Some bands start as a means to make money. Others start as a way to cope with tragedy, be it first-world problems or real issues. Others do it because they just want to be on stage. But, for the most part, many of the emo bands that came from New Jersey start their bands because they have something to say. One of the bands who said what they needed to say the loudest has always been Senses Fail. Now into their second decade of existence, the band is down to two remaining original members (under-appreciated drummer Dan Trapp and the always outspoken frontman, Buddy Neilson), but still has the energy and swagger they had on their blistering debut full-length Let it Enfold You. It's been a long, interesting run, and the band have decided to commemorate their now illustrious career in the scene with Follow Your Bliss: The Best of Senses Fail. The album features the band's "greatest hits" from each of their albums and EPs, and also features four new songs meant to be an accompanying EP. Because, let's face it, you probably already have all the other songs.
There's no real reason to dwell on the past, though Follow Your Bliss does give you a nice opportunity to relive the highlights from Senses Fail's career. But because I'd rather focus on moving forward, let's take a look at the 4-song EP at the end of Follow Your Bliss. At the very least, the four songs fit right into Senses Fail's discography. The energy is turned all the way up on songs like "Waves" and "War Paint." Neilson's vocals have been improving with each of the band's last two releases, and the improvement on his clean vocals shows itself in a big way on the impeccable chorus contained in "Vines."
The four new tracks on Follow Your Bliss are a treat that hasn't been seen on many "Best Of" releases, in that the tracks come after the best songs of a prominent band's career, and yet still have enough in them to make you want to skip to the end to hear them. Senses Fail's consistency has been somewhat lacking in recent years, but the new songs on the Follow Your Bliss EP are concise and fluent, and help assure fans that though Senses Fail have been around long enough to compile a Greatest Hits album, their best work may still be yet to come.
The Bottom Line: Follow Your Bliss is great for two reasons: one, because you get to listen to all of Senses Fail's classics in a row, and two, because it's also got four new songs that hold their weight with the band's best work. Long live Senses Fail.
Recommended if you rock: Senses Fail, duh.
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