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The highly anticipated 2010 Switchfoot holiday package has arrived in the mail for this very satisfied blogger. It's looking really sweet, and the art direction this year far surpasses a lot of what the band has come out with over the past few years.
First off, here's a look at everything that came in the mail (minus shirt).

The calendar that my friend Jeanna from LOBH and I helped to create is looking pretty good, but what takes the cake is the music of course.
"Eastern Hymns for Western Shores" is finally upon us, and before I delve into the songs, check out the packaging!

^You'll have to wait for your own to take a look at the song postcards. It's really sweet and artsy, so if you're into that thing, you're in for a treat.
As for the EP itself, it's fantastic! Definitely not something we're used to hearing from the band. I knew they had the untapped potential for songs like this, and hearing stuff this brilliant makes me wonder why they chose not to release them sooner.
Most of us have already heard "We Are Bound," a haunting track that features jangly acoustic guitars nestled between programmed "ahhs" that remind you of a dark afternoon in the forest. Jon Foreman's vocals are smothered in a flood of double-tracked arrangements, making the lyrics difficult to understand and ambiguous. But it just works.
"Stitches" is fantastic. One of the greatest Switchfoot songs I have heard in some time. If you haven't heard it, whether through iTunes' "Hello Hurricane" package, or with "Eastern Hymns," do so! It's a darker sound, just like the rest of this EP, but it's beautifully melodic; something that I believe is why I love "Nothing Is Sound" so much.
For anyone who's been around for a few years, "Daylight to Break" is not a new track. However, the version that appears on this EP is slightly improved, with a more solid mix that sounds polished and finished, without sounding overly produced. Great track that finally gets a proper "official" release.
"Overthrow" is a revelation. Jon finally makes his association with the late Kurt Cobain complete; this is Switchfoot channeling premium Nirvana. The dark lyrics and haunting vocal melodies are top notch, conjuring up the angry grunge that has inspired generations of rock fans since Cobain and co. patrolled rock clubs across the country.
The original recording of "Dirty Second Hands" has a heavier electric guitar presence, and I would argue that it's a stronger version than the one that eventually made it onto "Oh! Gravity." We've heard this arrangement before - the band posted this on their website (accidentally, allegedly), before replacing it with the final version. This is a shorter version of the alternate we heard back then, so it's different. Confusing banter aside, you'd appreciate this song in a new light; it chops off some of spoken word/faux rap parts.
And lastly, "Connect With the Spine" is Switchfoot showing more creativity. Sounds like a darker, brooding Radiohead, with a touch of psychedelic-era, "I Am the Walrus" Beatles. You'll dig this one too.
Overall, great EP. WONDERFUL package. Switchfoot have outdone themselves this year, and I could not be happier with the final product I received in the mail.
Friday, December 10, 2010
The 2010 Holiday Package (with Eastern Hymns for Western Shores) arrives!
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Friday, January 15, 2010
"The Best Yet: Live in Nashville" Review: DVD offers solid Switchfoot concert retrospective

Just like the Sony-released album of the same name, "The Best Yet Live" DVD gives listeners/viewers an ample look into the past few years of Switchfoot music. "The Best Yet Live" is a well-produced video collection compiled during the band's Nashville stop during the co-headlined Music Builds Tour back in 2008. The tracklisting is safe and casual-fan-friendly, featuring four hits from the 2003 double-platinum "The Beautiful Letdown" -- something to be expected, considering how little an amount oftime the band had to squeeze these tunes into (a little over an hour).
The DVD is solid; the audio mixing is significantly improved over the previous, under-produced "Live at the Ventura Theatre." There is actually a strong bass presence in the overall mix, the sound is more consistent and is more pleasing to the ear overall. The video editing is highly improved as well, with black-and-white effects and slow-motion sequences, lending a music-video styled, professional-feeling sheen over top of the whole film.
The quality isn't perfect however, by any means. There were some very obviously pixelated boom camera/aerial shots of the stage and band; one will notice it immediately. Whether intentional or just the sad result of a low-quality camera, the end result is a very distracting and frustrating viewing experience at times.
There was also an example of a possible glitch (the same kind that plagued "Ventura"), when after "This Is Home," a strange sliding effect that sounded like the beginning "riff" of "Clumsy" by Fergie emerged in the mix. I'm pretty sure that wasn't in the original concert audio… whoops.
Another unfortunate editing problem, albeit unfix-able, can be found in "Gone." The Beyonce intro and interludes were edited out, probably due to copyright issues, leaving a rather awkward-sounding "whatever" where "this could be Rihanna's umbrella, ella, ella, whateva" should've been.
But problems aside, how could one forget "Dirty Second Hands." Arguably one of Switchfoot's most intense performances on this DVD, the cymbal bashing interlude, captured on DVD for the first time, is pure gold.
With the big Music Builds set up, including giant LCD screens and strobe lights galore, this DVD is the most visually appealing from Switchfoot yet. Lame, lifeless crowd aside, this DVD was worth every penny.
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You can purchase your copy on Switchfoot online store.
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Thursday, December 31, 2009
2009: The Year of the Hurricane; a Retrospective
(banner credit: Bryant! Thanks!)
Year in Review
2009. Gone too soon? Perhaps. What isn't going away anytime soon is Switchfoot. One of the most eventful years in Switchfoot's recent history, 2009 saw the arrival of "Hello Hurricane," a triumphant declaration by a band in transition and a record that marked Switchfoot's spirited return to the music industry.
But it's also important to remember that 2009 saw the release of Jon Foreman's side project with Sean Watkins called Fiction Family. Their debut record, also titled "Fiction Family," wowed casual fans and diehards alike by showcasing Foreman's lyrical and musical versatility - it's not often you see a singer of a multi-platinum rock and roll band put down the electric guitar and pluck through some folksy, bluegrass-tinged soul tunes. And yet, here it was.
2009 also saw Switchfoot return to mainstream rock radio with "Mess of Me," which on the very last day of the year, entered the Top 20 of Billboard's Modern Rock/Alternative Songs chart. A harbinger of things to come? A forecast of an even brighter future for the band in 2010? Only time will tell, but before we move forward into 2010 (which I will call "The Year of the Foot," a borrowed reference), here is a retrospective look into what's happened in the past year. And boy, it was a great one!
January
7th:
*Switchfoot first tweets on Twitter
20th:
*Fiction Family releases their debut album “Fiction Family.”
