The Power of Failing

Musically, The Power of Failing expands upon the sound established by Sunny Day Real Estate. It contains elements of shoegaze. According to Ryan De Freitas of Kerrang, "Mineral hinted towards a possible next step in emo’s evolution, daring those around them to try and re-purpose the blueprint."{{Cite web |date=2020-05-12 |title=The 20 best pre-2000s emo albums |url=https://www.kerrang.com/early-emo-albums-best-american-football-saves-the-day |access-date=2025-04-18 |website=Kerrang! |language=en}} The album's lyrics have been described as "moving."{{Cite web |date=2021-03-18 |title=The 25 greatest emo albums ever |url=https://www.kerrang.com/the-25-greatest-emo-albums-ever?next= |access-date=2025-04-19 |website=Kerrang! |language=en}}

The album's cover artwork features Graphite Std typeface font. It has been referred to as "maybe the worst album cover of all time" by Ryan De Freitas of Kerrang!

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-power-of-failing-mw0000182875|title=The Power of Failing - Mineral {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits|website=AllMusic|language=en-us|access-date=2020-01-05}}

| rev2 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music

| rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |title-link=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |publisher=MUZE |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-19-531373-4 |editor-last=Larkin |editor-first=Colin |editor-link=Colin Larkin |edition=4th |volume=5 |page=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofpo0005unse_l6k3/page/780 781] |chapter=Mineral}}

| rev3 = Kerrang!

| rev3score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{Cite magazine |last=Travers |first=Paul |date=June 6, 1998 |title=Albums |magazine=Kerrang! |publisher=EMAP |issue=702 |page=46}}

| rev4 = Pitchfork

| rev4Score = 8.5/10{{Cite web|last=Stosuy|first= Brandon|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19688-mineral-the-power-of-failingendserenading/|title=Mineral: The Power of Failing/EndSerenading|website=Pitchfork|date=October 29, 2014|access-date=November 1, 2014}}

| rev5 = Punknews

| rev5score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/review/15134/mineral-the-power-of-failing|title=Mineral - The Power of Failing|website=www.punknews.org|date=31 May 2017 }}

}}

The Power of Failing received extreme praise for its songwriting and honest lyrics. Writing for Allmusic, Blake Butler declared the record to be "a keystone album from one of the most well-known and revered emo rock bands of the '90s", stating that "although the structure is relatively simple most of the time, it is the essence of the music which overwhelms."{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-power-of-failing-mw0000182875|title=The Power of Failing - Mineral {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic|website=AllMusic|access-date=2017-07-15}} Brandon Stosuy of Pitchfork said that "Part of what makes The Power of Failing a classic is that its raw feel and execution matches its emotions."{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19688-mineral-the-power-of-failingendserenading/|title=Mineral: The Power of Failing/EndSerenading Album Review {{!}} Pitchfork|website=pitchfork.com|date=29 October 2014 |language=en|access-date=2017-07-15}} Paul Travers of Kerrang! was less positive, criticizing the slowness of "Slower" and "Dolorossa" and comparing the band's "alterna-noise rock" sound unfavourably with Idlewild.

The Power of Failing has been recognized as one of the landmark albums of 1990s emo. It has appeared on various best-of emo album lists by NME,{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/photos/20-emo-albums-that-have-resolutely-stood-the-test-of-time/367692#/photo/6|title=20 Emo Albums That Have Resolutely Stood The Test Of Time|date=January 14, 2015|work=NME.com|accessdate=July 29, 2015}} Rolling Stone{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/40-greatest-emo-albums-of-all-time-20160301/mineral-the-power-of-failing-1997-20160225|title=40 Greatest Emo Albums of All Time|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=2017-07-15}} Similarly, "Gloria" appeared on a best-of emo songs list by Vulture.{{cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/article/best-emo-songs.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200213181251/https://www.vulture.com/article/best-emo-songs.html|title=The 100 Greatest Emo Songs of All Time|work=Vulture|author=Cohen, Ian|date=February 13, 2020|archivedate=February 13, 2020|accessdate=August 14, 2020}} In a retrospective thinkpiece entitled "Mineral's 'The Power of Failing' Dragged Alternative Rock in a More Emotionally Vulnerable Direction", Eddie Cepeda of Noisey stated that "bands like Death Cab for Cutie and Pinback have Mineral to thank for much of their sound."{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/mineral-the-power-of-failing-1997-the-year-emo-broke/|title=Mineral's 'The Power of Failing' Dragged Alternative Rock in a More Emotionally Vulnerable Direction|website=Noisey|date=30 January 2017 |language=en-us|access-date=2017-07-15}}

In 2024, Ryan De Freitas of Kerrang! said the album is "an absolutely essential listen."

1. "Five, Eight and Ten" – 5:26
2. "Gloria" – 3:42
3. "Slower" – 5:47
4. "Dolorosa" – 5:10
5. "80-37" – 4:33
6. "If I Could" – 5:59
7. "July" – 4:24
8. "Silver" – 6:56
9. "Take the Picture Now" – 3:16
10. "Parking Lot" – 3:52

• "80-37" and "Take the Picture Now" did not appear on the original LP version.

;Mineral

• Chris Simpson  – guitar, vocals
• Jeremy Gomez – bass guitar
• Gabriel Wiley – drums
• Scott McCarver – guitar

;Additional personnel

• Andre Zweers – engineering assistant
• Paul Drake – photography
• Judy Kirschner – engineering assistant
• Kevin Reeves – mastering

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Category:1997 albums

Category:Mineral (band) albums