Top 10 Switchfoot Songs

By: James Southworth

Even if I wasn't as big on "Native Tongue" in comparison to most of Switchfoot's backing catalog, I can't deny the influence so many of their songs had on me. They were one of the first bands I remember ever hearing on the radio and falling in love with. I sort of had a falling out with their music in my early teenage years for whatever reason, but I returned back to them much more significantly when "Vice Verses" came out (my third favorite Switchfoot album). With their new album having come out so recently, I thought it was fitting to do another top 10. Remember, this is just my opinion. Here is my list!

Honorable Mentions: "Mess of Me", "24", "The War Inside", "Ba55", "Oh! Gravity", "Prodigal Soul", "If The House Burns Down Tonight", "Thrive", "Red Eyes", "Meant to Live", "The Blues", "Lonely Nation"

10. "Awakening" (Oh! Gravity)

Out of all of Switchfoot's releases, I would say the one that is the most infamously controversial is "Oh! Gravity". I would debate that controversy is for good reason. While I don't necessarily dislike the album, it was a pretty mixed bag of weird takes on the rock/alternative genre. There were some gems on there though, especially this track. If you don't love the epic, anthemic side of Switchfoot, then I'm not sure what's wrong with you. This track is so much fun for that reason. You just feel like you have to sing along with it; the chorus is almost instantaneously catchy. The guitars in this track are some of the most unbridled on any Switchfoot song. Jon Foreman sounds like he's having a simply great time on vocals. There's an obvious reason why this song continues to be one of the band's most popular, as well as one of the only ones that's heavily remembered from "Oh! Gravity". Chances are you may have heard this song and not even realized it. Check it out if you haven't.

9. "This Is Home" (The Best Yet)

Anytime I hear this song, I can't help but get emotional. I think probably the main reason for that is this song connects to the movie "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe", one of my favorite movies of all time (and also what I consider to be the best book to movie adaptation ever). I tend to not like it when bands try to take themes from a movie in to their own music, because often times it comes across as forced. Not for Switchfoot, though. I think this mainly comes in the powerful lyricism here, easily some of the band's best: "Belief over misery/I've seen the enemy/And I won't go back/Back to how it was/And I got my heart set on what happens next". This song looks very optimistically towards finding a new sense of home rather than focusing on the horrible things that have happened in the past. I like that the song subtly reveals how the idea of 'home' isn't a place; rather, it's the people that surround you and care about you. The whole band is firing on all cylinders here, delivering a beautiful gut punch of a track that is more than worthy of a spot on my list.

8. "The Setting Sun" (Nothing Is Sound)

Out of all the cuts I have on my list, this is the one that I view as the most underrated, as well as one of the band's most overlooked songs in general. There's something about this track that just screams nostalgia to me. It's not like I heard this song much when I was younger (I heard cuts like "Meant To Live" and "Dare You To Move" way more). But still, just the way the song sounds makes me feel like I'm young again. Once you delve past the musicality of this song, you encounter a track that is one of the band's darkest and most honest. That's fitting, because this song comes off of the band's darkest- and best, in my opinion- album, "Nothing Is Sound". This cut works perfectly in context of the album, as Foreman talks very frankly about how he feels like he can never move on from his broken state: "I've got a wound that doesn't heal/Burning out again". But, Foreman refuses to let the darkness get the best of him, and instead tries to have a world-weary hopefulness about where he'll end up: "It won't be long, I belong/Somewhere past the setting sun/Finally free, finally strong". This is the aspect of Switchfoot I like the most: they are brutally honest about the hurt we all have, but they are also think there is a chance to move past all that through our relationships with God and each other.

7. "Needle and Haystack Life" (Hello Hurricane)

The opening to "Hello Hurricane" found the band wanting to redefine their sound after feeling it was severely compromised somewhere in the mix between "The Beautiful Letdown" and "Oh! Gravity". The band felt like they needed to reinvigorate themselves. This album came out at a pretty devastating point in certain parts of America, during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. This song opens the album on just the right note: brimming with joy and excitement for what the future can bring. The band discusses how in the aftermath of a disaster, the world can have the potential to live again in a unique way. What works most about this song is its sound. It is so classically Switchfoot in every sense of the word, and yet it's also entirely new sounding. The subtle electronic flares work, and the dynamic bass work is incredible. I adore the chorus to this song, as Foreman is able to let his vocals soar to some heights that we hadn't seen in the past. This song has an atmosphere to it that does make it feel perfect to listen to on the beach, which I think was exactly the band's intent.

