A Best Live Show Nominee in the 2007 Awards

(Photo Credits: Ember)

Live Show Rating: 5 & 1/4 Stars.

The Legend Of Chin (its title referring to the band’s former moniker ‘Chin Up’) is Switchfoot’s interestingly somewhat-indie, somewhat-not first release.

It starts off with the definitely-indie track “Bomb”, which contains almost random music in some places, and some rather strange lyrics, too.

Thankfully, the next track “Chem 6A” is quite a bit different (and better), with good rock fills and almost cutely satirical lyrics.

“Underwater” again has a more indie feel musically; lyrically, it describes someone who feels alone.

“The Edge Of My Seat” describes a relationship.

“Home” is a medium-paced track featuring acoustic guitars that is not indie, and actually surprisingly good.

“Might Have Ben Hur” is, musically, a good indie track with Rock fills.

“Concrete Girl” gently encourages those who feel like everything is against them to hold on and stay strong.

“Life And Love And Why” is a good indie Rock track that lyrically explains its title.

“You” is another non-indie, rhythmic, acoustic-driven track that is quite good. (In fact, it’s probably the best track on this CD.)

“Ode To Chin” is an indie Rock song that points out some life truths.

Finally, “Don’t Be There” is one more acoustic-driven track, this time with lyrics that are introspective, slightly metaphorical, and quite difficult to decipher.

In all, it’s a fairly good indie release; and a glimpse at Switchfoot’s young and early days.

Our rating for The Legend Of Chin: 3 & 3/4 Stars.

Switchfoot’s second album New Way To Be Human begins with its classic (and old fan favorite) title track, which is rhythmic and has very good guitars in the chorus.

“Incomplete” is another rhythmic song. It contains some interesting musical elements.

“Sooner Or Later (Soren’s Song)” is slower-paced until the last verse, where the guitars kick in and then fade back down.

The lyrics of “Company Car” describe someone who gained all that they thought they had ever wanted but had no joy. Again, it has very good guitars in the chorus.

“Let That Be Enough” is the softest and slowest song of the album, with fairly bare music.

“Something More (Augustine’s Confession)” brings back the rock with another old fan fave. And again, the bridges and chorus have good guitars.

“Only Hope” is a softer song, although it’s a lot more full-sounding because of the extra orchestration behind it.

“Amy’s Song” is another rhythmic track (this time medium-paced); lyrically, it’s apparently a tribute to someone.

“I Turn Everything Over” picks up the pace a little more.

And the final track “Under The Floor” begins slower, and has muted vocals throughout its length. It also has some good melody combinations. Near the song’s end the guitars pick up a little, and then everything fades off.

There’s also a short Hidden Track afterwards— a clip of them singing in Acappella-style (although there actually is music underneath).

In all, New Way To Be Human is a good record.

Our rating for New Way To Be Human: 4 & 3/4 Stars.

Learning To Breathe begins with the original version of “Dare You To Move”. Its lyrics encourage you to move beyond your past (and whatever happened there) to step into your future.

The lyrics of early fan favorite (and title track) “Learning To Breathe” basically focus on learning how to live life. It’s a good mid-paced ballad that is very rhythmic and fairly pretty.

“You Already Take Me There”, another one of the earlier Switchfoot fan faves, picks up the pace as it’s a fairly solid rocker.

While at first softer again, the music of “Love Is The Movement” properly picks up into rock during the chorus; and it’s very intriguing and all-around great.

“Poparazzi” rebukes those who desire fame purely for fame’s sake, without moral limits, not caring about what their words and actions are doing to their followers. While the vocals could be better during the chorus, it’s otherwise fine; and it’s a fair rocker, anyway.

“Innocence Again” is another song that has great, intriguing music.

“Playing For Keeps” asks when to let go and move on.

“The Loser” states that eventually, the losers do win. Musically, it’s slower-paced but definitely rocking— it’s one of the best songs on the album.

“The Economy Of Mercy” is a plain ballad, and “Erosion” is a more upbeat one; neither are really noteworthy otherwise.

“Living Is Simple”, however, makes up for those previous two by closing off the CD with a good rocker that aptly describes life.

Our rating for Learning To Breathe: 3 & 3/4 Stars.

BEST FOURTH RELEASE 2005 Award Co-Winner!

CO-WINNER: Relient K (Mmhmm).
Runners-Up: dcTalk (Jesus Freak), Audio Adrenaline (Some Kind Of Zombie),
Disciple (By God), John Reuben (The Boy vs. The Cynic).

Best Fourth Release ’05 was one of our toughest decisions, and in the end we had to make a tie, because both Relient K and Switchfoot deserved this Award.

This album is what really made Switchfoot a household name [and it's still their defining record to this day]. It has a nice coherent feel to it, and because of the added bandmember (bringing it to four), their sound is also much more full than their previous releases.

Kicking off The Beautiful Letdown, fan and radio favorite “Meant To Live” is a medium-paced rocker that showcases this new fullness very well.

