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In 2003 they brought out a Beautiful Letdown, here's the review on the tracks and my opinion:
Track 1- Meant To Live
This is one of the most well known songs by Switchfoot, and it's a great opener to the CD. The whole song is very rocky, and is filled with very strong guitar beats ... Read review
Contemporary Christian music has come a long way toward secular acceptance in recent years ... more
thanks to the likes of Switchfoot, Jars of Clay and Creed, who avoid obvious sacred references in their lyrics. It's also refreshing to hear CCM songwriters like...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Contemporary Christian music has come a long way toward secular acceptance in recent years ... more
thanks to the likes of Switchfoot, Jars of Clay and Creed, who avoid obvious sacred references in their lyrics. It's also refreshing to hear CCM songwriters like...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Contemporary Christian music has come a long way toward secular acceptance in recent years ... more
thanks to the likes of Switchfoot, Jars of Clay and Creed, who avoid obvious sacred references in their lyrics. It's also refreshing to hear CCM songwriters like Switchfoot's Jonathan Foreman explore love and belonging as song subjects. Foreman's songwriting on The Beautiful Letdown shows potential, and his progressive vision for spiritual themes indicates a willingness to colour outside the lines. --Matthew Cooke
Postage & Packaging:Free! Availability:Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Contemporary Christian music has come a long way toward secular acceptance in recent years ... more
thanks to the likes of Switchfoot, Jars of Clay and Creed, who avoid obvious sacred references in their lyrics. It's also refreshing to hear CCM songwriters like Switchfoot's Jonathan Foreman explore love and belonging as song subjects. Foreman's songwriting onThe Beautiful Letdownshows potential, and his progressive vision for spiritual themes indicates a willingness to colour outside the lines.--Matthew Cooke
Postage & Packaging:£1.21 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: 4 really good songs. Disadvantages: 7 really bad songs.
...Remember (beautiful songs for a beautiful film). This brought them national success.
In 2003 they brought out a Beautiful Letdown, here's the review on the tracks and my opinion:
==Track 1- Meant To Live==
This is one of the most well known songs by Switchfoot, and it's a great opener to the CD. The whole song is very rocky, and is filled with very strong guitar beats as well as drum beats, which you ... ...the lyrics, which are just beautiful and filled with some great meaningful lyrics.
A great start to what I hope is going to be a good album from all that I've heard of it. A brilliant song.
Memorable Lyrics: "Dreaming about providence
And whether mice or men have second tries
Maybe we?ve been livin with our eyes half open
Maybe we?re bent and broken, broken"
Jon Foreman (vocals/guitar) Tim Foreman (bass guitar/ backing vocals) Chad Butler (drums) Jerome Fontamillas (guitar/keyboard) Drew Shirley (guitar)
The band are from California and are considered as an alternative rock band. They first gained recognition when in 2002, four of their songs, were put on the soundtrack for A Walk To Remember (beautiful songs for a beautiful film). This brought them national success.
In 2003 they brought out a Beautiful Letdown, here's the review on the tracks and my opinion:
Track 1- Meant To Live
This is one of the most well known songs by Switchfoot, and it's a great opener to the CD. The whole song is very rocky, and is filled with very strong guitar beats as well as drum beats, which you would expect to drown out the lead singer, however he keeps his voice powerful and deep and it really works perfectly alongside the rest of the music.
Quite a few of Switchfoot's songs I have found are very rocky like this track, however the way he sings, if it was just an acoustic song, it would probably be counted as more of a ballad than anything. Together with the music though it works brilliantly, the lead singer's vocals are just tremendous, and it works so well with the lyrics, which are just beautiful and filled with some great meaningful lyrics.
A great start to what I hope is going to be a good album from all that I've heard of it. A brilliant song.
Memorable Lyrics: "Dreaming about providence And whether mice or men have second tries Maybe we?ve been livin with our eyes half open Maybe we?re bent and broken, broken"
My Opinion: 10/10 (A very powerful opener to this album, brilliant)
Track 2- This Is Your Life
I wasn't to keen on this to start with, the start is quite weird, but don't let that put you off. The whole song is just beautiful, it's a lot slower than Meant To Live, and is more of a ballad than anything. The instruments are still there, but no way near as powerful as the previous track. It's a lot quieter and I think it'll be to more people's liking than Meant To Live.
The lyrics in the song are brilliant, I believe what they are saying is live your life to the fullest, you only have one life, live everyday to the full and make sure you don't regret anything. A beautiful song, but definitely not one of my favourites.
The song takes a while to pick up, I think in the chorus, John Foreman really gets to shine. His vocals have this very unique sound to it, which I can't really compare to any other artist. It's very raw and edgy and works with all the songs that they write.