February
*Fiction Family’s record debuts at No. 71 on the Billboard 200, and charts well on several other charts. 1
7th:
*Fiction Family tour ends in West Hollywood.
13th:
*Switchfoot plays a show in Guatemala for the first time.
27th:
*Switchfoot launches new, temporary website. 2
March
5th:
*Switchfoot reports they are “rounding 3rd base” on the new record. 3
30th:
*Switchfoot heads to Los Angeles to begin mixing the new record. 4
April
7th:
*Switchfoot mixes first song, “Hello Hurricane.” 5
23rd:
*Switchfoot announces that they had actually been recording 4 studio albums in their time in the studio. 6
24th:
*Switchfoot releases the album names for their next two studio records: “Hello Hurricane” in 2009. “Vice Verses” in 2010. 7
25th:
*Switchfoot plays Kansas City and participates in The Invisible Children Rescue there. 8
27th:
*It is released on LOBH that Switchfoot plans on releasing an EP of unreleased material, titled “Eastern Hymns for Western Shores.” 9
28th:
*Jon Foreman plays the new Switchfoot song, “Yet” for the first time while at UCSD
May
4th and 5th:
*Switchfoot and Andy Barron go into the desert in Niland County for “Hello Hurricane” photo shoot. 10 11
8th:
*Switchfoot debut the song “Hello Hurricane” over the PA system after a concert in Visalia, California 12
26th:
*Switchfoot announces tour with Blue Ocobter
28th:
*Switchfoot/Blue October “Crazy Making Tour” dates are announced
June
16th:
*Switchfoot announces the official tracklisting for “Hello Hurricane” on their Twitter account 13
18th:
*Switchfoot debuts “Mess of Me” live at the Big Ticket Festival in Michigan. “Hello Hurricane” also makes its live performance debut, with Jon Foreman playing it solo acoustic on his Mandolin. 14 15
21st:
“Bullet Soul” is debuted live in Lancaster, PA at the American Music Theater 16
July
9th:
* “Needle and Haystack Life” is debuted live at Spirit Song in King’s Land, Ohio. 17
13th:
* “Mess of Me” is announced officially as the lead single for “Hello Hurricane.”
16th:
* Switchfoot plays “The Sound” live for the first time in Memphis, Tennessee. 18
26th:
* Switchfoot embarks on the Crazy Making Tour with Blue October, Ours, and Longwave in Council Bluffs, IA
August
7th:
* Switchfoot announces that lowercase people records have decided to partner with Atlantic Records and EMI CMG for the world-wide release of “Hello Hurricane” 19
26th:
* “Mess of Me” debuts on the radio, playing on Atlanta’s 99x Modern Rock/Alternative station. 20
29th:
* The Crazy Making Tour concludes at Hampton Beach, NH.
September
1st:
*Switchfoot commences the “Mess of Me” hunt, a worldwide “scavenger hunt” in which the band and fans hid copies of the single in locations across the globe.
8th:
*Switchfoot unleashes the first music video for “Mess of Me,” a live montage-styled offering set to clips from the Crazy Making Tour
12th:
*First of two shows in which Switchfoot opens for Dave Matthews Band in Chula Vista, CA
13th:
*Second show Switchfoot plays opening for Dave Matthews Band in Irvine, CA
16th:
*Pre-sale for “Hello Hurricane” begins.
23rd:
*Switchfoot announces dates for the Fall 2009 leg of the Hello Hurricane Tour. 21
November
3rd:
*The official "Mess of Me" video releases on Youtube, garnering multiple honors
8th:
*Switchfoot’s “Hello Hurricane” tour begins in El Cajon, CA.
photo credit: RCamWhite
photo credit: Max Roper
photo credit: Andy Barron
10th:
*“Hello Hurricane” releases; the #hellohurricane hashtag reaches the No. 6 slot in Twitter’s Trending Topics
12th:
*Switchfoot performs on Jimmy Kimmel Live
19th:
*“Hello Hurricane” debuts at No. 13 on the Billboard 200, selling 39,000 copies in its first week.
*“Your Love Is a Song” features prominently at the end of an episode of “One Tree Hill.” The song lasts almost six minutes during that segment 23
December
2nd:
*Switchfoot performs on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien
31st:
*"Mess of Me" hits the Top 20 on Billboard's Alternative Songs Chart
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We're Awakening's Hello Hurricane collaborative review with LOBH
The arrival of "Hello Hurricane" was obviously the highlight of 2009. My friend Jeanna from LOBH and I got our copies two weeks in advance, and we were so thrilled that we decided to share our thoughts with you all. Here is the review collab.
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Charts Summary
Albums
“Hello Hurricane”
Billboard 200: 13
Billboard Alternative Albums: 3
Billboard Christian Albums: 2
Billboard Rock Albums: 4
Singles
"Mess of Me"
Billboard Alternative Songs: 20
Billboard Rock Songs: 37
Billboard Christian Songs: 42
"Always"
Billboard Christian Songs: 20
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Switchfoot's 2010 Tour Dates
04/25/09
Kansas City, MS
05/08/09
Visalia, CA Fox Theatre
05/09/09
Santa Clara, CA Great America
06/18/09 Gaylord, MI The Big Ticket Festival
06/19/09
North Lawrence Ohio Clay's Park Resort
06/20/09
Toronto, ON
Phoenix Concert Theatre
06/21/09
Lancaster, PA
American Music Theatre
06/26/09
Del Mar, Ca Del Mar Fairgrounds
06/27/09
San Diego, CA Switchfoot Bro-Am
07/09/09
Kings Island, OH Kings Island: Timberwolf
07/10/09
Doswell, VA
King's Dominion
07/11/09
Kent, WA ShoWare Center (CANCELLED)
07/15/09
Willmar, MN Willmar Civic Center
07/16/09
Memphis, TN Minglewood Hall
07/17/09
Little Rock, AR Riverfest Amphitheater
07/18/09
Baton Rouge, LA Blue Bayou Water Park
07/24/09
Valparaiso, IN Porter County Fair
07/25/09
Des Moines, IA
08/07/09
Midland, TX Rock the Desert
08/12/09
Amarillo, TX John Stiff Memorial Park
Crazy Making Tour (W/ Blue October)
07/26/09
Council Bluffs, IA Stir Cove
07/27/09
Denver, CO Fillmore Auditorium
07/28/09
Salt Lake City, UT The Salt Air
07/31/09
Portland, OR The Crystal Ballroom
08/01/09
San Jose, CA San Jose Civic Auditorium
08/05/09
Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern
08/06/09
Las Vegas, NV House of Blues
08/08/09
Phoenix, AZ Marquee Theater
08/09/09
El Paso, TX Abraham Chavez Theater
08/13/09
Charles, LA L’Auberge Casino Lake
08/14/09
Houston, TX Verizon Theater
08/15/09
Dallas, TX House of Blues
08/16/09
Dallas, TX House of Blues
08/20/09
Louisville, KY 4th St. Live
08/21/09
Atlanta, GA The Masquerade
08/22/09
Myrtle Beach, SC House of Blues
08/23/09
Baltimore, MD Rams Head Live
08/27/09
Atlantic City, NJ House of Blues