6. "Dark Horses" (Vice Verses)

Even though this is the only song from "Vice Verses" on this list, I can't emphasize enough that I really love that album. It saw Switchfoot doing some really incredible things sonically, amping up their sound to an almost hard rock level. And in other places, the album became the softest the band had ever been, which sort of embodies perfectly the release's title. "Dark Horses" will always hold a special place in my heart, because it is the song that brought me back to Switchfoot after a couple of years where I wasn't actively listening to them. This song's title is abundantly fitting, as like a dark horse, this song itself was not looked at as a song that would be one of the band's more popular singles, and yet it became so. The guitar riff in this cut is one of the band's most iconic. It cuts hard, while still having a nice radio ready accessibility to it. The chorus is excellent, probably one of my favorite ever choruses from the band. Foreman also lets his voice near screaming at times, which is something that he so rarely does. Everything about this song goes against what Switchfoot does normally, which is why I like it so much.

5. "Politicians" (Nothing Is Sound)

And yet, for as hard rocking as "Dark Horses" is, "Politicians" is in a category all of its own. I think this is undoubtedly Switchfoot's most intense song to date, on both a lyrical and a musical level. Musically, the guitar riffs get the closest to crossing the boundaries between hard rock and metal. The drums pound away, and Jon Foreman does actually scream on the track. Out of all the songs I listen to frequently by the band, this is one of the ones I come back to the most. I think this song is dishearteningly relevant to the modern age, perhaps even more so now than when it first came out. That's saying something, because this album came out in a pretty dark and hopeless political era. "Nothing Is Sound" as a whole album would have honestly fit fine in 2018 and 2019 for multiple reasons. This track sees John calling out America for the hateful and hopeless place it can be in a darkly satirical way: "I pledge allegiance to a country without borders, without politicians/Watching for my sky to get torn apart". He doesn't let anyone get by for their culpability in creating such a hopeless landscape, saying "We're the problem, we're the politicians/Watching for our sky to get torn apart/C'mon and break me". He even goes so far as to call himself out as a 'politician'. This song lets no one go unscathed, and for that reason it's entirely justified in its anger. This song is the type that we need more of. You can tell listening to this that it came out of a rare moment of pessimism and hopelessness from Foreman, two philosophies that are pretty much antithesis to who he and the band are. But sometimes, we need the hard, bitter pills to swallow in order to even have a chance for the opposite side of the coin to occur. What an incredible song.

4. "The Beautiful Letdown" (The Beautiful Letdown)

With how much I praised the previous song, you have to know that I significantly love these other four tracks above it. The title track from the band's most famous album is so loved by fans, and for legitimately good reason. This song does have a sense of dark honesty to it like "Politicians". But, instead of wading in the hopelessness, here Foreman chooses to see failures in his life as someone who just makes him human. We are all imperfect, and we have to accept ourselves as such. This song also seems like a deeply personal testimony for Jon about his relationship with God. Jon discusses how he wants to give his soul to God who sees him as beautiful even though he fails. I think the best thing about this song is its deceptive simplicity. For the most part, it is only a solid bass groove, some wavering electronics, and Jon's soothing vocal performance. The simplicity of the music does well to bring out the complexity in the lyrical content. I love pretty much everything about this song; it is an excellent listening experience.

3. "Where The Light Shines Through" (Where The Light Shines Through)

I put this as my favorite song of 2016, and I still stand by that decision. Looking back on it, 2016 seemed positively bright and happy compared to how 2017 and 2018 were as far as the emotions of America went. I didn't know just how much I would need this song in the coming years. The bright acoustic guitars help give this song the upbeat pop/rock feel it needs. This song gives the listeners a powerful message: "The wound is where the light shines through". I just can't help but love all the implications of this line. The band does acknowledge that our world does have collective brokenness; we have a wound. And yet, in that wound there can be a sense of redemption that can come out of it. Some people could see this as very dismissive of people's struggles, but I see it as the opposite. Just because there is redemption out of the wound doesn't mean that the wound is immediately healed. Instead, healing and reconciliation, for Switchfoot, is a long process that comes through addressing the possibilities of good in the wound rather than letting it fester. This is a beautiful message that I think almost anyone can get behind, as it brings across a unifying and compelling idea.

2. "Free" (Hello Hurricane)

I really wish that Switchfoot did more of a bluesy style of music more often (the only other track they have really done so is on the superb cut "The Blues"). This song is incredibly unique in the band's discography as a whole, and became a quick fan favorite on "Hello Hurricane". This was for very understandable reasons. For one, musically it sounds like the whole band is having fun. The guitar riffs are some of the most creative, the bass groove is sweet, the drumming perfectly accentuates the moods of the song, and the electronics add to the feel of the song in intriguing ways. I think this song more than many Switchfoot songs is a showcase for Foreman's vocals, though. You can tell he's having a fun time with this track, getting to sing in a way that he doesn't usually have the chance to attempt. There's a confident swagger to his voice, but he doesn't let the confidence come across as annoyingly egostistical. The song also interestingly combines blues with an almost gospel feel especially in the chorus. There is also a sense of desperation to this song, as Jon calls out to God to set him free from the mental prison he's in. From the mood of the song, you get the feeling that he does get set free, which makes this song an absolute victory cry.

