I know a lot of people have been waiting for this one for a really long time. I promised the readers of Viva La Vita this review about a year ago, when I did my only other album review, Relient K's Collapsible Lung. Since writing that, I have liked the album a little more. I was a little too harsh. I originally gave it a 4 or a 5 but I think it's more in the 6-7 range. Still not great, though.
Relient K and Switchfoot have been my two favorite bands since middle school. You could play any of either bands' songs, and I will likely recognize it and know the title within the first ten seconds, sometimes, the first three seconds. Needless to say, I was really excited for this Switchfoot album. It was originally slated to come out last summer, so I was expecting a bit of a "summer" sound to it, which also had me thrilled. After finishing up their first Fading West tour and releasing a Fading West movie (which I loved!), a couple weeks in to the new year their Fading West album was released.
Because the album was delayed, the band decided to release an 3-song Fading West EP in the fall, to give the fans something as they waited. The EP included "Love Alone is Worth the Fight," "Who We Are," and "Ba55." Knowing these songs for a solid three months or so before the rest of the songs were released, my initial focus was on the other songs. But now that I have been able to digest this whole album, I'm ready to give it a full review. So let's have a go.
The first song, "Love Alone is Worth the Fight" is probably the most popular song off this record. I have heard it on K-Love radio. It's a very good song and I love the lyrics. It's kind of the sequel to "The Sound (John M. Perkins' Blues)" off the 2009 Hello Hurricane album that suggests, "our love is the final fight." It's catchy and fun. You'll find yourself humming it after hearing it only once or twice.
While I love "Love Alone is Worth the Fight", I actually think "Who We Are" is better. I have also heard "Who We Are" on the radio, so it's gained popularity as well. If "Love Alone is Worth the Fight" is the sequel to "The Sound", "Who We Are" is the sequel to "Dark Horses"; a song about kids who believe and are going to give it all they got in life. In short, great song.
"When We Come Alive" is another fun song. It fits perfectly behind "Who We Are" on the track listing. I had the great pleasure of seeing Switchfoot play a show at The Rave in Milwaukee, and Jon Foreman went in to the crowd while singing this song (I touched him!). A sea of fans waved their arms to the rhythm and it was a heavenly experience.
So after three great songs to start the album, I think it then dips a little bit. I don't know how to put it, because I don't want to sound like I dislike these next songs. But three of the next four songs aren't as inventive or innovative as many of the other songs on the track. I am speaking mainly of track four, "Say It Like You Mean It". This sounds kind of similar to "The Original" off the Vice Verses album. They played this song at the concert, and it was a fun one to jam to, but I would have preferred to hear one of my favorite songs on this album that was left off the set, or one of their older songs from a past record. It's not a bad song, it just isn't my favorite.
"The World You Want" is a great one. Much like "The Shadow Proves the Sunshine" off the Nothing is Sound album, it was inspired by South African children, and what I think is really cool about this song is the fact that they actually recorded it with these South African children. "The World You Want" is deep, thought-provoking and catchy.
"Slipping Away" is an alright song. It's in a similar boat as "Say It You Like It Mean It". Neither of these songs were needed. They're alright filler-songs, but there were a couple songs left off the album I like better. "What It Costs", which was written by Tim Foreman and was shown in the Fading West did not make the album, and I absolutely loved that song. Sadly, there is no place to find a full version of the song to listen to. The title track "Fading West" is also great but it was left off. It came as a bonus in the Switchfoot Christmas package, which has become a regular gift for me each December. Perhaps these songs might not have fit in with the rest of the album, or they couldn't find the right place to stick 'em on in the track order. "Slipping Away" is decent, and I think it fits the movie soundtrack very well. The scene the song is featured in is perfect. The song's alright, but if you're going to put on some Switchfoot, it's not going to be one of the first songs you will automatically go to.
What I'm about to say next could offend some people. I think "BA55" is overrated. It's a good song, but I don't think it's one of the top songs on this record. It's got a nice guitar riff in it and it is kind of relaxing and chill. But I think there are a fair amount of songs on this record that are better than it. Just about every album has 1-3 songs that will become "a must" at every concert. Which means that when they are touring in a few years, there will be a song or songs, from an album that they will need to play to satisfy people at each show (Why "Oh! Gravity. is not one of these songs is still a mystery to me). My point though, is that if I'm at a show in a few years, and this song gets the nod over "Love Alone is Worth the Fight", "Who We Are", "When We Come Alive", "The World You Want", "Let It Out", "Back to the Beginning Again" or "Saltwater Heart", I will be very disappointed. Maybe this one will grow on me, and I'll understand what all the hoopla is all about, but as for me it's just another Switchfoot song (which isn't a bad place to be in) to me.
