flush - searows

By: Kaitlin Shaw

As the dark, winter nights emerge, I find myself reaching for more melancholic, slow music. Luckily, Searows’ new EP, flush, sets the perfect tone for those who may just need a good cry. The EP was released on the 22nd of November and is five songs long, with a run-time of 19 minutes. Searows has always had a way of expressing niche emotions through poetic language, and this EP is no exception. The EP is a continuation of the overarching themes he focuses on throughout his discography, such as the transition from childhood to adulthood, , loss, love, and morality. Alongside his lyrical expressions, the very production of flush holds simple beauty, creating a heart-wrenching collection of songs. 

The lyrics of flush are haunting. They stick with you long after you finish listening. I am particularly impressed with the lyrics of ‘martingale’, which speak about noticing traits being passed down in your family. A particularly haunting lyric is “if it could know me from the inside out / you’d be the only thing it sees.” He writes from the perspective of someone pushing blame onto their parents for the pain they feel in their life. Another of my favourite lyrics from this song is “this is just the description of the daughter you made her into / you made her out of pieces of you.” The image he is painting is so vivid, and paired alongside the eerie cello holding pedal notes underneath with an echoing bass, he creates a sense of helpless pain.

The next song on flush is ‘to be seen’. When I first heard this song, I was unsure how I felt about it. It is an incredibly simple song, with only a piano part which follows the melody throughout, and a cello between the verses. There is also little build aside from a few harmonies. The song describes a constant battle between wanting to be invisible and doing anything to be soon, hence the title. While I appreciate the essence of the song, this was the song I had the hardest time connecting to. I believe the message of the song is worth noting, as this is the type of song that would be incredibly effective for very specific emotions, though hard to connect with outside of this due to how simple it is.

‘Toothache’ is the most upbeat song on the EP, but by no surprise, it is not about anything upbeat! The song is about learning how to let go of the need to make others comfortable at the expense of your own dignity. Searows cleverly hides the devastating lyrics through upbeat drum beats and banjo playing. I was not expecting the use of a banjo when I first listened to this song, it doesn’t necessarily fit into the rest of the sounds of his discography, though it is an instrument I quickly began to enjoy throughout the song. It’s a song that follows the realisation of his own morality and how this affects his relationship with others. A lyric that stands out to me is “but I guess part of you needed me to keep yourself warm.” The song builds beautifully throughout and with his use of upbeat melodies, I think it is perfectly placed in the middle of the list.

The last two songs on the EP are ‘calico’ and ‘[there is still time]’, both with the same slow and simple imagery. The song ‘calico’ sounds particularly similar to ‘martingale’. It’s a song about desperation with haunting harmonies behind it: “I’ll be anything you turn me into.”  Though I think this song lacks a sense of uniqueness, it’s a beautiful song nonetheless. 

On ‘[there is still time]’, Searows is personally addressing the listener. He is painting a picture of their pain coming back every morning, as if he is talking from lived experiences. However, the song is about pushing the blame of hurt off of the listener: “I’ll scream until you hear me say it, this has never been your fault.” The song is the perfect finale as it builds into a rich accompaniment with use of  violin, cello, bass, electric guitar, and vocal harmonies. It rounds the album, which is about moral discovery, into a personal letter to the listener.

Overall, flush is a beautifully composed, heart-wrenching EP. It fits well into Searow’s discography. Though I find there are a few moments of repetition, I found myself reaching to listen to it many times. I would recommend the EP if you are feeling at all somber, as it creates the perfect atmosphere for reflection.