08/28/09
New York, NY Terminal 5
08/29/09
Hampton Beach, NH Hampton Beach Casino
Other Tour Dates
09/04/09
Syracuse, NY New York State Fair
09/05/09
French Town, NJ RevGen Festival
09/10/09
Florida
09/11/09
Orlando, FL Universal Studios
Dave Matthews' Tour
09/12/09
Chula Vista, CA Cricket Wireless w/Dave Matthews Band
09/13/09
Irvine, CA Verizon Wireless w/Dave Matthews Band
Other Tour Dates
09/18/09
Son Fest Mount Vernon, OH Mount Vernon Nazarene University
10/30/09
St. Petersburg, FL Tropicana Field-UFL Game
Hello Hurricane Tour
11.8.09 El Cajon, CA - East County Performing Arts Center
11.11.09 West Hollywood, CA – The Roxy Theatre
11.13.09 Scottsdale, AZ – Martini Ranch
11.14.09 Tucson, AZ – The Rock
11.16.09 Oklahoma City, OK – Diamond Ballroom
11.17.09 Dallas, TX – House of Blues - Dallas
11.18.09 Austin, TX – The Parish
11.20.09 Houston, TX – Warehouse Live
11.21.09 New Orleans, LA – Parish @ House of Blues
11.22.09 Nashville, TN – Exit In
11.23.09 Nashville, TN – Exit In
11.24.09 Atlanta, GA – The Loft @ Center Stage
11.27.09 Anaheim, CA – House of Blues - Anaheim
11.28.09 Ventura, CA – Majestic Ventura Theater
12.03.09 Charlotte, NC - Amos' Southend
12.05.09 Richmond, VA - WDYL Snowball @ The National
12.07.09 Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live
12.08.09 New York, NY - The Fillmore Irving Plaza
12.09.09 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
12.19.09 Providence, RI Lupo's (WBRU Presents) [Non-HH Tour date]
12.11.09 Philadelphia, PA TLA (WRFF Presents) [Non-HH Tour date]
12.12.09 Hartford, CT Webster Theatre
12.13.09 Washington, DC 930 Club
12.14.09 Burlington, VT Higher Ground (WBTZ Presents) [Non-HH Tour date]
Other Tour Dates
2009-12-19
San Bernardino, CA X103.9's Very Merry Christmas Party @ Cal State
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So that's just about everything! Thanks for reading... this year saw us complete 2 full years of We're Awakening. And i've enjoyed just about every step of the way. Hope you've all enjoyed reading along as much as I've enjoyed writing. Here's to 2010!
Be sure to check out LOBH's far superior recap of 2009. :)
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Monday, November 23, 2009
"Daisy," more Hello Hurricane reviews, New FootColumn, and more!
Here's a video of Switchfoot playing "Daisy" Saturday night in Houston.
^Interesting take on the ending rock portion of the song. Not sure if I like it yet. :P What do you all think?
Also, here's a video of "Free" at the Oklahoma City show a few days back
^That song is amazing live.
"Meant to Live" Live 94.5 The Buzz Houston
"Dare You to Move" from the same performance
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Christianity Today did an interview last week with Jon Foreman. It's quite insightful to hear what Jon says, as usual. Check it out:
What are some of the Big Things you're saying with the new album?
This record communicates hope. I've gone through really dark times, when I can't find hope to write about. This was the hardest record we've ever made, because we were pushing for something bigger than we already attained. A big part of that lyrically was trying to push through the clouds to find the hope that transcends the pain.
What can you tell us about those dark times?
The past four years of my life have been among the darkest times I've ever been through. To tell you more here would be giving a piece of myself that I feel less comfortable with. I'd rather sing it out. It's all in the songs. I'm incredibly fortunate to be able to hide behind lyrics!
With songs like "Red Eyes," "Sing It Out," "Mess of Me," and "Hello Hurricane," it's not the typical "positive and encouraging" CCM album, but you still say it's an album of hope. What is that hope?
Hope, for me, does not ever start with a sunny day. Hope, for me, does not start with what you've already attained. If it's there in front of you physically, it's no longer faith. Hope is an expectancy that is by the very nature of the word built into the future. Many of these songs are singing from a place where the punchline of joy and happy endings has not yet arrived. We're still living in a very broken world. I still have a broken heart. It's from that context that hope is possible. This record is definitely singing from broken places, but it's not landing there. It's continuing to press further than where the song began. Music is this incredible vehicle where I'm allowed to figure things out for myself in the song.
Read the rest here!
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One blogger reviews "Hello Hurricane." Here's an excerpt:
As a result, “new Switchfoot album” wasn’t really something I was thinking about when November rolled around, and it wasn’t until I kept hearing about how good it was from everyone that I decided to hit Amazon MP3 and see if it lived up to the hype. Let me just start by spoiling my conclusion a bit and note that the album is now repeating for the third time and I still have an idiot grin on my face.
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The Examiner posted a review of the show at the Roxy from a couple weeks ago. A little late, but good nonetheless. I thought I'd take some liberties and repost it in its entirety.
Jon Foreman seemed to magically appear standing on a table in the middle of the Roxy singing a wordless refrain while the band played from the stage. The front man smiled benevolently, encouraging audience participation until they sang without him.
A simple yet confident opening speech swirled into "Needle and Haystack Life."
"Hello Hollywood, Hello Hurricane. We're Switchfoot."
From the audience response, one would never guess that the song is a non-single from a new album. The lyrics exhort the audience, "Don't let go, don't give up hope. All is forgiven. You're breathing in the highs and lows. We call it living." After "Needle and Haystack Life," Foreman asked if it would be OK that they decided to play the new album from start to finish in track order. The audience cheered their approval.
"Mess of Me," their lead single, electrified the room. They rocked it like a classic. The lyrics resounded clearly over power chords, "I am my own affliction, I am my own disease. There ain´t no drug that they could sell, Ah there ain´t no drugs to make me well."