Memorable Lyrics: "Yesterday is a wrinkle on your forehead Yesterday is a promise that you?ve broken Don?t close your eyes, don?t close your eyes This is your life and today is all you?ve got now Yeah, and today is all you?ll ever have Don?t close your eyes Don?t close your eyes"
My Opinion: 8/10 (Not a fan really of this song, It just takes a bit too long to get good)
Track 3- More Than Fine
Not a fan of this song, I don't think Jon's vocals are as brilliant and the song itself is pretty weak. The instruments really work against his vocals rather than for them. They're trying to hard to bring an up-tempo song into the mix but it really doesn't work.
The song is quite annoying to be honest, there's nothing good here.
Memorable Lyrics: "When I wake in the morning, I want to blow into pieces. I want more than just ok, more than just ok. When I?m up with the sunrise I want more than just blue skies. I want more than just ok, more than just ok."
My Opinion: 2/10 (The lyrics are alright, but not brilliant)
Track 4- Ammunition
Another song which isn't brilliant. Jon's vocals are drowned out in this song by all of the instrumentals, the song itself is a lot darker than most of their songs, it's all about desperation and blame etc. The song itself is not brilliant however, you can't really hear the lyrics, which aren't brilliant when you read them, the song's just okay.
A disappointment, especially considering how brilliant the first two were and what's coming up next.
Memorable Lyrics: "have no generation Shoe me my motivation One world one desperation One hope and one salvation Look what a mess we?ve made of love Look waht a mess we?ve made We?ve got ourselves to blame Look what a bomb we made of love"
My Opinion: 4/10 (Just a disappointing song, nothing special here, but it's not painful)
Track 5- Dare You To Move
My favourite track by Switchfoot has to be this song. I first heard it on the film A Walk To Remember and have been in love with it since. The lyrics are incredible, even if everything else wasn't amazing, I could sing it and make it sound good. The lyrics are powerful, they are saying despite having an awful day, you have to make yourself get up and treat life like it really should be treated, everyone has bad days and your not alone.
This song is just amazing; Jon Forman's vocals are very powerful and work so well, especially in the chorus, which is just beautiful, a really powerful chorus with some simple lyrics. The instruments in the song work so well with Forman's vocals, the song as a whole is just magnificent.
Memorable Lyrics: "Maybe redemption has stories to tell Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell Where can you run to escape from yourself? Where you gonna go? Where you gonna go? Salvation is here"
My Opinion: 11/10 (A gorgeous song, with some incredible lyrics)
Track 6- Redemption
Another disappointing track. I don't think it's as natural as some of the previous tracks, sometimes Jon Foreman's vocals sound very natural and very raw but in this track, it's not brilliant vocals and the song itself is not really a joy to listen to.
It feels like the song has been done a hundreds time before, not only by Switchfoot but by quite a few other artists, I wouldn't call it a unique song. The lyrics aren't brilliant either, after the incredible Dare You To Move, I was expecting them to follow with a brilliant track, but again they come forth with an okay track. It's the sort of song you'll listen to, but not even remember the name of it afterwards.
Memorable Lyrics: "Four A.M., two hours to go I'm wearing out a lonely glow I miss you more than I could know Here I am, here I am Won't you get me.... I've got my hands at redemption's side Whose scars are bigger than these doubts of mine I'll fit all of these monstrosities inside and I'll come alive, come alive"
My Opinion: 5/10 (A 50/50 song, there's nothing exciting there at all, it's just a good song, nothing brilliant)
Track 7- The Beautiful Letdown
This song was quite a letdown I have to say, it's another anthem kind of song and is about despite having everything in the world, you still don't quite fit in. I like the lyrics to this song and meaning behind it, this is something that Switchfoot are usually brilliant at, however with this track, it just doesn't quite hit the mark.
It's an almost strange track, the start put me off slightly, and then it get's a bit better as it goes through, but it never really hits the peak that Dare You To Move or Meant To Live had, it's just an okay song, but Jon Forman's vocals are of course amazing.
Memorable Lyrics: "It was a beautiful let down When I crashed and burned When I found myself alone unknown and hurt It was a beautiful letdown The day I knew That all the riches this world had to offer me Would never do"
My Opinion: 6/10 (I was really expecting more from this album, but so far haven't got it. This track is just another satisfactory track)
Track 8- Gone
This is a weird track, I really didn't expect to like it, but it's really catchy after a while. I'm not too keen on the beat and his vocals have been better on the album, but it's the way that they all work together alongside the lyrics, and create a very uptempo song, that is very memorable, and quite strange in the fact that you don't really realise you like it until afterwards when it sticks in your head.
