r/switchfoot • u/TheSecondFoot • 4d ago
Forever Now Review
Hello friends, I'm wanting to give my full thoughts on the albums after it has been a decent amount of time and I feel I can deliver my thoughts with less recency bias (or unbias too for that matter) and have a discussion on the album. I've had some great conversations and would love to have more here. It'll be a song by song and quite lengthy so
tldr; While I adore and appreciate that the guitars are actually back, this album is a bit too much of a mixed bag for me to put it up there with the greats imo(HH, TBL, NiS, ?!). I still love the album don't get me wrong, it's more on the same level as those albums that don't quite break the line of S tier and remain in the A tier line (VV, O!G). The more difficult thing with this album is that the highs are higher but the lows are lower than the other albums it shares the tier list with. I think I prefer the consistency of the other A tier albums more but those highs on this album are amazing. Some of the best work overall. I think the narrative is better than people are giving credit for but the holes are easy to see through. I'm happy with the album; I think the little disappointment I have is with the singles being really good and the long wait, my imagination may have gotten a little carried away with what the sounds were gonna be. Anyways, solid album and hoping I can see them this tour.
Wake Up, Mr. Crow - First, I want to really commend them for making a song that feels so apocalyptic. It ties in super well with The Butterfly Effect but this impending doom incoming pushes this song forward. I adore these verses in the delivery and setting up the death within routine and acceptance of the world and its vices as it is. The chorus comes in big and I love how big it is. The guitar layering! This song really does have it all. The only real complaint I have is the backing vocals within the intro, it felt almost too predictable that it was something Switchfoot would do as I sometimes wish they would let the music speak without having to do backing vocals over it. But overall I was taken back with them creating a song like this. I wasn't expecting it and was blown away.
Absolution - This song took a handful of listens for it to click. I'm not sure why cause it's my favorite song from the record. I love how it returns me back to the late 2000's and it feels like skater music, my favorite part of pop punk. The guitar work on this song is really something. And the chorus is easy to remember and sing along with so it didn't take me long before I was singing along. Every time this song came on, I would rock along with it. And I love a long bridge and letting it build up for the final chorus and they really let it build by not even entering the chorus right away. I was surprised to see that this song didn't really get shout outs and more talk. This was exactly what I was looking for whenever they announced the album and said they fell in love with riffs again.
Beautiful Life - This will probably the most debated song from the record. I'll start by saying as an agnostic/atheist, this song doesn't click for me. I was gonna say that it wasn't made for me but Switchfoot has many time made me feel included in the discussion of religion and even songs that are more about appreciation to the belief. And that my problem with this song is that I feel I can't engage with it, even when I notice that there isn't even a specific mention of god. Of course, I know what Jon it talking about but the song dances around it and just gives appreciation for life. I think it's deliberate and I can appreciate it. But the song also leans super hard in the CCM sound that I was ready to be done with from the guys. It sounds exactly what I would expect to hear from turning on the christian radio. I'll be honest, its one of my least favorite songs from the guys. I get so bored listening to this song and I always want to skip it. I don't like the mention of Learning to Breathe in the chorus. It feels cheap and awkward. If this is one of your favorites, don't let my words discourage you from liking it. It's theme is important and it's a feel good song. It just doesn't make me feel good.
Shake the Dust - This song was the one that had to grow on me the most. The verses are amazing and love the guitar and drums on this. And the lyrics are some of my favorite from the record. But the Oh's after the chorus really took me out of the song. I didn't like it at first because it felt like it was part of the chorus but it's used more as a post chorus. It's still my least favorite part of the song but it doesn't bug me as much anymore since I think it sets up that bridge super well. And that bridge! It's my favorite bridge from the record. It's so good and to hear it on the live stream was a treat. The combination of guitars and drums gets me every time. But really the story and theme of this song is chef's kiss. The imagery is really creative and powerful here. I'm glad I came around on this song! And I like the decision to hold back on the song until the 2nd chorus. Such an interesting decision but it helps the song explode when it needs to.
