New Jersey-based emo quartet Senses Fail should have no problem at least matching the success of its previous album Still Searching with the 2008 release off of Vagrant Records titled Life Is Not A Waiting Room. This album has a great deal of potential to have great commercial success as the sound Senses Fail plays is currently hot among the youth of today.

However, if you are looking for something a bit more than the cookie cutter emo bands that are popular among teenie boppers these days, you will be hard pressed to find that on Life Is Not A Waiting Room.

The themes on the CD are ones that are prevalent on just about every album recorded within the genre: heartbroken depression coupled with teenage angst. The background music is also redundant to the stereotypical emo sound of seemingly upbeat guitars and drums and lack of real musicianship, a true contradiction to the lyrical content as if it's an attempt to cover up the gloominess.

However, one thing that does stick out on two of Senses Fail's songs, "Hair of the Dog" and "Four Years", is vocalist James "Buddy" Nielsen's pre-puberty sounding singing style combined with lyrics about boozing seem like another oxymoron.

Otherwise, the cry baby whining and frustrations of love gone wrong get long in the tooth after listening through three-fourths of the album, right after the CD's lightest song "Yellow Angels" which is influenced by Nielsen's encounter with a fan who was terminally ill with cancer.

Senses Fail attempts to show some signs of musicianship with lengthened bridges on "Lungs Like Gallows" and "Wolves At The Door" but neither tune truly impresses.

Thus, if you're an overly dramatic high school student, chances are some if not all of these tracks will make it onto your iPod. But if you want something with a bit more substance behind it musically and lyrically, you will likely stay clear of Life Is Not A Waiting Room.