1. "Stars" (Nothing Is Sound) 

I really don't care if this is a cliched pick for a number one spot or not. From the first time I heard this track, not only did I know it would always and forever be my favorite Switchfoot song, but it would also be one of my favorite songs of all time. The raucous guitar riff and drum work shows the band paying clear tribute to classic rock. This song feels timeless for that reason, like I could return to it twenty years from now and it would still feel fresh. This song is also one of the band's most deeply philosophical, as Jon questions whether his existence as a person only matters to him or matters in the grand scheme of things at all: "Maybe I've been the problem/Maybe I'm the one to blame/But even when I turn it off and blame myself/The outcome feels the same". And yet, for all the complex questions Jon asks himself, when he looks at the cosmic vastness of the stars he sees "someone else". The 'someone' he's talking about here is clearly God, which makes him realize that maybe his problems aren't significant in the vast majority of the universe, and maybe that's okay. That doesn't mean his problems aren't relevant, nor that people's problems as a collective don't matter. I think what the band is trying to say here is that God does care about what we're going through, but the mistakes we make don't put us past forgiveness or his love. We are significant. The sins and issues we go through will pale in comparison when we pursue an infinite and holistic relationships with God and one another. This is such a heartwarming message, presented through an epic chorus that is endlessly fun to scream along to in a live setting. When I look to the stars, I hope I can see someone else, too.

There you have it- my top 10 Switchfoot songs. What does your list look like? I encourage you to listen to all of my list, and then if you haven't heard any of the band's music, listen to even more if you like what you hear!

Bring Me The Horizon "amo" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 3/5 Stars

For better or for worse, there are many metal/rock bands out there right now that have been doing regime changes on their sound. I'd argue that one of the bands that really made this trend gain traction was Bring Me The Horizon. They are one of the bands who's probably had the most significant changes over the years. They started off as a deathcore band, but started becoming a totally different breed of music with "Sempiternal" (the album that introduced me to the band and is still my favorite by them). This release heavily divided fans, and the divide became even wider with the more straight up rock/electronic effort "That's The Spirit". I personally really like both of these albums, so I was intrigued to see what BMTH would do with what they called their most pop inspired record, "amo".

The best singular word I can use to describe the listening experience of this release is "perplexing". I still am not entirely sure whether I like or dislike more of this release, which is why my rating is straight down the middle. There are some tracks on here that I really enjoy for sure, and even at least one that I might put among the band's best work to date. The album starts off with one of its three electronic interludes, "i apologize if you feel something". If this were the first song you were to hear by this band, you could've never predicted they at one time were deathcore. This is the only interlude on the album I enjoy. I really think it sets an intriguing atmosphere for the rest of the album, and establishes the running theme of how 'love' can be a source for restoration or for serious hurt. After this we get the lead single "MANTRA". I definitely don't like this song as much as when I first heard it (in fact, I wouldn't consider it a significant highlight), but I will say that it's still a lot of rocking fun. The buzzing guitar riff and Oli's powerful vocals make this song sound like it would be right at home on "That's The Spirit". I also appreciate the screams that Oliver does a couple times throughout the song. After this song, we get a total change in pace with the dark pop cut "nihilist blues". This is honestly my favorite song on the album, maybe because it's the most out of left field change for the band yet. They took a big risk with this song and it pays off. The booming synths give this track a real feeling of dread; it's unsettling and is almost otherworldly. The off kilter vibe is helped by featured experimental artist Grimes, who only serves to make this song even more excellent. This song is one of the band's darkest cuts lyrically (which is saying something), as it delves full on into nihilism with some great writing: "A twitch in my spine, a mutual disorder/Isolation neophyte/Too afraid to taste your conscience/You march in the dark, little lamb to the slaughter". Lyrics like that, as well as Oli's ghostly falsetto and Grime's softly menacing voice actually sent cold chills up my spine. I really, really wish that there were more cuts on this album that gave me the passionate emotions that this one ignited in me. This album works best when the band fully embraces whatever sound they are going for, and this song is a perfect example of that.