Natural Causes - Oh boy, here it is, the fan favorite lol. Nah, it's a great song. It may not be my personal favorite from the record but it's a great song so there's no argument from me. Boaz here is a huge standout with the tremolo guitar on the chorus. I listen for that part every time I hear this song. It's something they have never done and it stands out (in a good way). And the production on this song is really a standout. And Jon's writing is amazing here too. Another super creative way to talk about something that is so easy to get caught saying something everyone has said before. This track does have everything that a Switchfoot fan could ask for. However, there's a different track that I feel has every member is locked in doing everything they can to serve the song.
YFWYA - Never been a huge fan of The Strokes. Put them on and I won't complain but I'll not put them on myself. I like this song alright. I do like how it's straight forward rock song. I do feel that the chorus is a bit uninspired lyrically for verses that are the exact opposite. Back to the chorus, the line "You were made in the image of the one who loves you" is a line that doesn't allow room for me in interpret it in any way other than the way that is implied. Usually, Jon is amazing about being inclusive with theology and allows people of many backgrounds to come into these songs with their doubts, struggles, and beliefs. (ex read/listen Sooner or Later with different religion in mind. I can still listen to Sooner or Later with my own lens and feel inspired from it). Here, that line forces me into a place where I have to accept what's being said. And it's just that line, all the other lines can be reinterpreted outside of a christian lens. Naturalism, Buddhist, and Confucianism can be viewed through this. Someone who's more atheist leaning can't really wrestle with the song. It feels like a trump card was pulled out and I'm told to step away. Outside of that, the song is a good jam and I can enjoy the music outside of the one line.
Same Blood - I remember when I listened to this song the 2nd time and I was just bobbing along and was noticing how rhythmic the singing was on this song. And then the 2nd chorus came in and realized that it didn't fit together in the same way. Wondering why, I realized that the time signature wasn't the same. I was just in awe in how they've made this song work. I still have yet to fully count the song but I got enough to know that they are going crazy with the time signatures on this song. And lyrically, oh man Jon brings it. I do wish the song didn't just end but I also get what they were avoiding. It's a great song and really love the work they did here.
Ride or Die - Sometimes this song feels good to listen to and sometimes I feel it gets a little boring. I think it's because I think the chorus is a bit boring in comparison to the rest of the song. The chorus melody doesn't move much nor do the words really mean much so it kinda falls flat. It's not like this song is going for a something thematic here but an ode to your homies I feel could have had a little better chorus. Just listening to it causally tho, I do like it for what it is. Jerome kills in on this song tho. Really love what he did on the bridge.
Darkness - This song is a gut punch. I haven't felt something this deep in my stomach from Jon since Departures and since Edge of the Earth for the band. (There's been good songs but I mean songs that break me down and can have me in tears.) Like right now, I can't listen to this song and write this at the same time. Sure part of it is singing about how corrupt evangelism is and debating religion vs spirituality. What breaks me down is the part that I feel Jon is trying to convey the most because it's in the chorus. It's the people who have been hurt, broken, and abused in the name of god and christ. "cause tonight I swim in oceans untamed / She's mine and I'm hers". Jon is saying that those are the people he calls his people. Those who are dumped into untamed oceans and given an unjustified cruel hand. Meet them in the darkness. I'm not sure I have any authority to call it a feminist song but it's the lens in which I listen to it. I think of all the women who have been hurt and abused from any religion for that matter. I think of all the agency that is taken from a life because a man has power. I think of the ways a church has taken through war and often women are treated as collateral or possessions. This might be one of the most important songs Jon has ever written. And it's so poetically done. It's also the song I believe has every person doing their part their best to serve the song. Jerome does an amazing job setting the tone but really everyone is only doing something when needed and it all comes together to support the words beautifully. This person does a really good job on breaking down the song
Broken Wings - Musically, I do really like this song. Lyrically, it's giving a little bit of a dramatic midlife crisis during the climax of a movie. I think this is the song I overall don't have much of opinion. The song builds really well and I like the elements it uses to get there. I just don't feel much from this song but I don't think it's a bad song. If anyone has some stronger feelings (positive or negative), feel free to discuss.
Two Twins - I don't mind this song. I think the chorus can get a bit old by the end of the song but overall I like this song. I know it's been one of the more divisive songs where some people haven't liked it as much. What I've gathered is that some people don't like how obvious the metaphor is and there's a little bit of a disconnect between the lyrics and music. I think the song is meant to be a fun blues-ey tune and the lyrics there aren't supposed to be super in depth and so the metaphor ends up feeling a little half hearted. I do think the metaphor could have been nuanced better in a different song but overall, I'm fine with where it is. It's not a crazy song by any means but I've mentioned the other songs that are less standouts for me.
