AMG Review of Holding Onto Strings Better Left to Fray

Steven Douglas Losey
All Music Guide

Shaun Morgan seems angry again. On Seether's 2011 opus, Holding Onto Strings Better Left to Fray, disillusionment, anger, and pain are central themes. Morgan's writing has always felt real, offering up some of the genres better moments with 2005's Karma and Effect and 2007's Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces. With this opus, Morgan has again struck a chord. "Desire for Need" is a four-on-the-floor rock joint that finds Morgan reaching for falsetto, which adds an alternative, bluesy vibe to the song's feel. Tunes like "Country Song" and "Master of Disaster" are stamped with Dale Stewart's sexy bass grooves as well as anthemic vocals. On the latter, Morgan's vocal melody actually takes on a Queensrÿche feel. One shining moment is the ballad "Pass Slowly." Musically, the band lays down an ethereal groove that reaches its pinnacle behind well-built guitar and bass riffs. Holding Onto Strings Better Left to Fray is another journey into the mind of Shaun Morgan: through heartbreak and rebirth he still has a lot to say about betrayal. His stamps a guitarist, a songwriter, and a lead vocalist are everywhere on this disc, and thankfully, that's what ultimately drives the release home.