“This Is Your Life” is uplifting and encouraging, yet also thought-provoking. Musically, it’s a slow ballad that opens with some neat programming.

“More Than Fine” is medium-paced and more Pop-y during the chorus; yet it does pick up a little towards the end. Lyrically, it’s about wanting more than mediocrity.

Fan favorite “Ammunition” is the most rocking track on the disc. It begins with a cool, building intro, it’s fast-paced, it has heavy guitars, and it even features a quick, great-sounding scream for emphasis both after the second verse and near the end. This is easily one of this album’s best tracks (and it’s also one of Switchfoot’s all-time best).

“Dare You To Move (Version 2)” is another fan favorite. Again, it has a much richer sound than the version on their previous CD.

“Redemption” is softer and slightly older-styled.

“Gone” is yet another fan fave. It’s a bouncy tune with lyrics that turn cute towards the end; its main thrust is about how temporary everything is.

“On Fire” has downright awesome lyrics, and musically it’s an excellent, slow, piano- and acoustic guitar-driven ballad. It’s quite beautiful, and one of Switchfoot’s all-time best.

“Adding To The Noise” is a funny yet very true and apt criticism of today’s culture. It’s the last of the disc’s rockers.

And “Twenty-Four” is the final track, one last ballad. It uses the number 24 about as many times as possible during the lyrics (at least at first ); however, the chorus and bridges are very pretty, and the lyrics become more and more creative and honest as the song unfolds.

In short, this is an excellent album, and worthy of Co-Best Fourth Release.

Our rating for The Beautiful Letdown: 5 & 1/3 Stars.

This compilation combines Switchfoot’s first three albums (The Legend Of Chin, New Way To Be Human, and Learning To Breathe) into one package. For the individual ratings of those records, please see their reviews.

Our rating for Switchfoot: The Early Years (1997-2000) (Compilation):
See First Three Album Reviews

A Best Fifth Release Nominee in the 2005 Awards!

As with many bands who released CD’s in 2005, the members of Switchfoot have diversified their talents for Nothing Is Sound. (They have also now added a fifth bandmember.) This album’s rock tracks (“Lonely Nation”, “Stars”, “Easier Than Love”, “Politicians”, & etc.) are more rock than ever, and its ballads (“The Blues”, “The Fatal Wound”, “Daisy”, & etc.) tend to pull at you more, as well. Nothing Is Sound also generally contains the rawest lyrics that we have heard from Switchfoot yet.

The disc begins with “Lonely Nation”, and it’s a good opener. Lyrically, it provides a broad, ‘tired’ view of hollow culture, desperately wanting more. Musically, it’s a solid medium-paced rocker that vocally picks up a bit after the second chorus.

And if you liked that, the next track “Stars”— Nothing Is Sound‘s smash hit single— truly showcases Switchfoot’s brand-new, rich, full, “Yeah-we-can-heavy-rock-too” sound. And what a welcome sound it is!

“Happy Is A Yuppie Word” has almost dark music during its verses, which switches to a different, lighter melody for the choruses.

In “Easier Than Love” Switchfoot delivers a cutting message, speaking boldly and unashamedly about one of society’s biggest problems (hence the Content Advisory).

“The Blues” is one of this CD’s excellent ballads. Its
melancholy-yet-somehow-still-uplifting lyrics and rhythmic, anthemic music make it a definite favorite.

“Politicians” is another pleasant shock— it’s the hardest rocker on the CD [and indeed the heaviest track Switchfoot has done so far]. With a good pace, cutting lyrics, and excellent guitars, this is also one of the CD’s best tracks.

And then there’s “The Fatal Wound”, which is, in our opinion, one of the finest songs Switchfoot has ever recorded. Featuring an acoustic guitar and a harmonica as the main instruments and then adding in the others during the course of the song, this somewhat dark and moody track is amazingly catchy. (We actually had to play it twice in a row to get our fill.)

“We Are One Tonight” is an easier, medium-paced song with uplifting lyrics.

And to cap off the album is “Daisy”, another excellent ballad with lyrics of surrender. Near the end, the music and vocals build spectacularly and then fade away, a finish that gave us goosebumps.

DualDisc Version Bonus Content:

The DualDisc version of this album comes with the regular CD on one side and a DVD on the other. The DVD side contains the entire CD again in 5.1 surround-sound for those with home theater sound systems; and it also contains a great, interesting, and fairly funny behind-the-scenes making-of video.

Our rating for Nothing Is Sound: 5 & 1/3 Stars.

Switchfoot’s Oh! Gravity. is even more consistently rock than their previous release, although the lyrics are somewhat different and there is more experimentation on everything. The opening and title track “Oh! Gravity.” shows this immediately.

The next track “American Dream” has a message to live for more than just selfish ambition.

“Dirty Second Hands” begins with cool, almost Southern guitars (and possibly a banjo in there somewhere). It’s a very rhythmic and intriguing track, and it still rocks.