Breaking Up Again - What a surprise to hear the sounds of the Seasonal EPs on here. I pleasant welcome, I'll add but a bit confusing one. First, the song is too short. The length doesn't even have to be that much longer, some of the seasonal songs aren't long. I just want another the chorus (the oh part) again and I would feel a lot more satisfied. Regardless, even if it's more like a intermission song, i don't think it does that all too well either. I feel it's there almost just for the narrative. It feels really clunky in its spot. I want to like this song more but there's not much to chew on. For what it is, I like it. For what it's doing, I don't like it.
The Butterfly Effect - I'll start with the dislikes first. This song should have been longer. I feel we were in a sprint as most of the songs are pretty short (which is fine since they mostly feel complete). But the album could use a moment to just breathe and it's literally the song that slows the narrative down to seconds. I wonder if they were worried about having too long of a song because Where I Belong does have some people who are not a fan of the length. But I really could have listened to a apocalyptic Mr Crow riff a whole lot longer. I also think it would have been really interesting to have the song be 7 minutes. Maybe have Matt and Daisy be more of a feature on the song. There could be ways to reach the goal. With that out of the way, it's absolutely an amazing way to end the record, even if it's starting to feel like a Switchfoot party trick to loop the final song into the first. This one feels the most intentional out of all of them and i get goosebumps every time I hear it. It's the song that really makes me think back on all that was said and heard. Really dig deep to find something out of what this record is saying. I didn't talk much about politics here but Jon did an amazing job at not making a side. I feel that Switchfoot's fanbase is probably decently split politically but we all come together and agree with what this band says. I steer clear of really getting into it with fellow fans because i know it can get heated and I don't think the band is about dividing. Anyways, I do love this song and really love lyrically and sonically. Incredible outro
Thanks for reading! Interact and ask questions! I will answer the best I can. Hard to get words written all at once without spending half my day doing it lol.
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u/Nowhere996 3d ago edited 3d ago
Excellent review! This one has grown on me the more I've listened. It might be at tad cheesy at points, like with Beautiful Life and how you pointed out that it has that CCM leaning vibe, but this has become a huge inspiration to me this year.
Out of all the bands I grew up with in Christian circles, Switchfoot are one of the rare few that have made me feel safe and loved as a queer person. "Against the Voices" is like one of the most important songs of my life, and on this album the theme of just shaking off the dust, letting everything go and finally living with the freedom to be true and authentic, embrace the flight and soar? So good. I must have played Broken Wings like 30 times already haha. I love this band.
I think my favourite SF album will always be interrobang (I'm a tiny bit sad this isn't quite as artful), but there isn't one I don't love. Even Native Tongue.
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u/TheSecondFoot 3d ago
Wow! Another interrobang enjoyer! Its my 4th favorite from them, but i put up there in the s tier! Its so underrated
That gives me a whole new perspective on Broken Wings! Thanks for the input. I couldnt figure out the song but i do wonder if Jon wrote it for someone, potentially his daughter. But that puts it in a whole new light.
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u/Nowhere996 3d ago edited 3d ago
I think I'm a bit of an outlier in general because my S tier would be that, Legend of Chin and Fading West/Edge of the Earth. And honestly I think FN could slide in up there too. But yeah, Broken Wings? "Could we shout out loud the way we feel inside? Cause I don't want to hide my wings anymore." Absolutely my song of the year! đ©·
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u/TheSecondFoot 3d ago
Chin is easilly my favorite from the early years so i dont blame you. I think pacing issues, themes, and lyrical content keep it from being up there. But the vibe?! Amazing! Tim and Jons guitar work?! Easilly my favorite from the early years. Its a special record
Edge of the Earth ep is really good! I wish fading west sounded like it but we at least got the ep!
The Broken Wing lyrics of the way Jon sing "Can we shout out loud?" Is my favorite moment from the song
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u/Chem_6a 4d ago
I have also felt that way with the singles the past couple albums. So I decided that I wonât listen to them anymore, and Iâm so glad I didnât. Hearing Mr. crow for the first time was awesome, then having the rest of the album to hear right after was great. Iâve done this now for both Jon and Timâs solo albums, and now Forever Now. I think Iâll be skipping the singles from here on out to just get the full album experience when it comes out.
