Vice Verses

Description

Vice Verses is the eighth full-length studio album by the American alternative rock band Switchfoot, released in the US on Atlantic Records in September 2011, a Warner Music Group Company, under licence from the band’s own label, lowercase people. Released by WEA International for the world outside of the US. The album was recorded by Adam Hawkins, Erich Talaba, and Neal Avron at the band’s own Spot X Studio in San Diego, California; with Avron producing. Mixed by Neal Avron, assisted by Nicolas Fournier, at Paramount Recording Studios in Hollywood, California. All tracks written by lead vocalist Jon Foreman except tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, and 9 co-written by brothers Jon and Tim Foreman and track 12 co-written by Jon Foreman, Tim Foreman, and Mike Elizondo.

Switchfoot features Jon Foreman on guitar and lead vocals; Jerome Fontamillas (of Fold Zandura, Jyradelix, and Mortal fame) on keyboard, guitar, and background vocals; Drew Shirley on guitar and background vocals; Tim Foreman on bass and background vocals; and Chad Butler on drums and percussion. (Violin on track 4 provided by Sara Watkins.)

‘Vice Verses’ plays like an album Switchfoot actually wanted to write and play. Having famously cherry-picked Hello Hurricane‘s track listing from over 80 songs, this, their eighth studio album, sees the band focus on a much more limited selection, finding in discipline a freedom to be inventive. ‘Vice Verses’ was on the cards before ‘Hurricane’ had even hit the shelves although little of the band’s original track listing made it through to the final recording. Thematically the album treads similar paths to previous albums – nostalgia and loss («Souvenirs»), making the most of this life («Dark Horses», «Rise Above It»), vacuous media hypocrisy («Selling The News») and the title track which examines the serious questions that arise out of life, death and suffering. ‘Vice Verses’ also conveys that our reality is more than what we see in front of us: “A warm body doesn’t mean I’m alive,” Foreman sings on «Thrive»; “Just because you’re present/ Doesn’t mean that you’re here,” he claims on «Rise Above It» while the album’s seven minute closer, «Where I Belong», sees Foreman expressing his hope for an eternal reality: “This body’s not my own/ This world is not my own/ Still looking for a home/ In a world where I belong”. Switchfoot’s diverse approach to rock music means that there are some pleasant surprises amongst the obligatory acoustic introspection and foot-stomping rock – highlights are first single «Dark Horses» and anthemic «The War Inside» – the latter kicking off with an electronic vibe, its flowing fight-lyrics and dark grooves combining to put a strong emphasis on rhythm – Tim’s bass and Chad’s drums kick in at the end of the first verse and gave me the same excited feeling I got the first time «Chem 6A»’s riff stopped me in my tracks. The songs on offer here are naturally a world away from those early albums in terms of style, production quality and songwriting maturity, but ‘Vice Verses’ has the innovative Switchfoot spark that’s been missing off the last couple of albums. «Selling The News» is a distant cousin to Larry Norman’s «Readers Digest» and Foreman can’t hide the sarcasm in his spoken delivery which culminates in the accusatory chorus; “Fact is fiction/ Suspicion is the new religion”. Foreman is one of the most dexterous and exciting songwriters in the whole alternative rock scene. He has the ability to express truth without pretension, deep yearnings unencumbered by cliche and crucially he can make you feel like he’s written a song just for you, framing his quests and questions with declarations of hope and expectancy. ‘Vice Verses’ is a rock album of the highest calibre. [Ewan Jones, Cross Rhythms, October 2011]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/vice-verses-deluxe-version/465000796)

CD tracklist:

01. Afterlife
02. The Original
03. The War Inside
04. Restless
05. Blinding Light
06. Selling The News
07. Thrive
08. Dark Horses
09. Souvenirs
10. Rise Above It
11. Vice Verses
12. Where I Belong

Note: Simultaneously released on 12-inch vinyl double LP and CD by lowercase people/Atlantic Records. Re-issued as a Limited Edition 12-inch vinyl double LP by Atlantic Records in 2018, pressed on White and Black Marble vinyl (300 copies). Also pressed on black vinyl.