre, has this ever changing sound from record to record. All of these magazines tell of how a band matures even if they totally change there sound. Us kids, who don't like the change usually call it "selling out" and what not. To me Senses Fail is a band that I can actually say that I really enjoy their new "matured" sound. It's not something I say about many bands because most of the time it's at label change that these bands who screamed their hearts out throughout a whole song is now singing through 8 of the 10 songs on a new album, with a new label. Senses Fail has the best parts of the old stuff combined with some new elements which seem to keep the band fresh and not sounding like an old dog who can't learn new tricks. The addition to Heath Saraceno on lead guitar has such a positive outcome and this is the record that proves it. I'm not smashing on Dave Miller (former guitarist) because I actually met the band at a local show "From the Depths of Dreams" days and he was a cool/creative guy but, with Heath new diversity in guitar and back up vocals begins. It's just obvious that from the days of "From the Depths of Dreams" where alot of the band members were in the ages of 17-19 that they have a really concrete sound now, and reluctanly for the better. I really hope that the title "Still Searching" is just relating to the music they are creating because it hits the spot for me now.
Song Spins
1. The Rapture (1:57) - The beginning of this song reminds me alot like Thursday - Running From The Rain. Buddy Nielsens trademark singing comes in shortly but what is more apparent is the new addition to Heaths back up vocals which sound really good mixing with Buddys voice. The song is a great intro (very short) which basically is meant for introducing the album to all. *7/10*
2. Bonecrusher (2:33) - I've heard early demos of this song and they played it live at Warped Tour this year and I really wasn't a big fan of it. It seems like now on the LP final release, they cleaned up alot of parts that just seemed messy when they played it live and added some nice hooks. *7/10*
3. Sick Or Sane (Fifty For a Twenty) (2:45) - This song is a great representation of Senses Fail on the border of there old stuff and new stuff. I love how fast paced this song is and the sing/scream variations just seem to fit perfectly. Saosin- eat your heart out, because this is the a song you should of had on your new album. The chorus has a catchy sing-a-long and I even found that the guitar solo... wait a minute? A GUITAR SOLO? Yeah, I just said that a band in the pop-punk genre has a guitar solo and it even blends in well with the song. Nah I'm not talking about a short little FalloutBoy solo but something that can pass in the metal genre. It's a nice touch with a small, breakdown, with heavy screaming that ends the song. *10/10*
4. Can't Be Saved ( 3:07) - So this is the first single off of "Still Searching" and has been released for quite a few months. The song seems like it can qualify on being on "Let it Enfold You" album which is a good thing, IMO. It seems like a safe bet song because it has alot of the old styles in Senses Fail and the song has alot of hook to it. Nothing really too flashy, and nothing really too ground breaking which seems to be the definition of most singles these days anyway. I really feel like the best part of this song is the chorus because it really goes to heart about being medicated.
"I'm stuck in a coma, stuck in a never-ending sleep.
And some day I will wake up and realize I made up everything." *7/10*
5. Calling All Cars (3:23) - This song is my favorite off of the album. It just seems like the band excels in all areas during this song and even though the screaming sense of the band is a lesser known in this song everything seems to excel. Let me tell you if you ever knew anything about Senses Fail catchiness, this chorus is a perfect exhibit. The guitar licks exhibit the usual pop-punk palm mutes with octave chords. Clever little fills come in during the interlude of this song and if you thought the song couldn't get any better it seems like the outro of this song just makes you want to loop it over and play it again. I hate being the one who says what songs mean but I like it when people relate to there lyrics on there own part. In my opinion this song has a strong sense of suicide in it. *10/10*
6. Shark Attack (2:53) - This song is very upbeat with a heavier guitar accompanying the band. I couldn't stop thinking about Thrice from "The Artist In the Ambulance" era when I was listening to this song. I really didn't enjoy this song much until the interlude and outro but I know alot of people will love this song for its heaviness and subtle catchiness. It has a chance to grow on me. The short little breakdown, and guitar solo once again seem to highlight a new element to this band which fits perfectly. *7/10*
7. Still Searching (4:18) - This song hits me right at home. The lyrics are the most heartfelt I've heard from this band. For personal reasons this song really hit me hard and I know that it won't be as emotional for some but it really caught me up in the moment. It's one of those songs that if I didn't know what band it was and just heard it over the radio, it'd make me stop and think for a long time.
