The Growing Pains of Searows Newest EP flush

On November 22, 2024, Searows released his sophomore EP entitled flush. The project is a stunning and emotionally charged follow-up to his 2023 EP End Of The World and single “House Song.” Raw and nostalgic, the artist’s work has captured the hearts of listeners on TikTok and other social media platforms; those who share wounds of the same shape and leave behind pieces of themselves in the people and places they call home. 

“I am starting to resent myself.” flush opens with this sonically gentle yet contextually violent confession on “martingale,” a track that tells the tale of turning into those we love and how they shape us, sometimes against our will. 

Searows (Alec Duckart) continues to show the power of just him and his guitar from the start of this project. The opening song is a gentle serenade undercut by a self-aware pool of doubt, fueled by a fight against the inevitable. After all, a martingale is a set of betting strategies typically involving a 50/50 gamble. There’s always an uncertainty present and yet people hope for things to work in their favor. In the final line, the comparison made to dogs wanting to get loose by the final line perfectly encapsulates a feeling of painful restlessness that can't be tamed from generational pains. 

This haunting opening leads seamlessly into the swell of strings and piano featured on “to be seen,” which is a departure from the soothing acoustics Duckart has found his strength within across previous works. The song acts as a stunning cry to be heard by those we share our blood with and ourselves.

Imagery of winter and a chilling tone pours throughout the song, only for the final lines to divert expectations by the final lines. An image of heat breaks the softness in the lyrics with the sharpness of a knife. 

The track “to be seen” is a testament to Duckart’s lyrical ability and the way his choice of imagery can shape a story, partnered with accompaniment that cultivates a world of vulnerability across his discography. The use of strings makes the track more intense and follows the emotional crescendo of the track as it takes the listener in a new direction. 

The next song, “toothache” is a much lighter track return to the classic acoustic flavor that is a staple of Searows’ sound. The song is a rejection of sentiments from the previous tracks. With a more upbeat sound and self-assured tone, the speaker of the record is seeing their self-worth and what they bring to the table for the very people that they love.

 Equally nostalgic as the tracks before it, the song’s lyrics capture old memories—snapshots of scraped knees and childhood porches. The track is a key turning point in the narrative of the EP as it highlights the importance of finding worth within yourself and decentering the opinions of those around you even if we feel that they hold weight.

 Followed up by “calico,” is a retrospective love song to those that we care about and the desire to mold ourselves into something they can hold onto. The song details wanting to be a safe space, a positive memory, a tune that people won't forget, and as the track ends with the line “I will be your favorite song,” for some it proves to be just that.

 After the domestic and comforting sonics of “calico,” the EP concludes with its departure track “(there is still time).” This final song is an emotional unraveling, as it details a world where you feel you are trapped to relive the same pains that have become normal to you.

 The track features a potential criticism of religion and the all-or-nothing mentality that can surround what it means to be good in certain religious contexts. Although the speaker is burdened by an emotional weight, the EP ends with a moment of hope: “I know the way back,” which speaks to the resilience of the artist and those who live with difficult experiences and family dynamics.

Photo by MARLOWE OSTARA

As a whole, the EP feels like a journal entry on what it means to navigate the love of family and how it shapes our self-perception as we grow. The project focuses on growing pains, and familial expectations being broken or bent. It's a showcase of the beauty that Searows can provide in the face of personal patterns and pain.