Switchfoot "Fading West" Review
Posted January 26, 2014
By dreamingoutloud,
Over the years, Switchfoot has become my favorite Christian band of all time. They've consistently turned out good music, and are the most down-to-earth band I know of. After filming and releasing a movie of the same name, Switchfoot has released their ninth studio album Fading West.
This album sees Switchfoot geering towards a more contemporary music sound. The band stated that they wanted to go beyond the limits of a three-minute pop song, and while I do not believe they achieved this goal, with the exception of "Say It Like You Mean It" and "BA55", it does not mean that this isn't an enjoyable album. Fading West is the perfect album to pick you up when you're feeling down.
The singles "Love Alone is Worth the Fight" and "Who We Are" open up this album. These are still very enjoyable tracks, but in my opinion aren't as good as other songs on this album. "When We Come Alive" is an anthemic pop/rock track that will have you singing along pretty quickly. This is one of my favorites on the record. "Say It Like You Mean It" is another highlight, which shows the gritty side of Switchfoot. This song is built around an incredible drum and bass groove, layered with distorted vocals and fuzzed out guitars. Fans who favor the harder side of Switchfoot will love this song. "The World You Want" is my favorite song on this album, because of the killer drum intro and the singalong chorus. Lyrically, this song moves very much emotionally, as the song talks about how we change the world everyday we're alive. I like how they incorporated bits of the movie with them working with the South African kids choir into the song.
"Slipping Away" is another anthemic pop track, in the vein of songs like "Secrets" by OneRepublic. "BA55" is a very experimental track, which once again has an incredible bass line, and a very nice guitar solo to cap off the song. "Let it Out" is an extremely energetic pop song, with an extremely intruiging guitar intro. Tim Foreman said it best, "You can't listen to this song without smiling." "All or Nothing at All" isn't my favorite track, but I like it's message about loving someone (probably a wife) with all of you. "Saltwater Heart" is a very bouncy track with a great chorus as well. I love the spiritual metaphor of being refreshed by the ocean being like being refreshed by God. "Back to the Beginning" is another energetic pop track that closes the album on a high note.
Overall, while Fading West isn't the best album they've released, it is another solid entry into the Switchfoot catalouge. I think this is a perfect album for summer and a great mood lifter. This is definitely a good buy. View All Music And Book Reviews By dreamingoutloud | View dreamingoutloud's Profile
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