I've got something to say
About the last twelve months I've lived
I'm not the same kid
I was when I was younger
I just thought you should know
I take a pill every day
To help me deal with life...
There is a good scream to sing variation and I really think this song shines when it hits towards the interlude and outro. The one verse that tells me that the band isn't so certain on singing about killing past loves to get over them really comes to an emotional punch to the gut.
Give way to the weight that's dragging and pulling through me now
I've got something to say
About the family that I've lost
I hope my mother and father think that they raised a healthy boy
Who needs the help of a shrink
To even leave the house
*10/10*
8. To All The Crowded Rooms (3:05) - This song, I don't want to say seems like a fill but I really couldn't catch its drift. It just seems overly simple and out of place after being so emotionally winding. It's another song that feels like it could qualify on being on "Let It Enfold You" but it feels really inferior to the great songs on this album. *6/10*
9. Lost and Found (3:50) - Hidden In Plain View - Halycon Daze comes to mind with this song. The song is at a slower pace where it feels like alot of this album is driving a car at 85 mph and this song is riding on a side rain at a dampered pace of 35 mph. The song is a good mix in a bag of tricks because it exhibits good qualities with slower guitar, piano pieces, and vocals. I can definitely seeing alot of my friends (who are girls) liking this song alot. Not exactly my cup of tea though. *8/10*
10. Every Day is a Struggle (3:04) - The music turns back to revving up the engine and going a more of a brisk pop-punk pace. The song follows basically the standard traditions of a pop-punk song with drop D guitars and octave chords with clever licks and lead in's to pre chorus. A short solo once again fills into the interlude with chants. *8/10*
11. All The Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues (4:05) - This will be one of the last of the fast paced songs as the last two on the album are significantly slower. I enjoy the riff alot in this song but everything else feels pretty bland. Cool title though... *7/10&
12. Negative Space (1:21) - This song feels like the most experimental yet. The intro and vocal effects definitely prove towards it. I really don't know what direction the band was trying to go in during this song but it feels like an appropiate change up. If the whole album was like this one song I'd probably be really disappointed with the album but this song fills a good void. Makes you wonder about that title of "Negative Space". *8/10*
13. The Priest and The Matador (4:21) - This song seems to lead in from Negative Space. I don't know why I'm thinking about Angels & Airwaves during the intro but it is once again experimental and really like no other. Buddy Nielsens softer vocals are represented in this song. Once again the guitar solo seems to fit beautifully with this song. I was at a loss of word when this song started to really feel like a ballad. It's a really appropiate song to end the album with and it sums of a growth of a well produced band now. *9/10*
You're Cute When You Scream
I listened to all old senses fail albums before the release of this one. I wanted to live the same excitment I did when I first got these albums and at the same time have a good bar set for the new stuff. The bar was absolutely backflipped over by this band and if anything the next few years for this band the bar will only be set higher. The new songs are a great addition to the old hardcore fan-base to Senses Fail, but I also believe that the new album invites new listens. I mean Senses Fail on Long Island and in NJ are about as far scene as it gets ranking up with Taking Back Sunday and Brand New. No one in that nature will really need to read a review without knowing they are going to buy it no matter what. If you think you're tolerant enough for melody and pop punk vocals but still enjoy good screams and creative guitarwork out of a genre that seems so bland, give the album a shot. I listen to bands like D.E.P., Converge, Isis, Coalesce, etc. but I grew up on pop-punk. Even though I really don't listen to it as much anymore Senses Fail back in 9th grade was something I lived by. They always had this unrelentless catchiness with vocals and an aurora that I really can't explain. I'm into my 1st year of college now, and I still believe the same thing.
As much as I still want to scream
"I WANT TO KILL YOU", there's just so much more to scream about and it's not the fact that Senses Fail has gone down with a sinking ship genre, but may of really put the oxygen mask over the mouth of it. Yeah the whole solos can't touch any
Iron Maiden solo and the musicianship isn't
Dillinger Escape Plan but thats those bands, and this band excels in WHAT it DOES...
Like Dan Trapp said... "it's going to kick you square in the dick"
Pros
+Growth
+Diversity
+Catchy
+New Addition to Guitar = New Element to Music
Cons
-Some lyrics are still just plain corny
-Vocals still have room for improvement
-...as does every other instrument that isn't guitar.
UIAC gives Senses Fail - Still Searching 4 out of 5.