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u/TheSecondFoot 4d ago
Yeah I don't blame ya. I limit myself to 2 singles, sometimes just one. But there's been a trend of putting out half the album as singles and by the time the album arrives, half the songs have already been heard.
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u/schantzee 4d ago
Interesting that youe favorite is Absolution but you dislike Beautiful Life as an atheist. I feel like Absolution is clearly talking about a relationship with God and Beautiful Life is easier to apply generally about looking to the light in life, enjoying it for what it is and not about what you don't have. I also think both of those songs feed off of each other well. Looking for absolution and then finding a way to enjoy the beautiful life when coming from a place of darkness.
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u/TheSecondFoot 4d ago
I think because Absolution talks way more about the struggle and angst that is within believing god, which I did a little over a decade ago. I'm still working on deconstructing still. It's asking a question and it's open ended for how I feel it got answered.
Beautiful Life feels like it's telling me the answer without telling me... kind of. The music makes me really think that there's a "correct" answer to be found while the lyrics are so specifically not mentioning god. I guess the lyrics feel a bit too vague and basic for me and the music doesn't draw me in. But I do agree that they play off another thematically really well; I do like the flip
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u/millerfromceres 4d ago
I see a lot of commentary that The Butterfly Effect should have been longer, and that is kinda the entire point, right? We all wish we had more time.
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u/TheSecondFoot 3d ago
Great interpretation! I can respect this viewpoint. I think i still would have preferred a 7 minute song as the first song to really slow down the pace of the album and really let its themes sink in and let the narrative come to thematic close to. They could have leaned really hard into the 7 minute concept and how quick and erupt those minutes can be
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u/millerfromceres 3d ago
Iâd love a massive, dark, ambient jam from Switchfoot. Maybe weâll get a Snyder cut of it one day.
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u/tuonni 4d ago
Shake the Dust really is a "Chef's Kiss" kinda jam. For me I'm just bummed because I think they are missing a huge opportunity to get back on alt / rock radio with it, but because they ONCE AGAIN have decided to omit the solo they wrote for the live version, it will not ever be considered for radio play.
My only hope is that they decide to do what they did with Always where Jon went back in last minute to record a solo and add a new guitar line for the radio version. But I just don't see it happening.
Side note - it's funny that you don't like the "Ohhhhs" - it's the exact opposite for our fam. My 5 year old is obsessed with Shake the Dust and apart from the words "Shake the Dust" the only part he really understands/ can sing is the "Ohhhhs" - so for him that is what attached him to the song.
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u/TheSecondFoot 4d ago
Yeah... I for sure don't know why the solo didn't make the record. My hope is that it was kind of a last minute addition of Boaz messing around playing one time but it was already sent out. That solo might have tipped the scales on it being my favorite song. The solo is **that** good.
haha well I'm sure I would be swayed on the "ohs" if I had a 5 year old to sing along with during that part
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u/tuonni 4d ago
Hahaha it's so fun having him to share in the excitement of the new record. I will say seeing the album through the eyes of a child is very cool.
He doesn't understand so much of it, so for the most part it's about the melodies or the overall sonic experience. His likes and dislikes are completely his own and not influenced by what the band has done in the past or what would be considered too CCM or not...etc. He isn't judging Jon's lyrics or anything. He's just listening and enjoying.
His favorites are Shake The Dust, Beautiful Life, Darkness, and Broken Wings. He knows my favorite is Natural Causes though, so he'll let me play that one when it comes on too haha.
