Review of Fading West, the album, by Switchfoot
In my initial listening of the songs, my favorites were almost immediately, When We Come Alive, The World You Want, and Slipping Away, but Saltwater Heart has just soared up my internal charts. So my current top two favorites are The World You Want and Saltwater Heart. They just speak right into my heart, and soars into this feeling of longing and singing out loud, to the world...
1. The World You Want
2. Saltwater Heart
These next two just hit a soft spot in my heart, especially from times of personal struggles. So I guess I'd relate to these most personally. Slipping Away tugs at my heartstrings, making me want to look up into the night sky... and Let It Out is almost like a release from the tension, almost too poppy, yet I love the young energy it releases, the positive message it carries. Yes, I can see why some people wouldn't enjoy it as much as I do... but years of working with young kids as a Sunday School Teacher just gets me excited to share this song with younger generation in my community. I'd love to encourage others, encourage myself in those times when we have to ENDURE, and fight through the long nights... I love the comment someone put up there, about how a song about being born torn and scarred can make me want to dance.
3. Slipping Away
4. Let It Out
The next four songs are GREAT! I love them all musically and lyrically... but they haven't really HIT the spot for me (yet). When We Come Alive was initially one of my favorites with the infectious anthemic feel to the song both musically/lyrically, but it waned in its excitement over repeated listens. Back to the Beginning reminds me of the film, with the Switchfoot guys... Fading West. Love Alone, as Jon mentioned, seems to be the "thesis" song of the album. It's a song I like to come back to after I've heard the other songs again... it feels like home. Not total excitement and longing or anything, but when I hear it again after a while, I'm so relaxed and feeling warm and cozy inside... (haha) All or Nothing at All just has this "sweet" feel to it.. Very poppy, but enjoyable as this sort of ambient background music, but when I suddenly focus on its lyrics, I smile, knowing my heart agrees with the message it carries, of loving with ALL or nothing at all...
5. When We Come Alive
6. Back to the Beginning
7. Love Alone is Worth the Fight
8. All or Nothing at All
The next two are the musically just amazing, blows my mind, increasingly addicting, WHEN I'm in the mood. I like to turn them on and just rock out with it. bobbing my head, tapping my feet, even at times, just dancing... and then SHOUT to those repeating lines... SAY IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT!! and LET MY SOUL F - L - Y Y Y Y Y Y
9. Say It Like You Mean It
10. BA55
This album is just... I absolutely love ALL of these songs. Just, at this point in my musical journey of Fading West, the radio single, Who We Are, is one of the songs I often skip, unless it's in the background when I'm doing something. The song itself still has its effects of reminding me of the guys and their children singing, dancing around in the studio, and making me want to sing along. I think, I may have to leave this song alone for a while before coming back to it.
11. Who We Are
Despite my "number ranking," I'd like to say, I love these songs like I love my collection of colored pencils and sharpie pens. Certain colors speak louder than others, but I still love those soft quiet colors as well.
This album, overall, has the same "complete" feel that "The Beautiful Letdown" has had on me. I'm sure everyone has their opinions, but mannnnn... this album SPEAKS, right to my guts.
Can't wait to see where this musical journey will get me to in the coming months. Hopefully I can catch a show in the spring... :)
