Switchfoot - NATIVE TONGUE

Switchfoot
NATIVE TONGUE
2019
Spotify

There was a time when it felt like Switchfoot might come to define North San Diego rock. Their 2003 Magnum Opus The Beautiful Letdown found this balance between angsty rock and their deeply held religious beliefs. They were pushed out as the best Christian Rock had to offer, and in a lot of ways they delivered. Since that album, they have focused a bit more on the religious overtones in their music, sort of leaving the thing that made them the most popular behind. It's not a new thing, shirking fame for more artistic pursuits, hell one of my favorite artists Shamir completely changed directions at the height of his powers. Switchfoot however did not depart the zeitgeist without plenty of loyal fans. The host paid meet and greets, tour constantly and host a festival called the "Bro-AM" which features tons of Surfing and culminates with Switchfoot playing a closing set. On top of these things they also host more private fan events, which of course cost more money. They create amongst their fans a sense of family, but then they make you pay for it. The reason I know this is my Mother has a friend who is obsessed with the band, and shells out thousands of dollars to attend these sort of gatherings. I'm always shocked at the cash she lays down for these things, but hey I guess to each their own. The thing is Switchfoot, on this their eleventh studio album, have learned almost nothing. Their sound is exactly the same as it's ever been with just less than vague allusions to Jesus and some modern sounds to keep the more hip Christians happy.

Their heart, for the most part, seems to be in the right place though. They donate a bunch of the money from the Bro-Am to charity and they host a number of fundraisers throughout the year. They aren't just throwing out hollow promises they are actually walking the walk, kind of. The problem with this album is really how incredibly boring it is. "PRODIGAL SOUL" has rhymes that feel like the first thing they thought of every single time. You get that sense throughout this album, that they are just rehashing old bits and hoping no one notices. Nothing about this album is new for them in terms of content or sound, so why should we care? The answer is you shouldn't. Like I said it is the devotees who are keeping Switchfoot going, it's music just for them and that's ok too. Their 2014k instagram fans will likely buy all their music, spring for that "VIP Expereince" and hell maybe even go to the Bro-Am which is enough to keep a career going. But as far as something for a new listener, there is zero. Switchfoot will be fine until they decide to hang it up, if they ever do, but unless they really take a swing at some point, I doubt many people will notice.

4.0 out of 10