Jobie’s (Bite-Sized) Music Reviews 9: Still Searching (album) - Senses Fail

Recommended

Still Searching is a 2006 post-hardcore album by the band Senses Fail. The album is very well executed, with riffs, breakdowns, memorable choruses, and well-written lyrics throughout. The album loosely follows a man - who we will refer to as “Buddy” from here on out, dealing with issues such as depression, addiction, and religious indifference.

The album is quite the emotional rollercoaster, with songs such as “Still Searching” being packed with emotional singing (and screaming) which makes lyrics about the aforementioned topics pop; the gravity of such issues is illustrated by the delivery which singer Buddy Nielson brings to the table on this album.

Though the album is 19 tracks long, only 13 of these can be considered part of the albums’ overarching narrative; the remaining six are somewhat (but not meaningfully) linked to the album’s overall themes.

Every track on the album is fantastic enough to stand out on its own, which is greatly aided by the fact that each track on the album has boatloads of personality. “Negative Space”, in particular, though only serving to transition between “All The Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues” and “The Priest and the Matador”, shows the capability of Senses Fail to dip their feet into other genres of music, which, of course, is always a good thing.

Overall, Still Searching is a must-listen for fans of emo/post-hardcore, being an enjoyable hour-long stream of emotional songs that are sure to be appreciated by those with great taste. Compared to the band’s great 2004 effort, Let it Enfold You, the album improves upon what made that album nice, and amplifies it by 10.

Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/76avO7AfsTAMe4dvVV3Wwj