Switchfoot returns to Asheville and Charlotte with a brand new album and DVD.
Lately at Scene SC there has been a lot of discussion about the music of the past decade, and no such discussion would be complete without Switchfoot. The band broke into the mainstream in 2003 with A Beautiful Letdown, riding hit single “Meant to Live” to double platinum status. The success of the album propelled the band to national tours and four more releases in the 2000’s, including an independently released “Best of” album. The guys recently followed up their 2006 release Oh Gravity with Hello Hurricane, and by all accounts it is another solid effort.
Switchfoot was first recognized for their unique blend of synth and energetic rock. While Oh Gravity bucked the drum machines and synth sounds for a raw approach, Hello Hurricane is a return to form. This is evidenced from the start, as the opener “Needle and Haystack Life” teases a big rock explosion but transitions seamlessly into a drum machine backed verse. It doesn’t take long for the song to reach the energy expected from Switchfoot, and from there the album rarely lets up. John Foreman’s signature vocal style shines throughout, especially on rocker “The Sound,” which is possibly one of the best “fist pumping in the air” songs that Switchfoot has put out. These high flying rockers are what Switchfoot is perhaps best known for, but they are as comfortable making noise as they are with the stirring string laden track “Always” and the somber, yet dynamic synth driven track “Sing It Out.”
Speaking of “Always” and “Sing It Out,” the band has always been one of the best, if not the best, Christian acts to make waves in the mainstream. They accomplished this through positive messages with spiritual undertones, and long time fans will be glad to know that they haven’t stopped yet. All in all it is a relief to hear a band still being true to themselves as artists. The album is holds to the band’s synth rock style, but features more than enough surprises to show that the band is still growing.
In addition to Hello Hurricane, the band has also recently released their third live DVD as a follow up to their The Best Yet release. While fans will certainly enjoy the DVD, this week there are two opportunities to see them live as they arrive in Charlotte, NC on Thursday and Asheville, NC on Friday. The band has taken a different approach with this tour, abandoning the traditional opener in favor of two sets of their own material. One set will be the entirety of Hello Hurricane with the other being hits and fan favorites from their long career. With seven albums of material to pull from, the shows are sure to please fans both new and old.
December 3rd, 2009
Amos’ Southend, Charlotte, NC: Tickets
December 4th, 2009
The Orange Peel, Asheville, NC: Tickets
-Stephen Russ, Scene SC Staff
