There’s no competition: On January 23rd, 2026, the best indie-folk album of the year was released. Searows’ sophomore album, “Death in the Business of Whaling,” contains nine songs, ranging from soft banjo tunes to haunting guitar tracks. Searows’ melodic, ethereal voice eases the listener into his devastating lyricism. Listening to the album is a cinematic journey from start to finish.
Opening the album is “Belly of the Whale,” which encapsulates feelings of failure. This three-verse song metaphorically describes being trapped at the bottom of a whale’s belly. The narrator also describes another individual alongside them in the whale’s belly. Listeners speculate that the song represents experiencing mental turbulence. In contrast, the song’s backing is a soothing guitar strum and banjo picking.
“Kill What You Eat” follows, with the sounds of melancholy guitar chords and a liminal pedal steel guitar. The opening lyrics, “Well, do you kill what you eat?” reference a fish and represent the gutting of a relationship.
Track three is “Photograph of a Cyclone,” the album’s second single. The lively banjo and accompanying drums create a quintessential folk song about a relationship turned sour. Searows compares himself to a cyclone to describe his cyclical, self-sabotaging nature, referring to himself as a “masterpiece destroyer.”
The subsequent track is “Hunter.” The song takes on the perspective of a reluctant hunter who shows empathy for his narrowly escaped prey. It describes the helplessness of prey trying to elude a predator and the unnecessary pain of the sport of hunting.
“Dirt,” the album’s long-awaited third single, is a chilling guitar-picking track.
The song hit TikTok in 2024, and it resonated with many, encapsulating the inevitability of how we all return to the dirt. The song captures life’s fleeting nature beautifully.
Following “Dirt” is “Dearly Missed,” a surprising rock track that steers away from the album’s folk focus. The album’s lead single, “Dearly Missed,” follows the story of a missing person who has potentially died by suicide. The song delves into feelings of guilt and rage, along with the darkness we feel after experiencing a traumatic loss.
“Junie” stands in stark contrast to “Dearly Missed” — it’s the softest track on the album. Originally shared on TikTok, the song describes Searows’ experience with a school guidance counselor who tried to convince him not to drop out of school.
The album’s most recent single, “In Violet,” is the most jubilant song off the record, with imagery of frolicking through fields and contrasting introspective lyricism. The lyrics, which describe disappointing a loved one, subvert the music’s fantastical, upbeat tempo.
The album’s final song, “Geese,” references Mary Oliver’s poem “Wild Geese.”
It’s a despondent track about the desire to be a good person and the exhaustion of trying to live up to your own high expectations. It rounds out the album beautifully.
I would highly recommend this album to anyone who enjoys artists like Phoebe Bridgers, Ethel Cain, and Adrianne Lenker. The transportive soundscapes of “Death in the Business of Whaling” allow you to escape from the present and land in a foggy night marked by banjo strings and Searows’ ethereal voice.
Featured Photo via YouTube.
