Still There’s a Glow is an illuminating and expansive release that pushes the boundaries of the emo group further.
Release date: March 13, 2026 | Hopeless Records | Bandcamp | Instagram | Facebook
Sweet Pill are no strangers to the pivotal Philadelphia DIY scene that helped raise a plethora of emo acts throughout the past few decades. It became a cultural hub for a specific flavor of the genre, typically filled with grit and a close relationship to metal and hardcore. The local natives made their own waves in 2022 with their debut record Where the Heart Is, a record flushed with nostalgia and a pulse for the community that provided a wealth of inspiration and significance.
Their first release found them on countless touring schedules, label deals, and a renowned sense of commitment to pursuing new creative interests. Still There’s a Glow was born out of that journey, fully processed by the band and culminating in a record focused on finding light when it may seem absent. While successful pursuits and upward progression is always a positive, it is still an all-encompassing devotion for the people involved, often leading to unintended challenges. Their sophomore record is far from a downer, however, and offers a testament to resilience over living in the hurt.
Listen, this band understands the significance of hope in a dying world as much as Cooper Sharp on a seeded roll in the tri-state area. Musically speaking, the band has encompassed further depths of artistry first displayed on their Starchild and Unraveled EPs that bridges the gap between their two albums. Tracks like “Jinx” and “Makes Me Sick” are gentler in tone, wisping through the air somewhere between bad luck and chosen defeat that reminisce the softer sounds of those releases.
If you’re one to focus on album enders, “Cut” from their first album symbolized a matured, almost hardcore-adjacent approach to their sound I was itching to hear more of. Luckily, they delivered with “Rotten”, their heaviest and foulest track yet. The guitar effect in the chorus fires off the scent of putrescent garbage in my brain, purely enjoyable for its repulsiveness in the same spaces metal loves to fester in. Added backing screams from guitarist Sean McCall pack on the filth and add yet another dimension to their evolving sound on Glow.
Sweet Pill stepped up in every aspect for this record: it’s bigger, better, more focused and more identifiably them. There are many treasures to discover amongst its thirteen songs and forty minute runtime, and many notable favorites will vary depending on what you’re looking for from the band. “What the Devil Is Selling” is another favorite of mine, which feels like a modern rendition of “Youngest Daughter” from Superheaven filtered through harmonic emphases and mathy pitch bends.
The theme of the record lives within the track titles and lyrical hooks, a directness in message I love. Songs like “Slow Burn”, “Sunblind”, and “Glow” reference different illuminating properties, an important anchor for the band to frame the music around. Emo records can be self-deprecating to the point of exhaustion, or exist in the opposite axis where proper lyricism and symbolism fall to the wayside. Still There’s a Glow is the band’s path forward, a contemplative choice to enact the state of change that’s necessary for proper growth and survival. It is a tonally uplifting and buoyant lifeline for not only the members, but their fans who might face similar struggles.
When was the last time you dug a hole? You know the one, the familiar nook in the invisible recesses of your mind that you can crawl into and play passenger to life for a little while in. It is far too easy to shut the light out, dig in deeper, bury yourself in. How we break free is often the bigger question, since everyone is in the process of climbing out, or unfortunately, falling back in. Sweet Pill are here to offer the beacon with Still There’s a Glow, proving that their music and perceptions on life are subject to change for the better. It is necessary for us all to find our glow when things get too dark, and for many, this record may be yours.
Band photo by Mitchell Wojcik