They told a story sonically and visually. Seagulls suspended delicately from the rafters throughout the Roxy seemed have flown out of the album cover backdrop. The lighting varied with songs and verses to emphasize changing moods. The band put their album out on vinyl and reminded the audience of where they would turn over the record. The audience cheered.
The band brought in new instruments--a piano, a mandolin, a harmonica, an accordion. They played tightly and tunefully.
Keyboardist Fontamillas played more instruments than one could keep track of. Lead singer Jon Foreman sang with meaning and conviction, from the gentle caress of his falsetto, to his full voice in mid range. His plaintive tones on "Your Love is A Song" made the song emotive and unforgettable; far more memorable live than the studio version. The audience sang along heartily.
In the midst of the singing along, bobbing heads and relationship with the audience, one can't help but think there is something missing. Ironically, "Bullet Soul" gave a danceable, singable Nirvanaesque sound replete with power chords and cowbell. Fontamillas stepped to the front playing the cowbell to syncopated glory while Foreman sang from inside the crowd and even took pictures of the crowd with a fan's camera. However, it left a fever for more; more songs with variety like 2006's single "Oh! Gravity." Both the opening and the title song on "Hello Hurricane" show elements of surprise with varied textures, drum accents, and active counter melodies.
Switchfoot ensconced the overall sound in a blanket of relative sonic safety for this new album. To be fair, however, their infectious spirit of fraternity, solidarity, love of what they do, musical talent, and connection with their audience can cause even a cynic to sing along. Hopefully, they will use their newfound indie stardom as a sonic switchfoot to experiment with their sound again.
True to name, they certainly did a switchfoot by having greater success in alternative markets after Sony/BMG dropped them. They have not had an American Top 40 single since 2006, but that isn't everything. They market themselves using social media--Blogger, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and YouTube. Switchfoot invented a scavenger hunt through Blogger site that involves hiding "Mess of Me" both physically at disclosed locations and digitally on the internet. "Hello Hurricane" is now being distributed by Atlantic. The band's dedicated fans think Switchfoot still has something to say about having some hope in this world. A lesser band would have given up. Switchfoot is not a lesser band.
^Very nice. Read the source article here
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PLEASE check out Bleah's awesome new FootColumn, in which she writes about a recent interview Drew Shirley had with her local radio station. Read it here
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CHARTS
Good news. Over the weekend, "Mess of Me" jumped up two spots on the Alternative charts, and now rests at No. 26. Keep the requesting up!
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VOTING
Don't forget to take the time to vote! Also, as already said, remember to continue to request "Mess of Me" on your local rock stations! I can't emphasize how important it is for us to make our presence felt at our local radio stations. Our friend Bleah worked tirelessly on her radio station, and they have begun to play "Mess of Me!" Great job!
Our work will pay dividends. "Hello Hurricane" has already debuted and made a mark on the Billboard charts. It's now our job to make this a very long and fruitful album cycle for the band! The way to do that is to help with radio and voting. Thanks friends for your time. :)
- WRRV (No. 1!)
- 98.7 (Los Angeles) Badass 8 WE WERE NO. 3 AGAIN LAST FRIDAY NIGHT! We need to continue to put pressure on and get higher! The station is starting to spin the song more... VOTE.
- 91x (San Diego) Christy Taylor's REALLY BIG Countdown Keep requesting each day to keep it on the countdown! We were no. 1 last night. YES!
- RadioU's Top Ten Most Wanted. We still have the top spot! Well done! Let's keep it that way!
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Again, please go here to see a list of stations already playing "Mess of Me" and phone numbers to call in and request the song with!! This is our time to shine, friends!
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Sunday, November 22, 2009
More "Hello Hurricane" Reviews!
Christianity Today posted their review of "Hello Hurricane." Excerpt:
In all the swells and sways of grungy guitar riffs and drilling drums, there's something really authentic about Hello Hurricane. Not that it is without influences. Mandatory derivatives of Coldplay and U2 are inserted alongside tinges of The Killers and JET, and even a skosh of Modest Mouse, but the overall record feels original—thanks in part to producer/bassist-pro Mike Elizondo's (Dr. Dre, Pink, Fiona Apple) varied experience.
^I've noticed that most of the Christian publications have really dug this record. Waiting on Rolling Stone, Spin, and Paste Magazine to review this record.
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Our friend TJ wrote up a review of "Hello Hurricane" for The Christian Manifesto. Excerpt
Musically speaking, Switchfoot delivers their loudest album to date. Numbers like “Mess of Me” and “Bullet Soul” definitely insure that Switchfoot won’t be accused of turning the volume down on this effort. In addition to this, Switchfoot quite honestly opens up their hearts on their seventh studio effort. From the chorus of “Your Love is a Song” to the piano ballad “Always”, the band has put together what is arguably their most lyrically direct album to date.
^Be sure to check out the rest of the review. :)
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HM Magazine has a review as well. Excerpt:
Most bands don’t rebound after having the amount of success that Switchfoot did with “The Beautiful Letdown” and then the “let downs” of 2 albums following it. I too was even a skeptic of if Switchfoot could bounce back and in some regards had lost my desire for the band’s material. The 3 years between albums by all industry standards could’ve killed this band but I believe this album will be the band’s shining moment. I believe this album will be the album people remember.
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Air1 is featuring Switchfoot. Check out the banner across their website:

They also have an audio interview. Check it out here. It's nothing too too new, but still a great listen. Be sure to listen to all the sections. "We knew we were doomed when we called the song 'Always,' because we were always working on it." - Tim Foreman. haha. nice.
We'll be back with full updates on Monday. Thanks for reading. :)
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Friday, November 20, 2009
Thoughts on the upcoming OneRepublic Tour
Been hearing a lot of reactions over the news that Switchfoot will be going out on tour with OneRepublic. Some are confused (styles are different?), angry (another opening tour??), and some are ecstatic. Here are some of my thoughts on this:
I'm all for the band gaining new fans. I love Switchfoot, and if I can share them with as many people as possible, I don't mind. Touring isn't always going to be about pleasing the old regular fams; it's also about getting the word out and gaining new fans too. If this tour will help in that aspect, and possibly set up a bigger headlining tour in the summer or fall, SWEET.
