Twists n’ Turns
They open with “Meant To Live” - a heavy anthem-like sound, brilliantly matched against vocals that are “lighter” then you’d expect, but provide a perfect balance to their sound. The music comes in waves that’ll bowl you over and the brilliantly penned vocals are in your head before you know it.
They achieve a completely different sound in “This Is Your Life”, where electro beats move through the number with the vocals providing yet another contrast. From it’s initial sound you’d expect it all to be so different, but this use of contrast is what Switchfoot are all about. “More than Fine” is another example but as it picks up pace this number appears to loose some of it’s magic. The same can be said for “Dare You To Move” has great waves of sounds but where these are absent it does have a tendency to meander.
“Redemption” has an almost country feel, but is far too light. If you like that sound it’s a good number, but otherwise the sound is reminiscent of a more pop sound. This leads on to “The Beautiful Letdown”. It’s excellently written and beautifully presented, but at 5 mins 21 secs it’s too long.
“Ammunition” takes you again through this metamorphosis of sound with an excellent upbeat chorus that drives itself home to your head. And “Adding to the Noise” has an indie beat to it and is light in nature and content and although they play it well there is a lack of that certain something here.
The contrasts continue with “Gone”. This one has great differences in rhythm and sound, and will leave you with both the words and music stuck in your head, with lines like “Gone, like Frank Sinatra, Elvis and his mom. Like Al Pacino’s cash, nothing lasts in this life” that are inspired.
“On Fire” is one of those ‘lighter waving’ moments. But having said that, it lacks the depth that it could have. There is an almost ‘U2’ feel within this number. Heavy on the sincerity. Whilst “Twenty-Four” is an absolute gem. This is the “tears” and “group hug” special. Emotion is here in bucket loads, coupled with vocals that really work the lyrics - “Singing spirit take me up in arms with you. You’re raising the dead in me”. A perfect ending.
Having said all this there is one underlying feature to this album, and that is although the vocals are excellent they have a “sameness” that over a whole album begins to cause you to lose concentration. As a series of singles it works but there is a darkness that’s missing.