Switchfoot has become a household name beyond the confines of the church. On release day of their eighth studio album, Vise Verses, many industry big names tweeted and promoted the band’s latest release.

The critics and early listeners had been collecting a lot of steam, writing it was Switchfoot’s best and most-genius work yet. So I had to give it a listen and see if I agreed.

After a quick run-through it was clear, Vice Verses, was a rhythmic-driven rock album integrating a force of thick drums and bass, loud fuzz and distorted guitars, and the dynamic vocal capabilities of Jon Foreman.

The record opens with crunch-ridden guitars with an anthem titled “Afterlife,” a song that questions why oneself waits until the afterlife to truly live when we can start living now. One of the choice tracks from the album is “Restless.” The song is a beautiful piece of songwriting, “Until the sea of glass we meet, at last completed and complete, where the tide and tear and pain subside and laughter drinks them dry.” Another treat is “Selling the News,” although it may ruffle some  feathers, it marks today’s age of media in a creative setting. “Thrive” is another beautifully honest track about pushing for more, “No, I’m not alright, I know that I’m not right. Feel like I travel but I never arrive, I wanna thrive not just survive.” A real story-telling song with a realness that anyone can relate to is “Souvenirs.” The breathe-taking title-track proceeds, before closing out with “Where I Belong.”

Vice Verses not only showcases magnificent lyrical songwriting, with analogies that only Jon Foreman could craft with such elegance and understanding, but also a brilliant musical performance.

To sum up the album, it’s powerful, honest, and musically excellent.

The record’s underlying messages express faith, hope, honesty, anticipation of greater things, and in the generalist sense, life. All of these characteristics are a welcomed sight and are backed by the raw energy in the music. The passion in the record is not just heard, it’s felt. So does it meet the hype surrounding the release, no, it surpasses it!

Remember in 2003 when The Beautiful Letdown blew up the radio and Switchfoot was put on the map as a premier act? Vice Verses has that kind of caliber encased within. It leaves me to ask, to what heights is this band heading to, what avenues will God bring from this record, time will only tell.

Released on September 27, 2011 with lowercase people / Atlantic Records.

Editor’s Rating
99/100