Sweet Pill Glows With Their Sophomore Album ‘Still There’s A Glow’
Philadelphia-based band Sweet Pill, is back with their sophomore album Still There’s a Glow. The female-fronted five-piece band, made up of singer Zayna Youssef, guitarists Jayce Williams and Sean McCall, bassist Ryan Cullen, and drummer Chris Kearney, is fresh off an incredibly successful 2025, with performances at Warped Tour and on Coheed and Cambria’s popular S.S. Neverender cruise.
Their sophomore album, Still There’s a Glow, comes after three years of constant touring and performances following the success of their debut album Where the Heart Is. We start with a classic math-rock riff in “Sunblind”, immediately hit with the classic harmonies that Sweet Pill is known for you. Zayna Youssef’s beautiful vocals transition greatly into “Shameless”, singing about struggles with perspective and how it’s so difficult to let go of things.
Tracks like “No Control” and “Glow” speak about what comes with wanting something so bad you’ll do anything to get it. Lyrics like “In the back of my mind/I'm doing something right/I'm doing something for myself/But it's at the detriment of/Something I held close to my chest” from and “Holding onto something gold/But I always want more” highlight the sacrifice the band has made to achieve their dreams and goals.
The album follows a common theme of wanting to continue growing from their debut success, and at the same time not wanting to lose sight of who they are and what they value. Sonically, the album is a very strong continuation of their debut album, highlighting the vocal and instrumental strengths that the band carries. The strong alternative and emo influences of bands like Paramore are very evident and fits very well in an album so filled with emotion revolving change and growth.
Tracks 5 and 6, “Slow Burn” and “Smoke Screen” blend together in a beautiful story about overthinking and the exhaustion that comes with it. Youssef sings “Thesе thoughts I think all of the time/That oversaturatе my mind/Perception turns them black and white/My truth is blind” sharing thoughts I’m sure most of us have had when it comes to anxiety and overthinking. “Smoke Screen” comes quickly after with “Burned out, but it still glows/Burns out slow”. These two songs back to back give a strong message of starting a fire within yourself and breathing out the smoke when it’s done, reflecting back on what you’ve been through and the potential damage it’s left behind. Youssef and McCall go back and forth in “Smoke Screen” seemingly talking to one another, similar to a reflection between two selves. The album continues to explore the experience of changing, especially rapidly, and the growing pains that come with it. It’s a beautiful representation of the journey they’ve experienced together and how they’re handling the new environment and situations they’ve found themselves in. It wraps itself up with two tracks; “Holding On” and “Letting Go”. “Holding On” is a slower song that’s focused on the pain that comes with patience, especially when it’s something you want so bad. The final track, “Letting Go”, reflects on previous relationships and previous experiences, but focuses heavily on what’s gotten better and what will continue to get better. The album ends with the refrain “Burning the house I grew up in/Changing, but I still see that kid/In love with daydreaming/Wake up”. A great recap of Sweet Pill’s incredible album, and journey.
Sophomore albums are always an intimidating work, but Sweet Pill has truly outdone theirselves, delivering an incredible piece of work that leaves fans both satisfied and excited for future performances and releases. You can listen to the new album below, and catch them on their US & EU/UK tour this spring.