There are several other songs that stick out for good reasons on this release. "wonderful life" has a delightfully satirical message to it. This is accentuated by Oli's vocal performance; I really like that he lets his British accent come out on it. This song has the most blistering guitar and drum work on the whole album, and stands out as the most intense moment on the whole album. It also helps that Dani Filth of the band Cradle of Filth is featured. His unique growls bring a different flavor to the part of the album he's featured in; he feel like he particularly brings out the satirical aspects the song has. The chorus of this track is definitely the one of the most catchy on the album, as it has this powerful quality that makes you want to sing along every time you hear it. "Medicine" was the first track on this album that really had a significant controversy behind it. I could see why this one is one of the most divisive among fans, as it has some of the most significant pop vibes behind it of any song on the album. And yet, I still really like the song quite a bit. The usage of peppy piano as well as a more pop/rock flavored guitar riff make the track legitimately fun. In the lyrical department, I'll admit this song is a bit cliched of a breakup anthem, but the solid musicality mainly makes up for it. The second half of the album is unfortunately a little bit weaker as the band mostly plays the pop tendencies safe, but there's two significant highlights here. "Mother Tongue" is another huge favorite of mine on the album, as it is one of the only BMTH songs that is legitimately optimistic in both lyricism and sound. One of my favorite cuts from "That's The Spirit" is "Follow You", and this song feels like a spiritual successor to it (even though "Mother Tongue" is about Oliver's new wife). This track is legitimately sweet, as the song even has some lyrics in Portuguese, the native language of Sykes's wife. I love the song musically, as the chorus in particular is big and anthemic. The album ends off on a positive note with the touching cut "i don't know what to say", which is a dedication to a close friend of Oli's who passed away from cancer. The song has beautiful orchestration and a wonderful guitar solo in it as well.

There are some really high points in this album, but there are also some incredibly low points. I will give BTMH credit where it's due: they fully embraced their foray into more pop friendly territory, sometimes for better, other times for worse. One of the most annoying aspects of the album are the multiple instrumental interludes. I've seen a lot of people compare "amo" to Linkin Park's "A Thousand Suns". On some levels, I can see where those people are coming from. But at least in ATS, the interludes there did create a sense of cohesion and connection. That is far from the case on this release. You could take out all the electronic interludes and absolutely nothing would change. "Ouch" is particularly annoying to me because of how it uses the lyrics of "Follow You" in a bitter fashion. Since the subject of the song was cheating on Oli, I can see why the song would not leave the best taste in his mouth, but it still just makes me mad that the message behind the song was upended in such an awful way. The vocals on the song are incredibly annoying. I really don't like "fresh bruises" either, a highly repetitive electronic interlude with a distorted vocal effect. This song goes on for three minutes, which is WAY too long. There are a couple full length songs that don't leave the best mark. "In the dark" is about as typical of a breakup anthem as I've ever heard. It is one of the most forgettable songs on the album, and no one in the band sounds super invested in it. "Sugar honey ice and tea" is my least favorite song on the album because the hook of the song makes me cringe. If you take the first four letters of the song, it spells out a certain word (but I'm sure you already figured that out). It's such an insipid and childish thing, and not remotely clever in the way the band was clearly trying to make it out to be. I hate the guitar work in the song, and the synths have an annoying quality to them. "Why you gotta kick me when i'm down" sees Oli trying-and failing- to take on the trap/rap style. Can bands please just stop latching on to this trend? BTMH adds nothing to this sound, as it sounds like every other trap cut ever. "Heavy metal" was a cut I originally started out liking, but it's rubbed me the wrong way the more I've thought about it. I get what the band is doing: they're calling out the BTMH fans who only want them to stay true to their deathcore sound, and don't accept change. I can't blame the band for being frustrated at a significant portion of their fan base, because there are so many of them that are straight up toxic. But this song doesn't feel like the best response. It feels like they're punching down to me; even though the band is in the right in some ways, being hateful and angry to your fans isn't the best move to make.

All in all, because of the major divide between legitimately great tracks and legitimately bad ones, I've been left unsure of how exactly I lean on this new Bring Me The Horizon album. I can't say that I'm indifferent about this album. I feel passionately about my feelings for most of the songs, whether those feelings are positive or negative. I can't say that I love the album, though, and I can't say I hate it either. So, I'm just sort of left scratching my head, something that an album doesn't make me do that often. I certainly recommend listening to the album, as it is one of the strangest listening experiences I've had in recent memory. The good tracks on here are really good and more than worth your time. Maybe we'll see BMTH deliver a masterful pop record in the future, but for now it looks like they're trying to wade in the waters of multiple genres and see what sticks. Whether that is an entirely good or bad thing, I can't say. I'll just leave it up to you, reader, to decide for yourself when you hear the album.

Favorite Songs: "nihilist blues", "mother tongue", "wonderful life", "i don't know what to say", "medicine"
Least Favorite Songs: "sugar honey ice & tea", "ouch", "why you gotta kick me when i'm down?", "fresh bruises"

Switchfoot "Native Tongue" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 3/5 Stars

Switchfoot is possibly one of the most consistent bands in terms of their ability to appeal to both Christian and secular audiences. Their albums are written in such a way that both sides of the coin can get something to love out of them, which is probably why the band continues to be universally loved. Jon Foreman has been able to craft lyrics that have powerful truths to them that many people can latch on to. For the most part, Switchfoot's albums haven't ever felt particularly watered down even though the writing does have a wide reach. I've at least generally enjoyed most of the band's albums, with the exceptions of "Fading West" and "Oh! Gravity". Many of the band's albums I love, particularly "Nothing Is Sound" and "Vice Verses". Switchfoot announced only two years ago they were going on a "hiatus". Apparently that term doesn't hold much water anymore, because two-three years is a very normal length to wait between album cycles. But I'm still not gonna complain when a new album from this band is announced. Unfortunately, while not horrible by any means, "Native Tongue" still feels very middle of the road and safe- especially for a band who has typically done well at experimenting while staying true to their central sound.