Perhaps the next song on this record is the best. "Let It Out" is a windows-down, cruising-around-with-your-buddies-in-the-summer, kind of song. It's an absolute blast. It's a lot of fun and when it got played at the concert, my friends and I went wild. A month later, we were sitting in Applebee's and couldn't help but get giddy hearing it played over the speakers. We had hope that this could become a top 40 hit summer song. That summer sound I was talking about is captured perfectly in this song. I also love the dynamics of bringing the tempo down, slowing down the song, and then coming right back with the exciting "LET IT OUT!" scream.
"All Or Nothing At All" is another good one. I love the beat. I like the lyrics a lot too. It's a good song about how God doesn't want us to be "lukewarm." He wants all of us or none of us. He doesn't want us to be iffy, just like love. You don't want to marry somebody that "sorta" loves you and then goes around and sleeps around and cheats on you with other people. You want to be with someone that gives you all of them. This doubles as a great song about romantic love and God's great love for his children.
"Saltwater Heart" is a popular one on this record. As it should be. Another great song about God's love for us and his relationship with us and the freedom that is found in Christ. The other great thing about the song is it sounds like it's title. It sounds like the ocean. That is very evident at the end of the song.
"Back to the Beginning Again" is a perfect way to close out to this album. It's epic. I love the lyrics, and as I re-listened to this album to write this album review, I saw that this is my top-played song from the album on my iTunes. It sounds like the perfect cross between Hello Hurricane, Nothing is Sound, and Learning to Breathe. Which reminds me..
This album does have a bit of that Hello Hurricane sound to it. People that liked Hello Hurricane, are also going to like this album. While it's similar to Hello Hurricane, it's also different. It's new. What I love about Switchfoot, is that they change up stuff and try new things. Nine albums later and they're still impressing me. They aren't running out of ideas. They're just as good as they were eleven years ago when they broke out with their Beautiful Letdown album. I might have been a little tough on some of the songs I reviewed. I might have called songs "overrated" or just average. But an average Switchfoot song in my opinion is better than an average song by most others bands!
Going back to the "must" at concerts question I brought up earlier. When me and my buddies saw them play a couple months ago, a couple of us made signs requesting some of our favorite songs by them that we knew otherwise wouldn't get played. My pick was "Faust, Midas, and Myself" and his was "Easier than Love." Jon Foreman pointed at our signs and smiled throughout the show as we raised them up in between songs, in hopes that he would actually play one. He even looked the "Easier than Love" sign and said "I don't know how to play that song anymore." I don't doubt that. Sadly neither of these great songs are "musts" from their albums. They've slipped through the cracks.
What songs from this album do I think are a must, if I could only choose three? I think you've got to have "Let It Out." It's too fun. You can't not have it. "Who We are" would get the nod from me, so that's two. The last one is tricky. "Back to the Beginning Again" would be a great song to close a show with, but they will never close with a song other than "Where I Belong." The guys have said that they want that to be the last song they ever play. And rightfully so. It's a beautiful, top 10 Switchfoot song. They didn't play "Back to the Beginning Again" when I saw them, and it is tough to picture that song be played and it not being the closing song. Maybe it could work as the last song before they do an encore. I don't know. But I'm over-thinking it. Sorry "Love Alone is Worth the Fight", but I'm going with "Back to the Beginning Again" here. For concerts I like songs with high-energy, and this song is exactly that. However, if I had to tell you what songs will ACTUALLY be the "musts" in a few years, "Love Alone is Worth the Fight" would be number one, "Who We Are" would be number two, and "Let it Out"/"BA55" will be number three. And if "BA55" is a "must", in three or four years my friend Mike and I will be holding signs that say "Back to the Beginning Again" and "Let It Out". But I guess those are the problems you have--too many good songs--when you have a good album.
So how good is this album? I'm not going to say it's the best thing they have ever made. I have a lot of difficulty picking a favorite of the Switchfoot albums because they're all so special in their own way. They are all good. And the streak of good albums continues with this gem. If you were to put a gun to my head and I had to give it a rating of 1-10, I'd probably go with an 8.5. It's not perfect, but it's a good, fun album. Honestly, I can't wait for the next album they will eventually release! I want to hear those songs that didn't make the Fading West cut. I'm also interested in seeing what kind of direction they go in. This album was a little bit more on the pop-side of rock. It was a fun change-up. Because of that, some people don't like it as much or aren't crazy about it. But I really like it. 8.5.
So how did you like the album? What are your "musts" at a Switchfoot concert? I would love to hear your thoughts on Fading West! Comment below or check our Facebook fan page. Or you can tweet me your thoughts @vellvita7!
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