Don't be put off by the strange start to the song, give it a chance, its' one of those growers, with some fantastic lyrics including Elvis, Al Pacino and Frank Sinatra. The song is about the same things that a lot of the other songs are about, taking life as it comes and making sure you life for today as nothing lasts in the life, just like Frank Sinatra.
Memorable Lyrics: "She told him she?d rather fix her makeup Than try to fix what?s going on But the problem keeps on calling Even with the cellphone gone She told him that she believes in living Bigger than she?s living now But her world keeps spinning backwards And upsidedown Don?t say so long in the cellphone Don?t spend today away Cuz today will soon be"
My Opinion: 8/10 (A really good song, it does take a while to get into it, but it's still brilliant)
Track 9- On Fire
This is probably the slowest paced track on the album, it's a lot different to a lot of their songs on this album, and it slightly reminds me of some of their other songs like Only Hope. They do do ballads brilliantly I have to say. First and foremost Forman's vocals are really strong in this song. The music doesn't over power him but instead complements his voice and really helps him get the power.
This is a really beautiful song, I don't think it's as good as the Meant To Live or Dare You To Move but it's a really nice song, which is sung beautifully. One to listen for. The song deals with what the whole album seems to deal with, that there's more to life than what's heard and found in conversations.
It's about dealing with what people feel. It's a very Christian kind of song, which is pretty much what this band is based on, but you see it come through a lot more in this song.
Memorable Lyrics: "And you?re on fire When he?s near you You?re on fire When he speaks You?re on fire Burning at these mysteries Give me one more time around Give me one more chance to see Give me everything you are Give me one more chance to be... (near you)
My Opinion: 9/10 (Such a nice song, however it doesn't compare to the other two brilliant tracks)
Track 10- Adding To The Noise
His vocals aren't brilliant on this track, I'm not too big of a fan of this song I have to say. The lyrics are brilliant I have to say, they're talking about the noise in life today, and if this song is just adding to this noise, then your welcome to turn it off. Despite the lyrics, which are very good, it just doesn't seem to fit not only on it's own together and inside this album.
Quite an annoying song, and one you'll probably never listen to on repeat. Just a boring and almost painful song to listen to.
Memorable Lyrics: "Twenty-four oceans Twenty-four skies Twenty-four failures And twenty-four tries Twenty-four finds me In twenty-fourth place With twenty-four drop outs At the end of the day"
My Opinion: 3/10 (A boring and unmemorable song, which could be considered painful in places)
Track 11- Twenty Four
Wow, what a boring song, but like always I'm going to listen through it all the way through, what feels like 2 hours, and am going to get the proper feel of the song. This is a very boring song like I said, his vocals are good but not brilliant and the lyrics are good but not brilliant. It's just an okay track, but doesn't feel right on this album.
With an album like this, when they started big with Meant To Live, I really expected them to end big, but they ended on a slow song, which was just as disappointing as the rest of the album to be honest. Not a good album and not a good song.
Memorable Lyrics: "Twenty-four oceans Twenty-four skies Twenty-four failures And twenty-four tries Twenty-four finds me In twenty-fourth place With twenty-four drop outs At the end of the day"
My Opinion: 2/10 (A very boring track, a poor note to end on)
My Opinion
I really thought I'd love this CD, I had read a lot of reviews on amazon before buying this CD, and all of them almost were giving the CD 5 stars, so I was expecting a lot. I had heard the best two songs on the album before, Meant To Live and Dare You To Move are just awesome songs, with some amazing lyrics and some brilliant vocals, and I have no idea what the hell happened to the rest of the album.
The lyrics are the main thing that struck me about this band, like a lot of people (including my friend Jordan), thought that they were a Christian band, which amazingly they don't really show. Of course ALL of the songs are about living today for today, and making sure you don't live life with regrets and that everyone suffers now and again, and most of the songs are very powerful when they've written about this, however everything else just seems to falter.
Jonathan Forman who is the lead singer of this band, has a very unique and raw voice, which you don't really see a lot anymore. A lot of the artists all sound the same nowadays, but Forman really is unique. However that's only shown in a few songs, 60% of them are just average, he really doesn't shine in a lot of the songs.
I was all in all really disappointed with this album, there are probably four songs out of 11 which even stick in my memory, two of them I heard hundreds of times before, and loved them already. There was nothing brilliant here; nothing new and it all just seemed rushed to be honest.
Don't go on my opinion with this however, I must just have a weird taste in music, as all of those people can't be wrong, however I just found quite a few songs painful and despite the lyrics being brilliant, nothing else around it worked.
How was:
==The Vocals==
On 3 of the songs, beautiful. Really powerful and really unique, however on the other 8, okay. He really didn't sore as much as I thought he would. I have heard quite a few songs by this band, a lot of them are not even on this album, and they are really brilliant.