It's hard for me to say I was incredibly impressed by a significant amount of songs on this album, but I also can't say that there were a lot of songs that I passionately disliked (with two significant exceptions). The opening track "Let It Happen" is easily one of the best on the album, and one of the only songs that has really stayed with me on repeat listens of the album. It sees the more rocking side of the band (which unfortunately we don't see too often on this release), and that's a side of this band I always like to experience. The song has a nice pounding guitar riff in the verses, and Jon sounds excellent vocally in the second verse in particular. The chorus of this song is simplistic in structure, but I think it works in its simplicity. It serves as a sort of desperately hopeful cry for the album, begging for a sense of love and unity to come to fruition in a divided world. Switchfoot has always been band with a lot of optimism, and they've always done a good job of not letting that positivity come across as excessively idealistic. I also really do like the lead single/title track. This song does remind me of Imagine Dragons when they were actually good. I like the driving drum beat that makes this song feel very fun to sing along with. The chorus of the song is one of the most catchy on the album. This song feels like a logical progression for Switchfoot, as it updates their sound for the more electronic dominated musical landscape. But it still keeps a lot of their central sound in tact, so the song still has a sound that is distinctly Switchfoot. My favorite part of this song actually comes in the outro, which has a darker musical atmosphere and some of the best lyrics on this release as a whole: "I want the world to sing in her native tongue/To sing it like when we were young/Back before the pendulum had swung to the shadows/I want the world to sing in her native tongue/Maybe we could learn to sing along". This lyrical moment effectively encompasses the main themes of the album: that the world needs to go back to a sense of real love instead of embracing the darkness. It may not be the most profound way to present this message, but I think the usage of metaphor and visual imagery bring this theme across in a way that really works. "Dig New Streams" sees the band going in a sort of off-kilter sound that reminds me of some of the better moments of "Oh! Gravity". This cut is definitely a weird cut that took me a few times to get used to, but once I started liking it, I really appreciated it. The loud, grungy guitar work stands out as a unique moment in an album that doesn't have a whole lot of "wow" factor.

The best song on the album comes in "Prodigal Soul", which has Jon Foreman's best vocal performance on the album, and maybe one of my favorite performances from him in general. Using the Biblical story of the prodigal son as a personal narrative for one's own life isn't a new topic by any means, but it all comes down to the powerful presentation. The reason this song works is because of the emotional gravitas it has throughout, with the acoustic guitar doing a great job at accentuating the power in Jon's vocals. I love the final time the chorus is repeated in this track, as Jon's vocals swell to new heights. The lyrics are simple and beautiful, which is exactly what this song needed: "I'm a prodigal soul/And I want to come home/I can't make it alone/Won't you bring me home?". This song is a classic Switchfoot ballad in every since of the word. I can see people loving it just as much as cuts like "Your Love is a Song" and "Restless". Unfortunately after this song, there aren't too many tracks that really stuck out to me, but there are still some decent cuts. "The Hardest Art" sees the band really going full on into an electronic sound, and it works pretty well. I think that featured vocalist Kaela Sinclair is probably the standout factor that makes this song work. I also feel like there's a real sense of sincerity in the prayerful cut "The Strength to Let Go". While the song isn't necessarily anything to write home about, I still did like the sentiments the song was expressing.

As you can tell, with the exception of a couple of songs here, there wasn't really a whole lot I could say with a lot of enthusiasm about the positive parts of the album. That's a real shame to me, because three years ago the band released "Where The Light Shines Through", which I felt was a real return to form after the mainly underwhelming "Fading West". This album unfortunately is front loaded with some of the weakest material that the band has released. "All I Need" is one of the most generic CCM tracks I've ever heard. I can't believe that I complained about "Live It Well" from the band's last album. While it's still not one of my favorites from the least album, at least that track had a sense of urgency to it in the chorus. This song is just really boring, and feels very by the numbers. The song really tries to force its message with comfortable buzzwords in the chorus. From the first time I heard this song, it was eye roll worthy. But the worst song on the album, and probably one of my least favorite songs from Switchfoot in general, is "Voices". This track is just disastrous, as Jon tries his hardest to copy twenty one pilots by doing a sing-rap vocal style. It does not work, and it makes this song sound like it's awkwardly attempting to appeal to a younger audience. The song is also incredibly repetitive, saying the title of the song way too much. The electronic effects are obnoxious, and the drumming is dull. Most of the other weak songs here aren't as cringe inducing as "All I Need" and "Voices", but that doesn't make them good. Cuts like "Joy Invincible", "Wonderful Feeling", "Take My Fire", and "Oxygen" all feel like they have potential, but they don't ever fully deliver on it. "We're Gonna Be Alright" is pretty annoying and cheesy; thankfully, the song is relatively short. "You're The One I Want" is a very disappointing closer from a band who is known for ending off most of their releases on incredibly epic notes. This song is only 2 minutes, and cannot possibly compare to a closer like "Where I Belong" or "Red Eyes".

