Vice Verses: A Review

I was eleven years old the first time I heard a Switchfoot song. The song was Learning to Breathe and I knew instantly that this was what love felt like. The hopeful and sweet optimism of the song was just what I needed as I started in on what I thought would be the most difficult and painful years of my life; as a teenager. My first Switchfoot album I bought was at the age of fourteen and it was The Beautiful Letdown. This album from the powerful “Meant to Live” to the wise sounds of “Twenty-Four” made me fall even more in love with this band and their music. Ever since that moment I strongly believed I would never find an album that flowed and captured my heart immediately the way The Beautiful Letdown had. It was the most amazing thing I had heard and I didn't think it could be recreated. That was until this past week. Switchfoot has once again captured the perfection of what The Beautiful Letdown was with their new album Vice Verses. Here are my thoughts on the songs.

Afterlife: Switchfoot once again starts off the album with a strong upbeat song about revolution. The first time I heard this song I felt a great power inside of myself that was coming alive. This song explains that we has a generation need to step up and do right by our world. Much like “Meant to Live” this song is catchy and actually about making a difference. Important Line: “And I wonder why would I wait till I die to come alive?”


The Original: John Mason once said “You were born an original; don't die a copy.” This song explains that concept exactly. The hard rock song full of energy is fun and exciting. I understand the whole idea of being an individual and making up your own mind. It is about being brave enough to be yourself and stick to your own morals. Not to listen to the media or societal pressures of this world. Important Line: “Don't let nobody try & steal your soul, you're the original." 

The War Inside: The first time I heard this song I knew what it is like to feel motivated. All the internal struggles. You wonder sometimes if you are making the choices that lead to good things for the world. I know I wonder if I'm being nice enough. Am the light for the world. This sounds like a battle song and a fight song for the young generation. It is about fighting for what is right even when your tired and don't feel like there is any hope left. Important Line: “I am the war inside; I am the battle line; I am the rising tide; I am the more I fight.”

Restless: This is the first song I heard off the new album and I think it was my first sign that this was going to be a good one. Restless started off as my favorite song. I am only human and I know that I'm searching for something bigger than myself. Some nights I search for the love of God alone and other nights I search for the love of Prince Charming. The person that I will be able to see God's love for me in and that we can share. This song is such an amazing call towards the skies about wanting to find your way by following your heart. It is about impatience and that need for love. Important Line: “With every heartbeat; all of my blood bleeds. Running inside me; I'm looking for you.”





Blinding Light: This song on the album is such a fun one. With the fun beat and intelligent lyrics it is such a catchy song about hope. It is about listening to your own voice and about waiting for that sunshine to find you even in the darkest places. It talks about how strong someone can be if you stay postie and hopeful of that higher power. Important Line: “Deep down there's a hope inside brighter than the fears of my mind. I keep looking for the blinding light. It's the hope that keeps me alive.”

Selling The News: This is the first rap like song I've ever heard from Switchfoot and I really like it. It is like a soapbox song singing on the top of lungs to get messages across. The song calls out all the 'religious' people who don't really speak for God's message. It talks about Media Jesus and how to look past all the bologna to hear the real messages. Important Line: “I want to believe you. I want to believe, but everything is in between. The fact is fiction. Suspicion is a new religion.”

Thrive: Immediately the drum beat draws you into the song, but the lyrics help continue to allow you to learn. The song is about living for more which seems to be a common lesson throughout the whole album. Thrive is about wanting so badly to be the type of person that deserve to be on the earth. It is about wanting to use every breath of your life to a good purpose. It is about not feeling good enough and a feeling I've felt often in the last year. Important Line: “I want to thrive not just survive. I'm always close but I'm never enough. I'm always in line but I'm never in love. I get so down but I won't give up. I get slowed down but I won't give up.”

Dark Horses: Vice Verses single has so much to like about it. Dark Horses is about being kicked down and unexpectedly surviving. I seriously love this song because I have needed it so much in the past. It is about taking all those things that make you feel negative and using them as motivation to live more intensely. The second song I heard and the most exciting. I love to sing it loudly and can totally understand why it is the single. Important Line: “Born for the blue skies. We'll survive the rain. Born for the sunrise. We'll survive the pain.”



Souvenirs: While listening to every album I find that soul searchingly epic song. On Learning to Breathe it was the title track, on Beautiful Letdown it was Twenty-Four, and on the last album Hello Hurricane it was Always. There is always that ONE SONG that captures the heart in such a wonderful way. This is that song off Vice Verses. I had an interesting summer falling in love with someone that would never love me back. This song reminded me of my summer at camp and of James. It talks about love and being fearlessly young. It is about all those memories you keep with you inside forever. Important Line: “I close my eyes and go back in time I can see you smiling, you're so alive. We were so young, we had no fear. We were so young, we had no idea that life was just happening. Here's to your bright eyes. Shining like fireflies. These are my souvenirs the memory of a lifetime.”




Rise Above It: Even on Beautiful Letdown there is that song that I enjoy, but never really gets to me the way the others do. On Beautiful Letdown it was Ammunition. Today's song is this one. I like the song, but don't really connect with it. It is a great song, but I don't know. Can't like them all? I guess this is another song about the hypocrisy of the world. Important Line: “It all feels so typical; guess I'm looking for a miracle. Rise above it. I don't care what their telling me we could be what we want to be.”

Vice Verses: The title track is almost a tie for my favorite song on the album. The honesty of this song reminds me of grown up versions of the older Switchfoot stuff. It is a very wise song and it is a dreamers song. It talks about the polarity of life. It is about knowing that for every good comes a bad and for every negative thing come a shining positive moment. The song ponders the nagging questions about humanity and I love it. Important Line: “Looking for signs in the night sky, wishing that I wasn't such a nice guy. Wonder what it means to live forever, wonder what it means to die. I know there's a meaning to it all. A little resurrection every time I fall.”

Where I Belong: The final song of every Switchfoot album always seems to be the most profound one. Where I Belong is another one of those soft songs that talks about heaven, but in a different way than the first song of the album. This song wraps up tightly the concepts of the album and gives the perfect finale to it. It is such a light song meaning it shines with a breath of fresh air. It is just... one of those songs. It speaks greatly to me because I understand the concept of this not being a permanent residence both body and soul. Important Lines:“On the final day I die. I want to hold my head up high. I want to tell You that I tried to live it like a song. And when I reach the other side, I want to look you in the eye and know that I've arrived. In a world where I belong.”

This has been so amazing and I'm glad I got to share it with you. I suggest greatly that you pick up this album because well duh it is phenomenal. It is seriously one of those albums you can listen to the entire thing without wanting to skip a song. It flows so well together the album goes along like a symphony. It is about so many things and says it in so many ways. So from a lifelong Switchfoot fan (since the age of 11) I say GO OUT AND BUY IT! Especially considering this coming week will be Switchfoot Friday (google it)

Love Dearly< Brianna>