Though I
have an obvious obsession with music, it is not an all-encompassing
infatuation. Some music in no way appeals to my sonic palate, and as such,
there is a group of bands whose mention will immediately elicit disdain from
me. For some acts, I can justify my aversion, but for others, my gut reaction
of scorn has no real genesis or source. For reasons I can’t explain, Switchfoot
has always been on that list. However, when I (reluctantly) gave The Legend of Chin a shot, I found
myself chewing on a heady mouthful of crow, because the music this band
presents on their debut is both exciting and stimulating.
After
spinning The Legend of Chin for a few
weeks, I find myself rather surprised that Switchfoot was able to generate such
a dynamic feel on their first record. Each of the eleven songs touch on a
different section of the spectrum between the genres of pop and punk: “Home”
and “You” seem tailored to fit into the Top 40, while “Edge of My Seat” and “Bomb”
tap into fast beats and distorted guitars that could certainly keep a crowd
moving. Furthermore, the sound that these three musicians produce is just as
intricate and well-defined. Jon Foreman’s guitar chords and melodies interlock
gracefully with Tim Foreman’s fluid bass lines, the two brothers’ complementing
each without once muddying the music, a fact that says as much about the mixing
as it does the composition. Moving along with this grace is the band’s forceful
performance, imbued with a passion that Jon calls the “once-in-a-lifetime
urgency that breathes down the neck of my soul and makes me cry or laugh or
throw something.”[1]
The Legend of Chin collects all of
Switchfoot’s burgeoning creativity and consciousness and uses it to fill the
few and hardly-noticeable seams in these songs, forcing this record to stand
out further than just a debut.
All three
of the instrumentalists in Switchfoot find moments to show off considerable
skill and creativity, but the real strength seems to stem from Jon’s unique and
guitar-driven songwriting. Many of the songs show an understanding of chord
progression and melody composition rarely seen outside of jazz, perhaps
stemming from the fact that Jon considers himself a “major Led Zeppelin fan.”[2] For instance, the
intelligent shape of the melody allows “Might Have Ben Hur” to change keys
across a tritone in the chorus, while the main progression in “Chem 6A” avoids
being cliché by implying a descending chromatic riff underneath itself. Little
interesting moments find their way into every tune, whether it be the chromatic
hits in “Life and Love and Why” or even the multifaceted structure of “Don’t Be
There,” keeping the listener interested without forcing technicalities into his
ears. Jon’s approach to songwriting involves just enough music theory to avoid
reusing worn-out ideas, but features a delicate restraint as well, allowing
those songs to rock hard and get stuck in our heads, just as they were meant to
do.
Many of
Switchfoot’s musical decisions are shrewd in their application, and it is not
surprising to find the same attention in the lyric writing, albeit a different
type of subtlety. Anyone who has heard of Switchfoot has undoubtedly caught
wind of their Christian roots and following, an idea which extends all the way
to their debut. However, when taking a close look at the lyrics on The Legend of Chin, there is nothing
preachy or blatantly Christian to be found.
In fact, the only direct reference to God is in “Ode to Chin,” with the
line “Life’s more than girls / God’s more than words / You’re more than this;”[3] otherwise, the positive
and uplifting message that saturates Jon’s verse is presented in a neutral but
effective manner. Foreman tailors his phrasing so that the subjects of songs
like “You” and “Bomb” can be taken either as a god or a person—the language
alone is purely positive, a text which can be supplemented by the band’s
beliefs without shoving them down our throats.
Jon’s
decision to turn belief into a subtext rather than allowing it to dominate his
pieces shows some serious control of language; however, the actual lyrical work
on The Legend of Chin is hardly as
resolute. Much of Jon’s language is so simple that it borders on the juvenile,
and the record is completely loaded with clichés, such as line “the bridges
that I’ve burned” in “Home”[4] or the everlasting wedding
promise “for better or worse” in “Might Have Ben Hur.”[5] Undeveloped or
unimaginative lines are scattered throughout the record, but there are some
good moments as well. Jon expertly epitomizes the idea of teenaged indifference
in “Chem 6A,”[6]
only to confront it in “Bomb” with the opening line “With blankness staring
back at me / And screaming from the pages / I feel the fear of apathy /
Gripping me, pushing me on.”[7] Also, “Concrete Girl” is
soaked in language both cold and unmoving, thus solidifying the themes into a
vivid emotional image.
One of the
most developed lyrical ideas on the record comes from the song “Underwater,”
especially in their juxtaposition against the instrumentation. Across changing
dynamics and a plethora of bluesy guitar chords, Jon relates to us the woes of
a girl who has “nothing to be” because “she’s already been.” Against a catchy
beat and rhythmic swings, we watch the subject of the song struggle to find
meaning, starting fresh again and again only to end up “down [in] the bottle”
as she always does. According to Jon, “The girl in Underwater faces the dilemma
of modern humanity” in a world “where nothing really matters.”[8] The simple phrases Jon
employs through the song envision depression as the empty and unsupportive
landscape that surrounds this girl. The lyrics lack for any positivity, but
even the melody that carries them is upbeat, reminding us that even when life
seems at its darkest, there is always something bright hiding just behind it,
if only we will reach for it.
If the
cognitive arrangement of “Underwater” is any evidence, The Legend of Chin shows some remarkable maturity in a group whose
oldest member was twenty-three at the time of recording. There is an array of diverse
sounds from which to choose, and even the simplest songs have something
meaningful to offer. Switchfoot’s jazz-tinged punk imbued with pop melody is
tasteful and refreshing, a sound built on top of youthful enthusiasm and an
overwhelming belief that “a song could go anywhere.”[9] For me, these songs have
far surpassed my meager expectations, unfounded as they may have been, and I
can happily say I may soon explore more of their catalog because of it.
Tunes to Check Out:
1) Underwater
2) Ode to Chin
3) Life and Love and Why
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