OneRepublic is HUGE –– they'll definitely attract the younger Top 40 demographic; this should reacquaint Switchfoot with the mainstream audience quite well. So far, the rock crowd has been appealed to in promotion, with "Mess of Me" at radio and "The Sound" on the Blackberry commercials. Maybe this is the band's way of letting the pop world know, "Hey, we're still here!" Maybe they'll release "Your Love Is a Song" to radio to coincide with this tour? Maybe?
So, if you don't like the other band enough, or are not happy that Switchfoot is opening for a bigger act (again), then you don't have to go. The Hello Hurricane tour is still going strong, so be sure to go ahead and get on out there! Otherwise, there's always next time. :]
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Hearitfirst.com has some more exclusive Switchfoot interview videos where they talk about the album and "Sing It Out." Check 'em out. It's a great watch/listen.
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Switchfoot apparently has a new tribute album! Target.com has this listing. Go there to listen to previews... I'm very very tempted to grab this. Sounds really good.
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IN THE NEWS
NewsOK.com has an article about Switchfoot. Check it out:
Their plan for the tour — which began Sunday in San Diego, their hometown, and reaches the Diamond Ballroom in Oklahoma City on Monday — is to play "Hello Hurricane” in its entirety, followed by fan favorites from previous records. Foreman said the home audience liked the heaping helping of new tunes just fine.
"We had no idea what to expect,” Foreman said. "We’ve never done anything like this. In the more than six records that we’ve put out, we’ve never actually played the entire record from Track 1 to Track 12. So, it was a new experience for us. It was really quite moving.”
Foreman saw fans responding as enthusiastically to the anthemic "This Is the Sound” ("This is the sound from the discontented mouths of a haunted nation!”) and the Bono/Edgy-sounding "Needle and Haystack Life” as they did to the hits ("Dare You to Move,” "Meant to Live”).
"It’s always fun to play new songs, but usually you spread them out over the course of an evening of music where you’re playing songs that everyone’s familiar with, along the way,” Foreman said.
Read the rest here.
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The Great Falls Tribune posted a glowing review of "Hello Hurricane."
It is my belief that any song, or album, should not be judged according to the first impression it leaves, but on how many times you are forced to hit the replay button and how long it sticks in your head.
The latest Switchfoot CD, "Hello Hurricane," is a perfect example. On the first run-through it seems to be only a good album — not a great one. And to be perfectly honest, on some of the most beautiful songs ("Your Love is a Song," for instance), the initial impression is that lead singer Jon Foreman had a mild case of laryngitis while recording. But for some reason you play it again ... and again ... and then you're humming it for the rest of the day, and maybe singing it when no one's around. That's a great album.
^SO true. Read the rest of it here
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CHARTS
"Mess of Me" holds strong at No. 27 on the Alternative charts. It continues to increase in spins, and things are looking good for a long, successful chart run –– IF we hold up our end of the bargain and request it at our local radio stations. Please make sure to do that! It's definitely working. Details below.
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VOTING
Don't forget to take the time to vote! Also, remember, remember, remember to request "Mess of Me" on your local rock stations! Our work will pay dividends. "Hello Hurricane" has already debuted and made a mark on the Billboard charts. It's now our job to make this a very long and fruitful album cycle for the band! The way to do that is to help with radio and voting. Thanks friends for your time. :)
- WRRV
- 98.7 (Los Angeles) Badass 8 WE WERE NO. 3 LAST NIGHT! We need to continue to put pressure on and get higher! The station is starting to spin the song more... VOTE.
- 91x (San Diego) Christy Taylor's REALLY BIG Countdown Keep requesting each day to keep it on the countdown! We were no. 1 last night. YES!
- RadioU's Top Ten Most Wanted. We still have the top spot! Well done! Let's keep it that way!
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Again, go here to see a list of stations already playing "Mess of Me" and phone numbers to call in and request the song with!! This is our time to shine, friends!
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Labels: Charts, essays, In the News, OneRepublic Tour 2010, Reviews
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
"Hello Hurricane" No. 6 on iTunes Weekly Sales
The Associated Press released the charts of iTunes album sales released on the week of Nov. 16, 2009.
Albums:
1. "Before I Self Destruct," 50 cent
2. "Glee - The Music, Vol. 1," Glee Cast
3. "Play On," Carrie Underwood
4. "The Circle," Bon Jovi
5. "Attention Deficit," Wale
6. "Hello Hurricane," Switchfoot
7. "Memento Mori," Flyleaf
8. "Alter the Ending," Dashboard Confessional
9. "Ocean Eyes," Owl City
10. "Fearless," Taylor Swift
^Notably, it finished ahead of Flyleaf and Dashboard Confessional. We'll be hearing other album charts news very soon, so sit tight!
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Patrol Magazine reviewed "Hello Hurricane," giving it 6.9/10 stars. Read it here
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Our friends over at LOBH had an exclusive interview Andy Barron, the photographer for Switchfoot and the man responsible behind the artwork for "Hello Hurricane." Here's an excerpt:
Land of Broken Hearts (LOBH): Can you tell us the story behind the Hello Hurricane CD cover photo? Where was the photo taken? How did you take it?
Andy Barron: It was on the Up In Arms tour in New Jersey and we had a show on a pier over the water. There was a window through the bathroom that you could use and sneak out onto the roof, so we did. The guys were running around having fun with the birds and at one point I laid down and looked up and snapped [the shot]. I was hoping a bird wouldn't poop on my lens.
LOBH: I have to ask... is there ANY photoshopping on the image? Color correcting? Sharpening? Contrast? Layers?
Andy: As much as I would love to say there was no PS work to it, there is. Nothing crazy though. I adjusted colors and whatnot to my liking, and then there was one bird we affectionately called the 'hammerhead bird' because it lined up with another bird to make it look like a bird had a whole other bird for a head. I hope that makes sense. Needless to say I cleaned that up a little bit, but nothing too drastic was done to it.
^I loved it! Be sure to check out the rest!
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Today marks the release of the latest American Idol winner, Kris Allen. Significant is that one of Allen's songs was co-written with Jon Foreman.
He tells MTV that he learned a lot from writing with the Switchfoot singer:
But it was fellow dude rockers Jon Foreman (from Switchfoot) and the Fray's Joe King who Allen said he learned the most from. "As an artist, I feel like I can relate to them. And obviously, Jon Foreman's lyrics are outta this world," Allen gushed. Foreman and King's efforts resulted in the inspiring anthem "Lifetime" and the jumpy, George Harrison-inspired "Alright With Me," respectively.
^That's awesome. Be sure to check out "Lifetime" on iTunes or Amazon if you can.
