zorrothepiking's Full Review: The Legend of Chin by Switchfoot
Welcome to Switchfoot. Legend of Chin was the debut album of a band that has arguably risen to the pinnacle of Christian Music. Most people are more familiar with the later albums by this band: Beautiful Letdown and Nothing is Sound. Many, however, know the song Chem6A, even if they don't know where it came from. Well, here it is.
The Big Picture -
Most bands enter the music scene with an underdeveloped and underwhelming sound. Though they may be lyrically strong, it usually takes time before they find their real niche. Once popular, most bands began to deviate into what they consider to be their unique sound. Switchfoot, however, is different. This album is strikingly different than their subsequent ones. There is a... dare I say... Jazz sound to much of their songs. There is a lot of experimentation in this album. No two songs are alike and you really get an appreciation of their different talents. As their works progressed, their music converged into the Switchfoot we know and love today.
The Good and the Bad -
As stated, there is a lot of unique sound in this album. As is typical with most debuts, the sound is a little raw, and sounds somewhat hollow compared to their late work. Lyrically, they deliver a message that is unapologetically Christian. Although not every song says "Jesus loves you," you can't miss the message of hope, faith, and love that inundates each line. In case you couldn't guess, I have come to respect Switchfoot a great deal and hope to do justice to them in this review and my upcoming reviews of their subsequent work.
The Music -
Bomb - This song is one of the most popular on the album. It happens with a strong bass line and an electric joins it in a dark-rock-jazz sound (I can make up some terms here, right?). Not as dynamic as some of the later songs, this one gives the bass player a chance to really show off. The "bomb" is an event that finally jolted the singer awake. He was sinking, but this has helped him regain focus.
Chem6A - The first time I heard this song was on a CD my brother made me for my Birthday. Since then, I've bought this album and listened to this song again and again. It is such an awesome song. The main riff is catchy and surprisingly easy to play. I make my brothers play this song with me all the time. One of their most popular, this one is really at the top of my list of Switchfoot songs. Lyrically, it's about our laziness and contentment. It talks about about how we're unwilling to go the extra mile to really get what we should.
Underwater - The coolest part of this song is the little jazz solo in the middle. The music is upbeat and fun, and this song is one of the more dynamic ones. Ironically, this is one of the darkest songs lyrically. It talks about a girl who finds herself disenchanted with her own life. It says that she has nothing to be and that it "takes all day to get to night". The song ends with "Now she's upside down; Now she's six feet down; Underwater" It kinda strengthens the argument that this is a dark album, though I think that's taking things a bit far. Still, this song is about alcoholism and demise, so they might have a case! :)
Edge of My Seat - This song is about meeting a girl. It talks about the excitement and the unknown. He's not sure yet where this is going, but he knows he's really excited. This is one of the most upbeat songs. It still has a jazz undertone, but it's kinda poppy.
Home - This is about travelling paths and missing what you've left behind. It starts with "It's a long way from Miami to L.A." The whole song is about living this new life and feeling so far away from where they want to be. It's music is slow and a little morose, which is appropriate for the subject matter. Still, it has a neat dynamic to it as well as cello that adds to the ambience.
Might Have Been Hur - Possibly about the same girl as Edge of my Seat, this song is about how he can't let go of this girl. He wants someone to share his life with, including the bad days. The music is a little groovy with a interesting mix of instruments. It's almost too dynamic, with different sounds and instruments coming and going and shifting musical focus. And yes, I spelled "Hur" correctly. An allusion, perhaps?
Concrete Girl - This is one of my favorite songs on the album. It's about a girl who holds herself to such high standards that she's doomed to fail. It says "don't fall down, concrete girl." She's pretending to be happy, but she's actually "growing colder." The riff in the verses is cool, and the crunchy chorus is a neat contrast. The sound of this song is one of my favorites on the album.
Life and Love and Why - This song is about finding hope and purpose. The song starts out with a solid but slow melody. As the song progresses, though, the words and the music really pick up. Later, the music is happier and it indicates that he may have found that purpose he was looking for. It's really neat to see how they pair the message with the music.
You - This is the most mellow song on the album. It's about how he finds help when he is lost and confused. It's an admission that he's not the one that brings the happiness and hope he experiences. He's saying that in You I find myself. Slow and steady, it's a neat break from some of the more upbeat songs.
Ode to Chin - This song will keep your attention from start to finish. It starts with a jazzy intro and keeps that feeling throughout the verses, while the chorus maintains a more traditional rock song. It's about solidity and making good choices. It's a really neat song with smooth transitions.
Don't Be There - The last song is really desperate. It's a song of pain and looking up to see where he wants to be. He doesn't know what led him to the dark place he now finds himself, but he's really slipping deeper. It's a rather sad way to end out the album. Most of us would prefer a strong, hopeful message to cap things off. Alas, maybe that's the point?
Conclusion -
If you love switchfoot, you really need this album. It has a lot of unique music and will show you where this great band came from. My only complaint is that many of the songs have titles that aren't directly linked to the lyrics. Although they're clever, it's hard to find that song you want to listen to when title doesn't really match up. But the music and lyrics are fantastic, and you owe it to yourself to add this one to your collection.
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