The Band
I really like the band, I think as a whole they're very original and their style is just brilliant. The lyrics they write are just amazing as well and the band really brings the music foreward and makes brilliant tracks some of the time.
I found that the band, despite Forman's voice being quite strong, overpower him slightly in a lot of the tracks, this is something I hate when listening to music, I have to be able to hear the lyrics and the lead's vocals. The music is supposed to be there as background music not foreground unless their doing solos or something.
The Lyrics
Wow, this is one thing I am going to say good about the band, there lyricist is just amazing. Especially in songs like Dare You To Move, which is truly incredible. It's very repetitive, a lot of the song is repeated throughout but you don't really notice, all you notice is how powerful the lyrics are and how much they really mean.
Should You Buy The Album?
Nah, it was pretty awful, but I would recommend these following songs:
Advantages: An album filled with emotional Disadvantages: A little weak in places.. lacks umph!
...all media. This was a Beautiful Letdown.
This album got the band noticed, where previous albums (such as learning to breathe) never really hit the lime light.
Good album but has some weak songs which dont seem to fully explore a genre but dabble in the middle of somewhere. it has a good strong message but the ending lacks power.
Track List:
Meant To Live
This Is Your Life
More Than Fine
Ammunition
Dare You To Move
Redemption
The Beautiful ... ...all media. This was a Beautiful Letdown.
The album "The Beautiful Letdown" has its strong songs, blending its strong Christian / Social Equality message with an indie rock style that has been hitting the music business for a while. my favorites being This Is Your Life and Dare You To Move. Here is my review of the songs.
Meant To Live
A cracking all out guns blazing no holds barred first song. Full of rock and roll, heavy riffs and amazing lyrics, ...
joejanman 04.05.2005
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Beautiful Letdown, The - Switchfoot
Advantages: variation, lyrics Disadvantages: a bit weak in parts
...6. Redemption 7. Beautiful Letdown 8. Gone 9. On Fire 10. Adding To The Noise 11. Twenty-Four
Meant to live
This is a much louder, harder, more rocky track than some of the others on the Album, but with clear meaning: "We were meant to live for so much more," showing how the writer/singer feels that life has more importance than meets the eye.
This is your life
This is a much softer song, but with much the same meaning as the first song. This ... ...is quite catchy.
The Beautiful Letdown
The song which the album has been named after definitely is different. This song is very slow, and is much less rocky than the others, and brings to mind images of a big chorus choir singing along, as the drum beat first builds up.
On Fire
One of the more touching songs, clearly a love song, this is quite repetitive, but still seems to work quite well. A very slow and emotional song.
Adding to the noise
...
tc999 15.07.2007
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Beautiful Letdown, The - Switchfoot
Advantages: Fantastic music with real meaning. Disadvantages: Perhaps a little hyperactive for those who prefer Mozart!
...in On Fire and The Beautiful Letdown, as the others often find themselves launching into electric guitar. It's great! Every time Dare You To Move find itself back at the chorus, it makes me all tingly inside. There's real power in the sound, even in the quiet songs - and that's something that's often hard to achieve. They did it, though.
And, of course, the music is really about something. Not only does every song have some kind of maening behind ... ...the album. You might think that there is (The Beautiful Letdown, for exampe, may not sound *happy*), but when it comes down to it the sheer lack of anything other than, "dude, music is so cool" really lifts you.
The irony of the title is not lost on me. ...
Supernite 30.08.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Beautiful Letdown, The - Switchfoot
Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency...
How does it compare to ...
Value for Money
Quick review of Beautiful Letdown, The - Switchfoot
For me, Switchfoot do more than make good music; they sing about the faith that I have, and that other people can grow from. As a Christian, hearing their music inspires you in the walk with God.
Not many people know that Swithfoot are a Christian band, and sadly many will be put off by this, but when you hear tracks like Twenty Four, or On Fire you can really feel the softness of God in you heart.
Meant to Live totally fires you up for life, as does Dare You To Move. Adding To The Noise and Ammuntion are just purely the rock out tracks to have fun to in busy traffic jams! ...
The-Beetroot 31.08.2007
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Beautiful Letdown, The - Switchfoot
Advantages: A great range of thought provoking songs Disadvantages: none
...You To Move
Redemption
The Beautiful Letdown
Gone
On Fire
Adding To The Noise
Twenty-Four
Thir single 'Meant to live' was on the soundtrack for the spiderman movie. Which meant that many non christian people were able to hear the song. All of the songs on this album are great There are powerful songs with strong lyrics. There are a range of songs on this album. The overal album portrays a strong message. Switchoot also have a new album out ...
hayzjp 15.12.2005
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Beautiful Letdown, The - Switchfoot
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