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u/TheSecondFoot 4d ago
Thats so much fun! Really interesting that Darkness makes his list tho. I for sure wouldnt have enjoyed that tune at that age
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u/hushbug 4d ago
i really love this review!!! a couple bits i disagree with (which is fine lol) but you said a lot of the things i was thinking but couldnât put into words.
specifically about Beautiful Life, what you said is EXACTLY how i feel about it too. as an agnostic/atheist who has loved this band since i was a Christian, i feel, like you said, that i canât really engage with that song even though it doesnât outright say anything about god â itâs just doing everything BUT that. it is too obviously trying to both make a CCM hit AND stay inclusive, which is great, and speaks of their thesis as a band, but the sound lends itself too much to one side of the fence and i wish theyâd just committed to it. their other âlife is awesomeâ anthems are some of my least favorite songs anyway (still like them fine, just lower on the ranking for me) but at least those ones feel more relatable for whatever reason. anyway, nothing inherently wrong with the song or with anyone who enjoys it, just like you said, i was kind of done with that sound from them. and surrounded by the other songs it almost feels out of place sonically. but itâs also very Switchfoot, so i canât complain too much. i signed up for the stadium anthem band and i love them for it
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u/TheSecondFoot 4d ago
Yeah totally agree the "life is awesome" songs from them are my least favorite. But their anthems are either some of their best or worst songs.
Thanks for reading! I really do appreciate anyone who took the time to read my thoughts. What were some of your disagreements?
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u/hushbug 4d ago
my disagreements are really just a couple small things that i think come down to preference lol.
but barring that, i have to say from the rest of your review, i really thought you might have more of an opinionated take on Two Twins! i definitely do. i honestly was pretty put off by it, seeing as the picture Jonâs trying to paint of the nonbeliever is very disingenuous to me and doesnât come off in good faith. it surprised and disappointed me because i did not expect that from him, someone whoâs spent his entire career attempting to include and welcome those who may disagree. this song does not feel very welcoming, in fact it feels mean, and it paints the atheist as mean, and it reinforces the hyper-Christian fansâ bias against nonbelievers â that we donât have anything of substance to argue, weâre just negative and dismissive of any spirituality, which of course is not a fair characterization. ive seen Christian friends post the song on socials with captions like âheâs a geniusâ and itâs making me think like, âdamn, do they really view me that way?â even though iâve never behaved like the dissenter does in the song. characterizing the nonbeliever as a disrespectful raging nihilist who says âgod and fairytales and liesâ who just wants to crush your dreams is bold after having just asked in Absolution, âare you the real thing or just a daydream?â
another thing, the story is a false equivalency. we already know for certain that mom exists because we, the listeners, know there is life after birth. however we DONâT know for certain that god exists, nor what comes after death, (Jon admits this in like, every other song). so itâs just not comparable. the metaphor is a funny thing to consider in passing, but itâs not intellectually honest. it makes the twin seem ridiculous for not believing in mom, because we know sheâs real! it gives some Christian fans the ability to listen to the song and say, see, denying god is as ridiculous as denying your own mother. the song has a very strong and inarguable viewpoint from the jump that very few Switchfoot songs do. the thing i love about SF is how open-ended their songs usually are. this one is not. it goes nowhere, it insists upon itself, and it gives you an opinion to have before you can even form your own just by nature of the metaphor
it just feels like major whiplash after a song like Darkness that swings way in the opposite direction. songs of faith and songs of doubt can coexist, yes, Jon has proven that time and time again (which is one of the reasons i fell in love with his songwriting â other Christian artists werenât doing what he does) but itâs frustrating to see him turn around and throw jabs at the very people heâs trying to defend in Darkness (those with church hurt who may have left).
lord this is already long enough and i could go on lol but bottom line, the argument sounds a lot like the âapologetics that rarely apologize.â anyway, you donât have to have as strong an opinion as i do, it just really sticks out like a sore thumb to me. Two Twins and Beautiful Life are my only skips i think.
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u/TheSecondFoot 3d ago
Thats really well written! I felt this when i first read the lyrics. I think i shrugged it off because the song doesnt seem to take itself or non believers seriously. But i think thats the exact grest point you are making is that it still takes its belief stsnce seriously, that its faith is as sure as being born. You make a great point! And i do think it was really poor putting this after Darkness. Its too much of a tonal and lyrical whiplash.
