Switchfoot "Vice Verses"

After the nonsensical, and slightly impossible pleasantries given to the hurricane, they return. Their previous effort sounded like one landed in the studio with songs from one edgier end of the spectrum to the smoother, softer sound. This album not only seems more consistent, but has some added muscle to their sound, and still manages to try different things too. If the previous was released after this record it would have been a letdown, but since Vice Verses was released after (which is the way it should be) it was a step up. This album may be free of a song with that type of transcendence, attitude and longevity, but again makes up for it with a record where over half of it is worth listening multiples upon multiples. After tasting that fire Switchfoot comes alive, but unfortunately it is in the “Afterlife.” Thankfully, they can preach that every day there is a chance to change your fate; live for your future, but live life while in the present as well. You may not get over this, but Lindsay Lohan comes to mind. While the opener was strong, what followed seemed to be derived from “The Original” energy that the band based its first projects on, and Foreman sounds as confident as ever. Some might be conflicted by hearing of “The War Inside” many of us face daily, but to traditional fans they may be more conflicted with the hip hop flavor (instrumentals and vocals); I like it, but what is even cooler is that they open one of the x-files by hitting the right keys in code (not exactly, but still). I admit, I get a little “Restless” listening to this track, but I could feel that way after hearing of your love (which is a song). Either it’s the “Blinding Light,” or just my convoluted thoughts, but I think of the Jonas Brothers as a needle in a haystack of influences. Track three was only a warm up because Foreman’s delivery is more focused on rhymes, and the instrumentals are even more engaging with gestalt in mind. The next song sounds like the perfect anthem for those known to live with the urge of committing suicide or suffer from intense depression; the nonchalant blues of this next tune might encourage you to “Thrive” instead of just trying to survive. These “Dark Horses” seem to fly away like that of a p****** off Pegasus who has a love for that grungy bass, minimal yet opposite of tenuous, and some high octane hey! The instrumentals in this next song are really upbeat, have a pop-punk sheen, and sounds like the passage before the two minute mark might have been used before; I “Rise Above It” though. The title track is a song that may take several listens to grow on you, but while it may seem derivative of songs written before, the “Vice Verses” may not have its poignancy. “Where I Belong” may be a tame finish to the end of the record, but it can be seen as a beautiful sunrise to a revitalized career, and a transcendent sing-along. My Favorites: The Original, The War Inside, Selling The News, Thrive, Dark Horses, and Rise Above It.