Like I said in the beginning of my review, this album is very middling in terms of its quality. There are some genuinely great songs on here. But there are also tracks that just come across as forgettable, and a couple that are pretty bad. I can't say that I'm too offended by anything on this album. There are several songs on here I can see myself coming back to, and there are many others that I won't be visiting any time soon. In terms of Switchfoot's discography as a whole, "Native Tongue" is definitely one of their weakest releases. I wouldn't say it's quite as underwhelming as "Fading West", but it may actually be a little weaker than "Oh! Gravity". If you are a loyal Switchfoot fan, then I would say to give this album a try, as fans do seem to be pretty divided in terms of how they feel on this album. For me, at least, this release is just a bit disappointing because of the quality I've come to expect from these veteran rockers. I'll come back to the tracks I really like, but probably not much else.

Favorite Songs: "Prodigal Soul", "Native Tongue", "Let It Happen", "Dig New Streams", "The Hardest Art"
Least Favorite Songs: "Voices", "All I Need", "We're Gonna Be Alright", "You're The One I Want"

Palisades "Erase The Pain" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 4/5 Stars

One of the most pleasant surprises for music in 2017 was Palisades' self-titled album. At the beginning of their career, I was interested to see where they would go, but when they released their sophomore release "Mind Games", most hope I had for the band was burned to the ground. I only went to their self-titled out of a small shred of optimism that maybe they could improve. And man, was I glad that my expectations were blown away. Their self-titled showed the band at a completely new level they'd never been at before, with a potent and mature electronic rock sound to boot. I still return to this album frequently, and that's because almost every song has something about it to love. So, I was undeniably excited to see where Palisades would go with "Erase My Pain". With their self-titled, I predicted that they titled it with their own band name for a reason: the sound/lyrical content was going to be the what they'd be going for on their following releases. My prediction proved to be mainly right. Even though "Erase The Pain" strips away most of the electronic flourishes, what we get is still an excellent hard rock album that is thoroughly addicting from start to finish. There are very minimal bumps in the road along the way.

This album gets off to a great start with "Vendetta", which gives you a pretty good idea of how this album is going to sound. This track establishes a lot of the things I like about this album: the catchy choruses, pulse-pounding guitar riffs, and lead vocalist Lou Miceli's sounding as awesome as ever. If there's one significant change to the album, it is actually to Miceli's vocals. In their previous album, he adopted a more smooth, pop/rock sound, which worked very well for that album's style. For this album, his voice has a lot more grit, and he screams a lot more. This is the best change in this album, and it's actually the one aspect of it that I think I like better than the self-titled. "Vendetta" establishes the main theme of the album: that people often try to force us to change who we are essentially, and that we have to stand for what we believe in. The lyrics echo this theme in a nice way, and the intense instrumentation serves to accentuate it. The title track comes up next, and is definitely one of my top favorites on the album. It's the song that comes closest to sounding like something lifted straight up from the self-titled album, so I'm obviously going to be biased towards it. The chorus is one of the most intense on the album, as Miceli practically screams out every word. The usage of electronics in this song is subtle, and they work for that reason. "War" was a really great choice for the lead single. I think it's probably the most fun song on the album musically, and the chorus is one that I can see fans shouting along to in a live setting. It has some great guitar work and some of the most interesting drumming on this album as a whole. I really like how the song seems to continue to ratchet up the intensity every time Lou screams out "You're the only one to blame", which is one of the most memorable lines in the release as a whole. Out of all the tracks here, "Ways to Disappear" is probably one of the most surprising. It has more of a rock ballad feel to it, which I didn't exactly expect Palisades to do. The band is more known for doing a lot of intense cuts, which is what I like about them. But if they were to do more songs like this track, I wouldn't complain. It's one of the most vulnerable on the album, and has compelling lyrical content: "I find ways to disappear/And my words are never clear/I gotta find a way to face the things I fear/I’m not good at letting go". The lyrics aren't necessarily the most poetically written. Still, their clarity gives them a sense of raw realness, which fits with the raw sound this song has. Lou sounds totally stripped away of any studio manipulation, which I love as well.