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It's tour time! And Switchfoot have been busy tweeters, keeping the Twitter feed interesting. Here are highlights:
- Had an amazing time tonight in OKC. Thanks for the bonus encore! Played "you" for the first time ever. Dallas HOB tomorrow! -tf
- Up early, getting ready to play some tunes live on Good Morning Dallas TV.
- Done with tv, now on our way to 102.1 the EDGE. Drew's mustache says hello. http://yfrog.com/79mghj
- Here's jon playing Stars on guitar while crowdsurfing http://bit.ly/2p0GVI don't think he's played it better! -tf
- Good news Nashville. For those of you who can't get in to our sold-out show this sunday, we are adding a second night on Monday!
- Chad's tracking a cover of a tune by The Verve on the verizon bus right now, guess which one? http://yfrog.com/13kerytrj
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CHARTS
"Mess of Me" moved up a slot today, and is now No. 28 on the Alternative charts! Keep up the requesting! It's working.
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VOTING
Don't forget to take the time to vote! It's not that much of a time-waster (only a couple minutes at most). Also, remember, remember to request "Mess of Me" on your local rock stations. Again, it's re-surging at radio, so be sure to help keep the pressure on!
- WRRV
- 98.7 (Los Angeles) Badass 8 We need to continue to put pressure on and get higher! The station is starting to spin the song more... VOTE.
- 91x (San Diego) Christy Taylor's REALLY BIG Countdown Keep requesting each day to keep it on the countdown! We were no. 1 last night. YES!
- RadioU's Top Ten Most Wanted. We still have the top spot! Well done! Let's keep it that way!
- We need to get "Mess of Me" on to KROQ, in order to get this single off the ground. Go HERE to request it! Keep it up friends! Don't slow down, WE NEED THIS. Keep going.
-

Again, go here to see a list of stations already playing "Mess of Me" and phone numbers to call in and request the song with!! This is our time to shine, friends!
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Labels: Charts, Hello Hurricane Tour, In the News, Interviews, Reviews, Twitter
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Hello Hurricane tour Roxy Show Recap
The Hello Hurricane tour continues! Here are videos from last night's show in West Hollywood, at the Roxy!
"Needle and Haystack Life"
"Your Love Is a Song"
"Free" (with "Happy Is a Yuppie Word" intro)
See more here
blinditachil7 also provided the setlist:
01 - Needle and Haystack Life
02 - Mess of Me
03 - Your Love Is a Song
04 - The Sound (John M. Perkins' Blues)
05 - Enough to Let Me Go
06 - Free
07 - Hello Hurricane
08 - Always
09 - Bullet Soul
10 - Yet
11 - Sing It Out
12 - Red Eyes
13 - Dare You to Move
14 - Stars
15 - Oh! Gravity
16 - This Is Your Life
17 - Twenty-Four
18 - Only Hope
19 - Meant to Live
20 - Dirty Second Hands
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Reviews
Wrecked.org
CCM Magazine
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CCM Magazine's website also features Switchfoot on the frontpage, and has some personal blogs from the band members. Check out the source page here
Here is what's out so far.
Tim Foreman:
Last night was actually pretty emotional for me and I think it was for the other guys too. We played the entire new record live, front-to-back, for the first time ever, for a sold-out hometown crowd here in San Diego. It marked the end of a long journey making this record and the beginning of a new one as we begin touring these songs around the world. We've poured so much into these songs over the past three years and it feels a bit surreal to see this album finally breathing in the daylight.
Playing twelve new songs in a row that people haven't yet heard is a real stretch for almost any audience to sit through and we were really blown away by the enthusiasm and excitement that was expressed last night from the crowd. It was as if they had shared in the journey with us, as if these songs were connecting with them in the same way that they connect with us. What a gift. We are truly thankful. Hello Hurricane.
-Tim Foreman
Jerome Fontamillas:
Here I am the day before our new album is released feeling a bit contemplative as I think back over the last two and a half years of the recording process and the remarkable journey the five of us have gone through in making this album. I feel so proud to be in a band with Chad, Drew, Tim and Jon. I loved seeing how the songs have grown from a tiny idea to where it is now.
Jon, thank you for allowing me to help you sculpt these very personal songs. It's truly an honor. Tim, your vision for the details of the tunes has not gone unnoticed. The final product is a reflection of that. Chad, not only are you an awesome drummer, but your encouragement throughout this whole recording process has been so welcomed and much needed. Drew, not only do you push the boundaries of creativity, but you've also helped me to push my own boundaries of creating music as well.
To me, you are the "fountain of sound." I feel like the five of us have just gone on a roller-coaster, inching its way to the highest peak. Looks like we're just about there... I begin to raise my hands... here we go! Hello Hurricane!
-Jerome Fontamillas
On Tuesday our record came out. We leave for L.A. in the morning and then head east. I still find the whole idea of modern travel fairly incredible. I find it remarkable that in a few weeks time I will be on the other side of the country- looking out across an ocean that is not the Pacific. And it's not just physical travel that impresses me- almost everything around us moves incredibly quickly. I am typing these words on a laptop that will wirelessly transmit this message to be read by you, the reader, wherever you may be. Or take in this modern marvel: our entire record (songs that took three years to conjure up!) can be downloaded in a few minutes. These are truly incredible feats.
And yet, most of our modern technological achievements are implemented in an attempt to accomplish the foundational elements of the human experience: communication, community, identity, self-expression... With all of our "progress" we are no closer to answering the timeless questions that define our lives. We are looking for answers. Facebook, Twitter, MySpace... we are social beings looking for meaning, purpose, and relationship. Who am I? What is meaningful? What is worth living for? Technology cannot define these things. We define these answers with our actions. "Who am I? Well, maybe I'm a guy who spends way too much time on his laptop! What is meaningful, or worth living for?" Apparently, (judging from my use of the time I've been given on the planet) this laptop sure is!
I'm not knocking technology, (as I already mentioned that I'm using a laptop to write these thoughts down!) but I am saying that every blessing is a curse. The incredibly sharp blade of the binary world can be used for good and for evil. I know first hand. I'll be using cell phones, emails, Skype, and all the rest to try and connect with my loved ones while I'm gone. But I miss the physical element the most. I guess I'm simply a voice in the digital world crying out for an analog conversation. Physical hands holding each other. Physical eyes looking at one another, looking around at this planet and marveling at it. None of us are immortal. These hearts only beat for so long. So don't wait! Why talk to Facebook for another hour? Shut down your computer, give your daughter a kiss and take a walk with your wife.
