Senses Fail’s Follow Your Bliss best of/EP release is out today via Staple Records. Frontman Buddy Nielsen wrote up a Track-By-Track guide for PropertyOfZack to take fans behind the meaning of the new songs on the release. Read up on all the new songs below!

War-Paint
Lyrically I approached this song as an open letter to fans. I wanted to express my frustration with not being able to always live up to expectations with the the music that they wanted and at times, resenting them. I have always made music for myself first and for the fans second. I know a lot of people say “we do it for the kids” and we do in every facet but making the music. We ultimately started with no fans and we made music for ourselves, some people would argue that is our best music. I think Senses Fail at times has gotten away from what we were, in some ways for the better and in some ways for the worse. I wanted this song to be about the struggle of trying to stay relevant, keeping yourself happy while also trying to toe the line of expectations. I wrote the whole song addressing the fans but then decided that the message would be better designed and received if it was masked under a different topic. So if you listen on the surface, you might think it is about a girl because I do make references to a female but I put those in to make the song work better. I don’t want to come off as attacking the listener with something they can’t relate to because I think that is what people like about Senses Fail, the ability to relate to the lyrics. Not very many people can relate to some one trying to make music for the expectations of their fans but everyone can relate to not living up to the expectations of a relationship, with a significant other or a family member.

Vines
In the last couple years I have transitioned into a more positive person. I wanted the new songs to reflect that transformation and wanted to start spreading more positivity. This song was my first attempt at really putting pen to paper on my growth. I had to forgive myself for a lot of them things I wrongfully put blame on myself for, within my past relationships as well as my family. To me I feel that a positive message goes further than a negative one and I hope I accomplished that with this song. 

Early Graves
This song is about keeping myself in check and making sure my view on life is realistic but still keeping my head in the clouds. It also touches on how a lot of the my life I had spent beating myself down rather than building myself up. I think everyone needs some sort of push and some sort positive encouragement wether it comes form inside or outside. I reflect on just how much I really lacked any self esteem. Just because people like your band doesn’t mean you have the proper tools to exist as a healthy human being in your personal life. 

Waves
This one was inspired by thinking about what it would feel like to be leaving for war and how the things you never got to do might never happen. I have always been a romantic about traveling and going off on your own. When I was younger I fantasied about what it would be like to just leave everything and go out empty handed. There is just something so exciting about it but at the same time throwing away everything you have just to get away can be a problem within itself. I have always written about finding myself and I sometimes I read comments about how I just always seem to talk about that or overly address that in music but the older you get the more complicated things become and I think trying find your place in the world is a question for any age. Everyone is faced with tough decisions wether they are 16 or 45 and I think trying to assess who you are at every turn in your life is important and necessary.