The Early Years: 1997-2000 Disc 1
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Switchfoot Let me just tell you: this cd set is an absolute steal. I got it when it was $30 a few years back, and I think that's still a reasonable price, but now that it's only $15 at your nearest walmart, it's...
Vanish
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I just finished this book yesterday, and now that I heard that there's a sequel, I definately want to ran out and buy it. This book is totally worth your money, especially if you dig books by authors such...
best. thing. ever. | Posted November-15-2009
Let me just tell you: this cd set is an absolute steal. I got it when it was $30 a few years back, and I think that's still a reasonable price, but now that it's only $15 at your nearest walmart, it's even better. The Early Years has the first three Switchfoot cds: The Legend of Chin, New Way to Be Human, and Learning to Breathe. This set is not only a must-have for the die-hard Switchfoot fan, but also a great way to introduce someone to Switchfoot for the first time. It's also nice because it comes with all the cd covers for all three cds (so if you like having the original album art, or if you just like to read the lyrics, this is definately a plus). Some of my favourite Switchfoot songs ever are from these cds, like Company Car, Chem 6A, Concrete Girl, Sooner or Later, Paparazzi,Playing for Keeps, and many, many more. This makes for a fantastic gift for anyone who might enjoy Switchfoot, including yourself. And it's for an insanely affordable price. :)
Wow! | Posted July-21-2009
I just finished this book yesterday, and now that I heard that there's a sequel, I definately want to ran out and buy it. This book is totally worth your money, especially if you dig books by authors such as Ted Dekker and Frank Perretti, or the Babylon Rising series by Tim LaHaye. It's adrenaline-laced and action packed, and believe me, it'll keep you guessing until the end. I was totally surprised as to how the story turned out, but it made a whole lot of sense. Tom Pawlik obviously put a lot of thought behind the plot, and I really like that. And it has a good message behind it as well. I would totally recommend this book to anyone!
probably my favourite tobyMac cd | Posted July-13-2009
I'll just flat out tell you: I love this cd. I'm not really a fan of rap, but I just love something about tobymac's style. He blends rap with a perfect amount of rock, and it just sounds right. Almost all of the songs are really upbeat; you could totally have a dance party to this cd. =D My youth group plays the song "Boomin'" a lot, and we all dance to it and have a good time.
I love almost all of the songs on this cd, the only one that I don't like as much is Face of the Earth, because it's a pretty slow song. But I love the lyrics to it; in fact, all of the lyrics on this album are superb.
So if you're looking for a new album, check this out. Even if you don't usually like rap, check it out first; you just might like it. I sure did.
amazing! | Posted July-13-2009
If you like upbeat music that you can dance to, this cd is for you. FF5's songs are verrrrry catchy and fun. Perfect for anyone who's trying to get their friends into Christian music; it's totally clean, but not boring in the least. Business Up Front takes rock, some rapping, and even a little synth and mixes in together into a masterpiece. You won't regret getting this cd.
Cause we need more than a revolution. :) | Posted June-25-2009
This is my favorite album put out by the 11t7 guys. It's upbeat & has that punk feel to it that I love so much. True, some of their songs lack true depth to them, but this doesn't apply to all of the songs. Some can actually make you think, like the song Odds and Even Sos. All in all, the songs on this album are really fun. If you like Hawk Nelson, Stellar Kart, Everyday Sunday or Capital Lights, this album is a MUST for your collection.
Satisfactory, but not perfect | Posted May-04-2009
The Fray. Chances are that you’ve probably heard of them. With such songs as “Over My Head” and “How To Save a Life”, which have had lots of radio play, it‘s almost impossible not to have heard them. Well, if you didn’t know already, you’ll be happy to hear that The Fray just released their newest cd earlier this year.