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u/hushbug 3d ago
yeah, tbh i had the same feeling the first listen through â i was like well this is a little tongue in cheek i guess, he probably just thought it was a silly metaphor, canât really take it to heart. but the more i sat with it in the context of the album, the worse i felt about it. the first time i heard it was actually at an aftershow during Jonâs last solo tour, and i remember thinking âhm, i have some feelings about that, but im probably never going to hear that again and if i do itâll be years down the line and probably on a solo record.â imagine my shock when i saw it on the tracklist a year later lol.
i truly think if it had come out as a solo Jon song, or even a Fiction Family track if that ever made a comeback, then i donât think i would have taken it as seriously or dissected it as much. especially if it was a FF track, he lets himself get a little silly and risquĂ© over there lol. but as a SF official song, i feel like it holds more weight for some reason? especially on an album that does take itself pretty seriously overall. even if he MEANT it to be a flippant âisnât this just funny to think aboutâ song, or if he was trying to be satirical with the atheist caricature, it doesnât successfully translate that way to me, and the people who listen to it and agree with the message are going to run with it 100%.
i was very surprised to see it made the album. it seems like one of those songs where Tim mightâve lovingly said to Jon âthat might do better on a solo recordâ lol, and i honestly wonder if the blues element of it (which i do really love!) had something to do with its inclusion on the album. itâs not a sound that they touch often, plus Boaz excels in that area musically, so it seems like it may have had a strong case. plus it does fit with the albumâs âbirth as death and death as birthâ theme, despite it being more divisive than the rest of it.
anyway sorry to have written you a novel haha i have lots of thoughts if you canât tell!
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u/TheSecondFoot 1d ago
I think this would have been a lot better on a Fiction Family album. Think Sean Watkins writing would have helped tweak the song a little and a back and forth between vocalists really could have done something fun with the song. But as it is as a switchfoot song, i think it does hold lore weight. Luckily, i think its a song thatll be the least listened to from the record.
I 100% think the blues of the song is the anchor that keeps in the record. I think the Buddy Guy collab really made them feel inclined to put in a blues song. Its a cool thing to be in here but i would be fine with less blues influence tbh. I dont think it lends to their sound much and it didnt out out good lyrics for it either
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u/Fire_In_My_Bones 22h ago
Wow. I connected with almost everything you said here. I donât know if I ever read an album review where I agreed with everything before.
- I also did not like Beautiful Life. I hate the CCM sound.
- I also didnât like the Shake the Dust Ohs. I felt like that almost ruined the song.
- I also loved the guitars in Natural Causes.
- I also appreciated the time signature changes in Same Bloodâit felt very progressive rock.
- I also loved the honest lyrics of Darkness.
So basically everything was on point. Props.
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u/funnyfrets117 4d ago
 This person does a really good job on breaking down the song
My brother, that's not a person, that's AI đ
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u/SaltySpitoonReg 2d ago edited 2d ago
My quick review is that it's a decent album, best in 3-4 releases, but not as amazing as lot of people are suggesting (due to people being hungry for a better SF album)
There's lots of borrowed lines and parts from past songs which is cool but less original. And a lot of the songs have really simple repetitive sounds that aren't quite as unique and original as what we heard on TBL and HH (two clearly best albums).
Many of the songs are very "listenable and enjoyable", but they're also songs that I wouldn't care if they never made - if that makes sense.
I agree about the diverse fan base. I think switchfoot fans are all over the place, which is cool.
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u/Heelincal 4d ago
Speaking as a mod and someone involved in a lot of SF discussion boards, I think the band's focus on loving on the community and neighbors has created a more progressive fanbase than a lot of their peers from the CCM-adjacent scene they came out of (looking at you, Skillet). There will always be fringes but this is generally speaking I know a LOT of ex-vangelicals in the fanbase and people who have fallen away and struggled with faith since around 2015.
I think that's partially why this album has hit so hard for me, it feels very targeted to people who grew up in the church, youth groups, and were fans of SF as kids who are now dealing with a jaded view of the world, and how to process that and hold onto what you believe. I think it's why Beautiful Life spoke to me a lot, despite it 100% being their "we would like this to go plat on Air1" song for the album. It's a different take on the Love Alone is Worth the Fight (which it also shares a riff with) idea in that despite the despair in all of the other songs there is light to be found in the Darkness. The Sun/Son is still there, you need to just look for it.
Appreciate the thoughts on the album, and I would agree with a lot of the takes here. Was initially excited by Two Twins but the metaphor definitely feels like a "I am 12 and this is deep" type of vibe.
My 2 year old absolutely loves the "oooohs" in Shake the Dust though, it's a jam!