Switchfoot | Vice Verses
by Mark Allen
Staff Writer
Switchfoot, the award-winning, multi-platinum, subtly-Christian, inexplicably-popular modern/alternative rock band, have finally done it. Over a decade into their career, the California crooners have finally ventured out of their comfort zone and written a bona-fide hard rock anthem. “Dark Horses” is the first single off this new release, Vice Verses, and any modern hard rock fan who hears the crunchy, distorted guitars and big, gang vocal-powered chorus will be properly impressed.
Well, until they listen to the rest of the album…
Is it unfair to criticize Switchfoot for not being heavy enough? You could probably put forth a justifiable argument either way, but the reality is, this site is called Hardrock Haven, emphasis on the word “hard,” so taking a band to task for being too lightweight is not only acceptable, it is expected. What should also be expected, given the rather mellow, pop-oriented nature of Vice Verses, is that hard rock enthusiasts are going to hate this album, or, at best, ignore it with a dismissive shrug. Hard-edged commercial single aside, this is the same old boring blah-rock Switchfoot has been putting out for the last ten-plus years. Worse, they have upped the lameness factor by incorporating elements of reggae, techno, pop, rap, and even spoken word, and the result is a jarring lack of cohesion.
The greater sin, at least when judged according to the gospel of the hard rock congregation, is that the album lacks any sort of an edge. Switchfoot promised Vice Verses would be driven by the bass and rhythms and that’s generally true, but this is still boring, banal, soccer mom-approved rock that occupies that “lite rock” space alongside the likes of Dave Matthews Band or Goo Goo Dolls. Sure, the band’s surfer-boy looks and non-offensive nature may make the girls swoon and be passably suitable for a church youth group seeking some non-feather-ruffling pseudo-rock to spice up their Friday night roller derby, but for true hard rock aficionados, this is scoff-worthy stuff.
However, if the music of Switchfoot is weaker than an atrophied accident victim waking up from a ten year coma, their lyrics are surprisingly strong. This band has never been content with cookie-cutter lyrics, sidestepping standard-issue “boy meets girls” themes in favor of cracking open life’s facade and digging deeper beneath the surface. They are poetic in their quest to express their faith and the questions of life as filtered through their collective mind. Take the refrain of the title track for instance, which explores the painful complications and paradoxes of life: “You’ve got your babies / I’ve got my hearses / Every blessing comes / With a set of curses.” Later, on one of several brooding ballads (these guys really like to brood), the band agonizingly laments, “Even my blood finds a way to bleed.” The band’s lyrical skill is undeniable, but the stimulating provocations struggle in vain to overcome the tedious music being used to carry the message. Making listeners scramble for the “Skip” button—or more likely, the “Off” button—is not the best way to get your point across.
Switchfoot probably deserve a little against-the-grain credit for not doing what everyone else is doing, for attempting something creative even if that creativity failed to pay dividends. If you’re tired of the Nickelback/Hinder clones clogging up modern rock radio and are simply looking for something that skews a little different, then maybe this will suffice as a brief diversion. Otherwise, hard rock fans are advised to download the single “Dark Horses” and then shuffle their feet in the opposite direction of this album without so much as a backward glance.
Genre: Modern / Alternative Rock
Band:
Jon Foreman (lead vocals, guitar)
Tim Foreman (bass guitar, backing vocals)
Chad Butler (drums, percussion)
Jerome Fontamillas (guitar, keyboards, backing vocals)
Drew Shirley (guitar, backing vocals)
Track Listing:
1. Afterlife
2. The Original
3. The War Inside
4. Restless
5. Blinding Light
6. Selling the News
7. Thrive
8. Dark Horses
9. Souvenirs
10. Rise Above It
11. Vice Verses
12. Where I Belong
Webpage: www.switchfoot.com
Label: Atlantic Records
Hardrock Haven rating: 3/10