-Jon Foreman
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Alternative Press has Switchfoot featured on their homepage as well, with a certain infamous picture being used. :P
They also have a feature with Switchfoot, a song-by-song review with Jon Foreman. It's nothing new, but still interesting to note. http://www.alternativepress.com/features/txtswitchfoot.htm
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Here's a higher quality video of the time Switchfoot was featured on The Morning Show.
^I now realize, this has some footage of the band working on the radio edit version "Always!" Interesting random trivia there.
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Some more videos from the Sam Goody CD release show:
"Always" (Radio Edit arrangement, acoustic)
^Really liked that!
"Yet" (full)
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VOTING
Don't forget to take the time to vote! Remember, remember to request "Mess of Me" on your local rock stations. It's slowing down a bit, but we can help the single to keep going!
- 98.7 (Los Angeles) Badass 8 We were No. 7 last night. We need to continue to put pressure on and get higher! The station is starting to spin the song more... VOTE.
- 91x (San Diego) Christy Taylor's REALLY BIG Countdown Keep requesting each day to keep it on the countdown! We were no. 1 last night. YES!
- RadioU's Top Ten Most Wanted. We still have the top spot! Well done! Let's keep it that way!
- We need to get "Mess of Me" on to KROQ, in order to get this single off the ground. Go HERE to request it! Keep it up friends! Don't slow down, WE NEED THIS. Keep going.
- 
Again, go here to see a list of stations already playing "Mess of Me" and phone numbers to call in and request the song with!! This is our time to shine, friends!
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Labels: Hello Hurricane Tour, On TV, Reviews, Videos
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
BIG Opening Day for "Hello Hurricane"; More to Come!

Yes friends. First off, for the most tangible news, Switchfoot's "Hello Hurricane" started off at No. 4 overall on iTunes, and No. 1 (Deluxe Edition) and No. 4 (Regular) on the Alternative Albums chart. Notable is the fact that it is behind some small names such as 50 Cent and Bon Jovi.
Also notable, is that Switchfoot is ahead of other notables, Dashboard Confessional and Flyleaf. Very very good opening day for the boys from San Diego.
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Also, in other opening day news, #HelloHurricane was a trending topic on Twitter for 4 1/2 hours yesterday, beginning at approximately 2 pm PST and ending at approximately 6:30 pm PST. It reached as high as No. 6 on the trending topics! Here is proof:
Our Twitter burst worked, big time friends!
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Switchfoot was featured on AOL's Noisecreep.
Here is a Feature
And here is a clip of the making of "Hello Hurricane" video
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MSN Music also featured Switchfoot on their Listening Booth, an excerpt of which can be read below:
Like Flyleaf, Switchfoot has enjoyed terrific success in the contemporary Christian market. But please don't pigeonhole the San Diego five-piece. New tunes like "Needle and Haystack Life" and "The Sound (John M. Perkins' Blues)" are polished, radio-friendly alt-rock comparable to U2 and Jane's Addiction, respectively. Those are just two highlights from "Hello Hurricane," their seventh full-length. Even if this collection of new tunes, produced by Dr. Dre and Eminem affiliate Mike Elizondo, isn't your cup of tea, you still have to admire Switchfoot's good intentions: Throughout their current North American tour, which concludes Dec. 9 in Boston, the band is conducting a canned food drive.
^You can also listen to the album, if for some strange reason you don't already have it. :P Just kidding.
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Here's a video of the guys playing "Mess of Me" at the Sam Goody Show in San Diego to celebrate their cd release.
And "Yet"
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Relevant Magazine did an extended feature on Switchfoot, their cover story for their latest issue, on their latest podcast. Download it here.
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AbsolutePunk.net did a harsh, yet complementary review of "Hello Hurricane." It may anger some, so you can read it here if you'd like.
BUT, they do have their entire site skinned out to "Hello Hurricane." Very nice.
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Labels: Charts, Milestones, Reviews, Twitter
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
"Hello Hurricane" Releases!
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"Hello hurricane, goodnight moon." - Jon Foreman
After nearly three years, Switchfoot has unleashed their latest collection of tunes upon the world. A musical journey through the valleys and the peaks, a labor of love, a career-defining record, "Hello Hurricane" is bound to be just as special to the fans as it is for the band. Hello, hurricane, nice to meet you!
And as if nature itself is rising up to the challenge, Hurricane Ida is set to unleash itself upon the Atlantic coast of America. Amazing.
If you haven't gotten your copy yet, be sure to pick it up today at your local retailer, or online. It's already No. 5 on iTunes!
iTunes (Deluxe)
iTunes (Regular)
Amazon (Deluxe mp3)
"Hello Hurricane."
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To commemorate and celebrate the release of this monumental album, I was thinking that we should make a concerted effort to make #hellohurricane trending all of tomorrow. I think it's also very appropriate, because people will probably be thinking it's referring to Hurricane Ida. So, here's what we're going to do, and we need as much boardie participation as possible.
1. Tweet #hellohurricane non stop throughout the day. Make sure you limit it to only three hashtags, or it will not count.
2. At or around this time:
9pm London/5pm New York/2pm Los Angeles/8am Sydney, we are ALL going to tweet like crazy at the same time, and make a huge burst of tweets. Our friend and fellow boardie Deborah said it worked last with Tegan and Sara's new Album Sainthood, and it was a trending topic all day long and even made it to #2 trending topic
3. Have fun and get creative. I'm sure you're all more creative than I am.
4. Also, be sure to work in links to iTunes or switchfoot.com in order to direct casual twitter users to Switchfoot.
So can we do this? Can we?? We need as many of you helping as possible! Any other ideas/suggestions to help out?
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JesusFreakHideout reviewed "Hello Hurricane" and gave it 4 1/2 stars.
Switchfoot continues to make solid albums that have a distinctive "Switchfoot sound," but they still progress in an ever-so-subtle way. For this project, they return to high energy rock and roll roots that sound great without being over-produced. The lead single "Mess of Me" is raw and alive with frantic energy, with a crunchy guitar riff that recalls The White Stripes before dropping into a wailing blues bridge. "The Sound" is a fist-pumping rock anthem with a bass-heavy, Led Zeppelin feel. "Free" mixes in a layer of strings for dramatic effect, and "Bullet Soul" is a catchy rock tune that is the pure Switchfoot fun we've come to know and love.
Read the rest of the review here.