The Fray’s self-titled sophomore album opens with “Syndicate”. The song starts off with a solid, piano-driven melody, which later explodes with guitars. It seems to suggest a new beginning, with lyrics claiming, “Baby close your eyes, don’t open til the morning light/ Don’t ever forget, we haven’t lost it all yet”. It’s the perfect song to open up the record, but the lyrics give some foreshadowing of the rest of the album- the feeling of loss and regret, along with a cycle of cynicism and fragile hope.
The song “You Found Me”, which is the first hit on the album, shows this clearly, with poignant statements such as, “Where were You when everything was falling apart?” or “In the end everyone ends up alone”. It shows itself radio-worthy with a catchy piano melody at the beginning. The guitars come in at the pre-chorus, with the piano drifting into the background. Once the chorus comes in, the guitars grow distorted, which complements the song perfectly. All the instruments blend in wonderfully together, and the drums keep the main beat- making it an ideal song to tap your feet to.
Another hit, “Say When”, begins with guitars and what sounds like synthesizers playing faintly in the background. It’s a pretty sedate song until the end, when the beat picks up and then explodes with fervent guitars.
The song “Happiness” is one of the ‘deep’ songs. The title is actually oxymoronic, as the song talks about how “Happiness feels a lot like sorrow” and “Happiness… near destroys you/Breaks your faith to pieces on the floor”. It’s obvious that the singer feels burnt and cynical about happiness, but at the end of the song, he leaves room for hope, promising that you’ll never find happiness if you’re looking for it, but if you let it go and leave it, one day “she’ll be home”.
As for the band’s personal aspects of the record, lead singer Isaac Slade has shared some of the stories behind a few of the songs. The song “Enough for Now” is about how Slade dealt with the death of his beloved grandfather, while “You Found Me” is about what Slade says is “the disappointment, the heart ache, the let down that comes with life.” Both songs were written at tough times, and Slade stated, “It demands so much of my faith to keep believing, keep hoping in the unseen. Sometimes the tunnel has a light at the end, but usually they just look black as night. This song (talking about “You Found Me”) is about that feeling, and the hope that I still have, buried deep in my chest."
As far as the audience this album will attract, I would say no one, regardless of age or people group, will feel alienated; almost everyone will enjoy it. As far as genres goes, The Fray’s album could be described as ‘soft rock’ or ‘piano-driven rock’. If you prefer fast-paced, energetic songs rather than smooth, slow songs, you probably won’t find this album quite as appealing.
One of the bad things about the record is that some of the songs can get redundant after a while, and the listener could easily lose interest. The lyrics of all the songs are well-thought out, but the actual music might be too slow-paced for the majority of people; all of them have piano and some mild guitar melodies, which can get tiring for some. Also, all the cynical views might disappoint some people. On the other hand, there’s a lot of hope in those same songs- I believe that The Fray did a wonderful job at blending them together. I also believe that a lot of the songs have some deep lyrics, if you pay attention to them. There are also songs like “We Build Then We Break”, which is wonderfully different from the mundane. Something about the beat almost has a “secret-agent” feel to it, and there’s a lot more alternative rock in it than the soothing piano.
All in all, The Fray got their sophomore project done, and have a satisfactory, but not perfect, record to show for it. Hopefully, they’ll have enough time to polish their songs and think about them before they record their next album.
Nothing really IS sound... | Posted March-22-2009
I really do love this cd. I got it two years ago for christmas. At first, my favorite songs were ones like Lonely Nation and The Blues. But it's one of those cds that just keeps getting better every time you listen to it. Honestly, this cd is probably one of my favorite Switchfoot cds. I love the raw sound and emotions in it. I definately would encourage anyone to check it out. Switchfoot will become your best friend. :D
Not even gonna lie... | Posted March-09-2009
...this band totally rocks. At first, I didn't think I'd really like them. But when I listened to the cd, I totally fell in love. Their songs are pretty light and upbeat. Even though they're more pop-ish sounding than the regular rock bands I listen to, their songs are really catchy. I especially love the song The Haunting. It reminds me so much of the disciple Peter (and of myself, really). Seriously, just check Above the Golden State out for yourself. You won't regret it.
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