Review Summary: Fading Away
A switch foot is when a surfer changes footing on a board in order to get a new perspective. Lead singer Jon Foreman says his band chose the name because "To switch your feet means to take a new stance facing the opposite direction. It's about change and movement, a different way of approaching life and music." The five members of Switchfoot have definitely been altering the manner in which they look at their existence - after 2011's brooding and dark
Vice Verses, the band decided to take some time off from music and rediscover their love of surfing. During their time spent travelling around the world, they decided to film a documentary outlining their love for riding the wave, while also going into detail about their experience as a band.
Fading West is definitely the most unique album in Switchfoot's discography, and frankly, comes as a bit of a surprise. The band's sound has ultimately changed from alternative rock to one that is more indie-pop and surf-influenced. Tracks like "Let it Out" and "Saltwater Hearts" even throw in some dance-y beats for good measure. This exploration of new styles is essentially what makes
Fading West one of Switchfoot's weakest albums to date. Almost none of these songs are memorable in any way, while Jon Foreman's vocals sound lifeless way too often. There's a severe lack of gritty, riff-heavy rockers that Switchfoot are known for - the closest they get to one is "Say It Like You Mean It", which utilizes distortion well, adding a darker edge to the track. "Ba55" and its atmospheric instrumentals manage to create a grim ambience that wouldn't sound out of place on
Vice Verses or even
Hello Hurricane. Lyrically,
Fading West takes one step forward and two steps back - gone are the angsty, apprehensive edge of songs like "Mess of Me", and taking its place are cheesy, generic one-liners. There's no way lyrics like the ones on say, "Back to the Beginning Again" could possibly live up to the standards set by "Meant to Live", but sometimes it seems like they're not even trying.
Overall,
Fading West is the sound of failed experimentation. The album's monotony and lack of memorability is mainly due to Switchfoot's new surf and indie influenced sound, as it wastes the talent of Jon Foreman's vocals and doesn't give room for the guitar or drumwork to shine. The album works best as a soundtrack to Switchfoot's
Fading West documentary - mediocre tracks like "Who We Are" fit in better when in the context of the film. However, if listened to just as a standalone album,
Fading West has Switchfoot at an identity crisis. Does the band want to further explore their surf-rock influenced sound, or do they want to return to the gritty alt-rock that they were known for? Regardless of which direction they choose,
Fading West is hopely just a small bump in the road for a band that is capable of making great music.
