Nothing Is Sound (CD - 2005)

Additional personnel: Tommy Barbarella (strings); Ken Chastain (percussion); Todd Cooper (background vocals).

With over two million copies sold of their 2003 breakthrough Beautiful Letdown, Switchfoot have finally found the universal audience they've been searching for since 1999's New Way to Be Human. Their CCM inspirations had always been more curious than self-righteous -- "We're all in this together, Jonathan Foremanwould sing in his lyrics, "so let's figure out what it all means" -- and on Letdown, those impulses meshed ably with slick post-grunge guitars and the production of John Fields. It's the same formula on Nothing Is Sound, Switchfoot's 2005 effective, but too calculated follow-up. Fields is back in the producer's seat, and Foreman is still striving to separate honesty from commodities and find a place for his soul to stand up straight. On songs like "Blues," "Shadow Proves the Sunshine," and "Happy Is a Yuppie Word" his vocals mix Bono's plaintive wail with the laconic surfer drawl of fellow Southern Californian Mark McGrath. He conveys his passion for key topics like life, death, sex, and redemption. But Foreman's also careful not to lose that laid-back edge, so we know there's still an easygoing beach kid under that washed-out blonde mane. Together with Foreman, Switchfoot succeeds incredibly well with this meaningful innocuousness. Vestiges of Nirvana remain in their melodic crunch, but there's no teeth, and nothing threatening. Instead the wrangled yells and lurching notes of "Politicians," "Lonely Nation," and "Easier Than Love" are balanced by hopeful verses, tinkling programming, and layers of airy reverb. With Nothing Is Sound Switchfoot have realized that with universal success comes being all things to all people. So they're prayerful -- "Please Lord don't look the other way...Shine on me," goes "Shadow Proves the Sunshine" -- but they're also just plain likeable, giving "We Are One Tonight" the easygoing flair of the Gin Blossoms. Foreman probes the big issues with a personal touch, his band keeps the beat steady and true, and it sounds like nothing and everything at the very same time. ~ Johnny Loftus

Following up 2003's very successful THE BEAUTIFUL LETDOWN is no small feat, considering that it put Switchfoot on the map with a mainstream audience. Clearly up for the challenge, on NOTHING IS SOUND, Switchfoot frontman Jon Foreman's combination of self-examination entwined with emotional and social commentary makes for blissfully infectious alt-rock.

With a set of new songs that were written on the road during a rigorous tour schedule, NOTHING IS SOUND boasts impressive production quality, even though the band had to split their recording time between impromptu sessions in dressing rooms and the traditional studio setting. The end result is a raw yet polished album, sure to please newcomers to the band as well as long-time Switchfoot admirers. minimize