“Awakening” contains the first real slowdown of the album, during the verses; it apparently reminds you to catch (or reawaken) dreams and then follow them.

“Circles” is another rhythmic track, rocking during the chorus and last bridge. It lyrically describes modern life for many— joyless, endless work, etc.— but then shines a bit of hope by reminding you that’s not all there is.

“Amateur Lovers” expresses the need for deeper relationships and true love, not the temporary (and eventually empty) false feeling that some unfortunately choose.

“Faust, Midas, And Myself”, a concept track, musically builds in steps; lyrically, it describes a night of successive dreams (one ‘waking’ into another), after which he finally truly wakes up to reality in a flood of relief and joy. Easily one of this album’s best tracks, “Faust, Midas, And Myself” has a very intriguing story and a great message.

“Head Over Heels (In This Life)” is an excellent rock love song, another of this album’s best.

“Yesterdays” is a fairly soft yet memorable tribute to someone.

The solid rocker “Burn Out Bright” picks the pace right back up, and its lyrics remind you to live life fully and always follow your dreams.

“4:12″ encourages you to never despair.

And the final track “Let Your Love Be Strong” musically contains a very different acoustic guitar, and builds somewhat throughout; lyrically, it illustrates that love will be all you need if you lean totally and completely upon it and in it, no matter what else happens.

Our rating for Oh! Gravity.: 4 & 3/4 Stars

A NOTABLE 7TH-OR-HIGHER RELEASE 2009 Award Winner!

Runner-Up: Project 86, (Picket Fence Cartel).

Hello Hurricane opens with “Needle And Haystack Life”, a medium-Rock track with fast-paced drums (especially in the chorus) and hopeful lyrics.

This is followed by the excellent full-Rocking single “Mess Of Me”.

“Your Love Is A Song”, another excellent track, is a beautiful Rock ballad with a very memorable chorus.

“The Sound (John M. Perkins’ Blues)” is a Rocker with verses that have a great, almost spy-movie feel.

While next track “Enough To Let Me Go” is somewhat laid-back, the steady medium-paced drums keep it from becoming slow.

“Free” opens with a great guitar hook and verse vocal melody; and its chorus has an interesting musical combination, as well.

Title track “Hello Hurricane” features low electronics in the verses and a rock chorus.

“Always” is musically driven by a muted piano, the song slowly building as it goes on; and it has deeply hopeful lyrics.

“Bullet Soul” is another great rocker, this one somewhat rhythmic.

“Yet” turns quite emotional; it describes being beset by doubts, but holding on and coming out of them even stronger than before.

“Sing It Out” is a darker, moodier track that is easily one of Switchfoot’s all-time best. (This one still gives us goosebumps— especially as it builds to its soaring, triumphant finale.)

And finally “Red Eyes” closes out the disc with medium Rock and an extended outro (which includes several lines from the album’s first track).

Special Edition Bonus Content:

The Special Edition comes with a DVD that has a number of features. The first is the almost 40-minute-long “Making Of”, which delves into the story behind the record and its production. Next come 6 music-video-like recordings of a live, in-studio performance (“Needle And Haystack Life”, “Mess Of Me”, “The Sound (John M. Perkins’ Blues)”, “Hello Hurricane”, “Always”, and “Bullet Soul”). Finally, there’s the nearly 8-minute-long “Photo Shoot”, which is at times interesting, cute, funny, and even a bit informative.

Limited Collector’s Deluxe Edition Bonus Content:

The Limited Collector’s Deluxe Edition includes the CD and Special Edition DVD, plus a large-square hardcover book, a poster, and an exclusive bonus CD called “Building A Hurricane”. The book contains artwork; an introductory message from the band, along with the lyrics/thanks and copies of handwritten commentary notes; and in-studio, live, and behind-the-scenes photos. The bonus CD contains demos, alternate versions, and a couple of outtakes of varying lengths and qualities— many of which are quite different, either musically or lyrically (or both!), and thus rather interesting (and some of them are fairly good, too).

Digital Deluxe Version Bonus Content:

The Digital Deluxe Version contains the regular-edition CD tracks, plus 2 acoustic-version tracks (“Mess Of Me” and “Always”), “Stitches” (from the Eastern Hymns For Western Shores EP), and— at least in iTunes— the live in-studio video of “The Sound…”.

The acoustic “Mess Of Me” is remarkably full-sounding, considering it uses only an electric bass and a few acoustic guitars; and— also unusual for a rocking track redone acoustically— it’s just about as good as the original! Acoustic “Always” does use acoustic guitars instead of electric, but interestingly all of the other elements are still there as well (even the steel guitar), though some of them are played slightly differently. And “Stitches” is another great, memorable rock track that closes the Digital Deluxe Version in style.

In all, this is a great album from Switchfoot, and worthy of this Award.

Our rating for Hello Hurricane: 5 & 1/3 Stars