After seven successful albums, alternative rock band Switchfoot has hit another creative spark with their latest album, Vice Verses.
As Switchfoot is infamous for, this album has a strong lyrical theme of depravity and redemption. Musically, this album is different from their last, which had a more acoustic sound. The electric, rock feel of this album goes along perfectly with the lyrical content about the hardships and downfalls of life.
The main song, “Vice Verses” talks about how “every blessing comes with a set of curses,” and how we all have our “vice verses.” It is the softest song on the album, with nothing but an acoustic guitar and vocals, yet is easily the most powerful.
Though the mood of this album could be interpreted as angry or dejected from the title and harder rock sound, there are messages of hope woven throughout it, as seen in another song on the album, “Dark Horses.”
This song begins with the singer talking about how he’s “made mistakes” and had his “heart cave in,” but then makes the statement that we are “born for the blue skies,” and we will “survive the rain.”
This lyrical combination of gloomy facts about our depravity as humans and heartening facts about the grace given to us gives this album an effective message, making the songs not only musically catchy or pleasing to the ear, but inspirational for anyone.
Personally, I don’t know where I would be if it weren’t for Switchfoot and lead singer Jon Foreman’s writings. Their lyrics have continually influenced me in every stage of my teenage life, and continue to do so, as I am becoming an adult. I have seen that Switchfoot isn’t just another rock band, but a group of people with passion, spreading an important message of hope and truth to millions of people.
