SENSES FAIL
If There Is Light, It Will Find You
PURE NOISE
10/10
PUNK LIKE A FINE WINE: Heavily themed with references to parenthood (“First Breath, Last Breath” and others), anti-materialism (“Gold Jack Green Jacket…”), generational woes, and the ever present Senses Fail anger and frustration, If There Is Light, It Will Find You is equal parts sweet and sour. Buddy Nielsen’s lyrics now serve to preserve the tightrope between the angst of adolescence and the further evolved, self-realized artist. From the chorus of the album’s lead, “Double Cross,” it’s clear that this is a record of growth, where the ever rotating lineup of Senses Fail, helmed by an underrated and prolific songwriter in Nielsen, proves that its seventh full-length may be its most important. There are tributes to youth alongside manifestos mocking misguided pursuits of happiness. There are intensely personal journal entries to Nielsen’s newborn daughter nested next to laments of irregular life paths. As transparent as Senses Fail has been on past records, If There Is Light, It Will Find You is a new dawn. Lyrical content that once railed against an absentee father and lost loves now ventures into new life, new breath, and new hope for the band’s storytelling. The title “Stay What You Are” will instantly stand out to anyone who fell in love with the New Jersey basement scene circa 2003, while “Is It Gonna Be the Year” fast forwards to Nielsen’s insecurities of outstaying his welcome. If nothing else, If There Is Light, It Will Find You once again cements Senses Fail not only as scene legends but as mature punks pushing forward into a fresh and progressive era. ~ Jameson Ketchum
