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Switchfoot
[1995 - Present]
Style: Rock / Alternative / Pop
Jon
Foreman . . . Lead Vocals, Guitar
Jerome
Fontamillas . . . Keys, Guitar
Drew
Shirley . . . Guitar
Nothing Is Sound, 2005
[Sparrow/Columbia]
The Beautiful Letdown, 2003
[Sparrow/Columbia]
Learning To Breathe, 2000 [re:think]
New Way To Be Human, 1999 [re:think]
The Legend Of Chin, 1997 [re:think]
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Artist Review
From the humble beginnings of the Legend Of Chin album, to
the mainstream marketing of Columbia Records for Nothing Is Sound,
Switchfoot has been bringing their form of Diego Rock since there
inception.
They have created their own sound, and I have to admit they really
don't sound like anyone else I know. Their music pulsates with such
meaning, you can just feel each note and chord oozing with passion.
Not to mention their lyrics are that of pure poetry; it all comes
together in one steadfast motion. They ask the questions that
make us think, 'Is there more out there than we know?'. Com'n now
admit it, we've all thought that at one time or another. Thinking of
who else there is, beyond me, my church, my life. It is these types of
questions you will find all up and in Switchfoot's music. And don't
worry about your mind wondering in thought. Jon Foreman said "We
make music for thinking people." Their songs are meant to trigger
your mind, and to challenge everything you are. From their smash hit
that put them in the mainstream, which says, "We
were meant to live for so much more, have we lost ourselves?"
To the self evaluating song, "This is your life, are you who
you want to be?" To the first song from Nothing Is
Sound, "Singing without tongues, screaming without
lungs, I want more than my lonely nation, I want more than my lonely
nation. Desperate we are young, separate we are one, I want more
than my desperation, I want more than my lonely nation."
For those of you who loved The Beautiful Letdown album and
have heard from some friends or a website that with this Nothing
Is Sound record Switchfoot has sold out. I've got a
newsflash for you, it's false! I mean give me a break! They have
lyrically made just as strong, if not a little stronger,
pro-follow-Christ album than The Beautiful Letdown was. Those
who accuse Switchfoot of selling out need to check the history of the
band, because the secret is that since they started, they've been
making "thinking people's music". Where one must connect the
dots, 'cause if one does, they will find Him. Switchfoot
has never been a band to profess Jesus from the rooftops.
Now if you ask anyone of them, they will tell you about their faith,
however if the door isn't knocked, it just isn't going to be
opened. Truthfully, I believe for them, it's a great thing; not many
bands can convey Christ without actually saying..........Christ!
I encourage anyone who has loved the last two efforts by Switchfoot to
please (if you haven't already) check out their previous works.
Lyrically speaking you will find more of the same deep stuff. But I
must tell you that musically, back then, they were more raw sounding.
Particularly because they were only a trio then, and also since their
songs on those albums were not as 'produced', with effects etc...
Comparing to their last two records, especially Nothing Is Sound,
a lot of sweet sounding things are going on there. One example is the
song 'The Shadow Proves The Sunshine' where to get the type
of reverb sound they desired Jon recorded the vocal for it singing
into the base of a piano. And it sounds just incredible, and really
adds richness to the track.
With their guitar riffs, lyrical approach & sound like none other,
Switchfoot definitely has the markings of being the poets of our
time.
Does your Shadow prove the Sonshine?
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