The second half of the album has plenty of material to commend. "Fragile Bones" was the single that really attracted me to this album, as I do actually like it a little better than "War". It has Lou giving a pretty personal testimony about a person who pushed him to change. This person pushed him so hard that he made him hate himself. This song has an almost uncomfortable raw feeling to it, as Miceli's anger comes out in big ways in the chorus. But for all the sadness and darkness the song has, it does have a powerful message from the band: that we don't have to be fragile; that we can fight against those who are trying so hard to make us something we're not. This album has such an interesting way of presenting this pretty common theme throughout this song. After this, we get "Push". While this may not be the most interesting song in the world, I do find its guitar riffs irresistible. Also, out of all the choruses on the album, I was almost immediately singing along to this one. If there's any song on this album that would have radio success (which I'm sadly sure won't happen because Palisades are vastly underrated), it would be this one. And then we get "Patient", which may actually become my favorite song by the band in general over time. Yes, it's that good! This song just bleeds emotion from start to finish, with the chorus feeling more intense and heartbreaking with each repetition. The band is firing on all cylinders in this song, making it one of the most emotive listening experiences I've had in recent memory. I love the lyrics of this track which depict a person's experience with an abusive relationship: "And I can't say your name/'Cause you’re cutting off my tongue/And I don’t think you’ll ever understand/Just how you left me numb". Like a lot of the highlight songs on the album, these lyrics work because of their raw simplicity. There's something to be said for lyrics that do a good job of giving the message without having to do it in an overly showy way. Lou's vocals are at their absolute best here, and they even made me emotional a bit as it sounds like he's nearly crying when he's screaming out the chorus. This is a beautiful song, and an immediate contender for my best songs of 2019 (because this album came out so late in December 2018, I'm counting it towards this year). We then end off with "Shed My Skin", which is sort of a victory cry for the band. This is the most hard rocking song off the album. I love all the unique snake metaphors used to visually represent a person being reborn from their previously broken state. It's a perfect way to end off the album.

There are only a couple of specific moments that don't work for me on this album. Even the worst songs on here aren't particularly painful; at worst, they are just somewhat forgettable. "Fade" irritates me more for just breaking up an otherwise really good first half of this album. It just feels like a filler track, right up to its generic title. The usage of "oh"s in the song didn't help its case either, as this band proves on most of the other songs here they don't need filler noise to flesh out their tracks. "Ghost" is probably the weakest song here. It's about exactly what you would think it is: Lou feels like this girl doesn't see him for who he really is in their relationship, so he feels invisible. It's a bit eye roll worthy, and the pretty solid chorus can't entirely save this song from still feeling mostly generic. I also felt like this album was a bit too short at only 10 tracks and 32 minutes long. I would've loved at least one or two more tracks to make this album feel more fully fleshed out.

Even though I loved Palisades' self-titled album, I still was a little unsure of whether they would be able to hold up to the masterful work they had created with only about a year in between. Usually, I feel like a sweet spot for an album to have sufficient work done on it is 2-3 years. This was definitely not the case for "Erase The Pain" though. It would be a high order for this album to even have a chance of matching the quality of the band's self-titled, and this release ended up actually coming pretty close. The tracks that I loved here, I really loved. The weaker tracks here really don't hinder my listening experience to a significant degree. If you are the type that likes hard rock with an emotive edge, then this album is for you. I'd honestly recommend it to everyone. This release is a great way to start off 2019, and definitely has potential for my year-end list!

Favorite Songs: "Patient", "Erase The Pain", "Ways to Disappear", "Fragile Bones", "Shed My Skin"
Least Favorite Songs: "Ghost", "Fade"

"Bird Box" Movie Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 2.5/5 Stars

If you have seen any Netflix original movie, then you know they are a mixed bag. On one hand, you have Oscar quality films like "Beasts of No Nation" and "Roma". But on the other hand, you also have some of the lowest of the low like "The Open House" and "The Cloverfield Paradox". Netflix TV shows are a bit of a different story, as they have a lot of great TV shows. But when it comes to movies, it seems like Netflix is willing to green light almost anything. It looks like they made a smart choice with "Bird Box", which has made records for them for being the most streamed movie in its opening week. I can definitely see why this film has its appeal to a primarily social media-infused audience. The premise itself is intriguing: an unknown force makes people suicidal, no matter whether they actually are or not. The only way to escape this force is to blindfold yourself, but even then, the force will still try to convince you to take your blindfold off. The movie also has several likeable actors in it, including the likes of Sandra Bullock, John Malcovich, Sarah Paulson, and Trevonte Rhodes. I went into this movie interested to see it based on all the hype. Unfortunately, while this movie isn't bad, it still pales in comparison to many other horror films of 2018. It even seems to rip off of elements from other better movies.

There are some elements that work about this movie. I really think the second half of this film is where it gets off the ground, especially in the climax. Director Susanne Bier finally takes her ideas and does something interesting with them. There's some pretty great tension in the climactic moments of this movie. I also feel like the final act's plot twist was actually quite clever. Thinking about it now, the twist almost seemed too obvious, but the fact that it never crossed my mind made the twist work. It was in your face the whole time, and I commend Bier for never playing her hand too early in that regard. I also thought the central thematic arc of the struggles of motherhood was pretty compelling. Even though protagonist Malorie and her children don't have the most believable relationship (more on that later), I still felt connected to the movie whenever Malorie was struggling to decide what was best for her children. I almost feel like this movie could have benefited more if it had laser focused on Malorie and her children rather than adding on all these unnecessary side characters. That isn't to say all the supporting cast is bad though, far from it. Even though John Malcovich is in a role you've come to expect from him, I still found his character (Douglas) to be one of the more interesting of the bunch. The character was written in a pretty cliched way- he's the horrible person who will do anything to save his own skin- but Malcovich is a compelling enough actor to make this character have more stuff going on than what you'd expect. Trevonte Rhodes is unsurprisingly excellent in this film as well as Tom, the love interest to Malorie. I do think that not much about the movie would've changed if he wasn't in it, but I still liked his presence well enough. He brought about a realistic but still hopeful view about the horrific situation that all the characters were in. The highlight performance is undoubtedly Sandra Bullock as our main character. This performance proves that Bullock is still one of the greats around today. She really knocks it out of the park, fleshing out this woman who only cares about surviving and protecting her children. Out of all the characters, her motivations were the easiest to latch on to. I loved the intensity Bullock put into every moment she was on screen, especially in the ending half when the tension really began to ratchet up.

For all the stuff that I admittedly like about this movie, there are a lot of problems with it. Usually, I like it when a mysterious entity isn't shown in horror movies. I often think that the fear of the unknown can be far scarier than seeing a CGI creature. Just look at movies like "It Comes At Night" or "It Follows" for great examples of how to do the unseen entity correct. Unfortunately, this movie doesn't do its 'fear of the unknown' aspect very well. The movie just isn't that scary. When characters see this entity, all that happens is their eyes glaze over and become slightly red. Then, they commit suicide. Oftentimes, the way that characters off themselves are highly cartoonish: one has a truck ram into her, another burns herself alive, and another literally jumps and crashes out of a third story window. These deaths don't strike fear into your heart; in fact, they are unintentionally funny at times. These deaths don't really happen that often though. Instead, what we usually get is very generic suspense beats that you see in every other horror film. You don't feel the tension of this mysterious entity very often. The movie instead wants to find ways to make its characters safe for long periods of time by putting them inside. I don't know why the movie does this, as there are a lot of times when characters are just standing around talking. Because most of the characters are not compelling, these talks add nothing to the story. A movie like "A Quiet Place" never once let the characters be safe. That movie made sure to show you how the characters were in constant danger. That's another weakness of this movie. Instead of showing you what happens, the movie is often doing exposition dumps, whether it be through news reels or character conversations. I think the entity haunting the world could've been scarier if less about it had been discussed. What really hurts this film the most are its flashback sequences. There are two main story lines taking place in this movie: the present day one where Malorie is taking her children on a dangerous journey across the river to a supposedly safe location, and the past where Malorie is attempting to survive this unknown entity with a group of other survivors. Unfortunately, the sequences in the past just aren't that intriguing for the most part. They don't reveal much new information that we couldn't have figured out in the present day sequences. Plus, some of the characters are insufferable. There's one character named Felix played awfully by Machine Gun Kelly. He is probably one of the worst characters I've ever seen in any film ever. Lil Rey Howery's great comedic talents are put to waste on an incredibly cringe worthy character who I was anxiously awaiting to die. Both of the child actors are, quite frankly, awful. You make a big risk when you give children primary roles in your movie, and both of the child actors just don't add anything to the film at all. I don't entirely blame them though, as their characters as written are practically blank slates. Finally, this film feels like it's copying off of both "The Walking Dead" and "The Hunger Games" series in its attempts to establish an apocalyptic world. There's one scene in particular that feels very weirdly like a rip-off of a whole scene from "Catching Fire".

Overall, I can't really say that I lean passionately about "Bird Box" one way or another. While Sandra Bullock's performance and the climactic moments of this film are certainly highlights, the multiple weak performances and cliched horror moments just can't be ignored. Is this movie worth the hype? Probably not. It has spawned off a really stupid challenge that has kids purposefully putting themselves in harm's way, so I guess it's worthy of meme material if nothing else. If you're even remotely interested in the film's premise, I'd say you can give the film a shot. I didn't hate myself for watching it or feel like I wasted my time. I just won't be returning back to it any time in the future.