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Sign On San Diego did an excellent story about Switchfoot. San Diego is giving Switchfoot a TON of love, by the way. More on that later. But check this out:
Few multimillion-selling rock bands can match Switchfoot when it comes to having no public image to speak of and maintaining a low profile. But that is exactly the way this veteran North County band — whose seventh album, “Hello Hurricane,” will be released Tuesday — likes it.
“To be honest, a big reason for that is San Diego and how accepting people here were of any form of musical expression, which — when you’re in high school — is really rare,” said Jon Foreman, 33, the band’s lead singer, guitarist and principal songwriter.
“When we were at San Dieguito High School, we’d play gigs with jam bands and punk bands, and it was all accepted. I feel like that’s been carried on in Switchfoot and it gives you a confidence that you don’t have to be something you’re not. We’ve often talked about how so many bands are so connected with an image, like ska or whatever current musical fad is passing through, and when that fad goes away, then the band goes away, too.”
Switchfoot, which early on was inspired by such seminal San Diego bands as Rocket From the Crypt and Three Mile Pilot, kicks off a monthlong national tour tonight at El Cajon’s 1,142-seat East County Performing Arts Center. The five-man band is now in its 13th year, which is almost an eternity by modern rock standards.
With the release of “Hello Hurricane,” its first album for Atlantic Records after three for Columbia (and several previous indie label releases), Switchfoot has taken a bold step forward, sonically and lyrically, a partial reinvention.
A dozen songs strong and inspired in part by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the album rocks with a newfound ferocity on songs that at times match the anthem-like qualities of U2 in its prime. The heavier moments are offset by several finely textured ballads, which are infused with a melancholic sense of longing for meaning in these troubled times.
Read the whole article here.
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In other San-Diego-loves-Switchfoot-news, 91x paid them a visit to their studio before they broadcast their Ustream performance of "Mess of Me" and "The Sound." Also, 94.9 KBZT in San Diego played "Hello Hurricane" in its entirety at around 8 p.m.
Jon Foreman tweet: - Thanks to 91 x for dropping by the studio and 94.9 for playing our whole record right now!
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The Badger Herald, a university paper, did a review of "Hello Hurricane" that gave the album 3 of 5 stars. Eh, here's an excerpt:
The flip-flop of emotions keeps Hello Hurricane interesting, but it can only do so much. While some songs stand out and have great musical moments, others take a turn for the worse — unmemorable and unimaginative. For such powerful imagery, Switchfoot fails to shake things up on Hello Hurricane, and ends up delivering a mild storm instead of the massive hurricane they were hoping for.
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For those of us who didn't see the first "Hello Hurricane" tour show, here's a nice, full video of Switchfoot playing "Hello Hurricane," complete with Drew Shirley opening up with the ooo's. EPIC.
Watch here.
Here are some more videos from that show:
Hello Hurricane (again)
Mess of Me
Only Hope
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As you all know, Switchfoot played a Ustream performance yesterday. It was very brief, so I wasn't able to catch it on time, but check out what happened on Twitter:

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There's a "Hello Hurricane" ad on the sidebar of Absolutepunk.net. That site usually is brutal towards Switchfoot. Looks like this record is turning heads!
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Labels: album releases, Reviews, Videos
Saturday, November 7, 2009
The "Hurricane" is arriving; Collector's Deluxe review; Roadtrip Nation Feature
Check out the new Roadtrip Nation video, which features Switchfoothere. A few teenagers/college-aged kids interview Jon Foreman and Chad Butler about their music, and life as college students when the band was just starting out. It's definitely insightful, for those of us who are that age especially.
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Andy Barron posted this message on the official message boards to give us an idea of what to look for in the "Hello Hurricane" packaging.
i think i can help here.
cd - jewelcase, 8 panel fold out booklet
cd/dvd - digipak, 16 (i think) page booklet
vinyl - 1 140g vinyl, cd in plastic sleeve
collectors - diecut slipcover, cd dvd bsides in envelopes in book, 84 pages
i seriously can't wait for you guys to see all this stuff. i think it turned out pretty great.
andy.
^sweet.
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WARNING: SPOILER ALERT!!!!! For those of you who haven't seen it yet and don't want me to spoil it for you, don't read any further. :)
As many of you have already found, "Hello Hurricane" is arriving on doorsteps, mailboxes, and p.o. boxes everywhere across America. I just got mine yesterday, and was blown away by the beauty of the Collector's Deluxe Edition package that had just emerged from the bubble wrap. I thought I'd post my thoughts about it here, as a mini-review featurish thing. :]
Review of the Collector's Deluxe Edtion
You've read our review of "Hello Hurricane." Here's my brief little overview/review (I don't think you can even call it that) of the Collector's Deluxe Edition. It's a beautiful piece of art, for sure. If you don't have it, you should seriously consider it.
"Building A Hurricane: Alternate Versions, Out-Takes, And Demos"
If you're a recording aficionado or are just hyper-intrigued by the recording process, you'll have a field day with this cd. It's filled with writing sessions, alternate cuts of the "Hello Hurricane" songs, and random interludes. I think you'll be intrigued by the sheer difference between the older version of "Needle" and the studio cut. It used to have a mid-tempo, arpeggiated rhythm, a far cry from the frenzied speed of the final studio cut.
Also interesting is to listen to the progression of "Mess of Me." It used to be funk-inspired, soul-inspired number. No, it did not use to be the hard-charging we know and love today. In one version, "aint no drug" used to be the chorus! There's also a very primitive recording of "Red Eyes" from way back in 2005.
Overall, you'll love this. Not as good as the final record (of course), but it's an intriguing-yet-brief look into just how eclectic these recording sessions were.
"Making of Hello Hurricane" DVD
You've seen the trailers. You know how great this DVD was going to be. And it delivers and then some. Cast in black-and-white, with some film scratching that gives the film a sort of timeless feel. This is an emotionally charged flick – for those who are the weeping type, you might want some tissues.
We all know Jon Foreman comes close to tears, but I bet few of you would've guessed that Drew Shirley would unsuccessfully hold back his. This was a truly difficult record to make, and it shows. For anyone who's been waiting so long for this record to come out, this is a must-watch. If you can't get the Collector's Deluxe, at least grab a copy of the CD/DVD.
Photo Book
The artistic prowess of Andy Barron is dazzling. The photos are, as always, amazing, with selections from the studio, the road, the Salton Sea desert shoot, etc. This package doesn't come with a typical cd booklet with lyrics, but not to fear – It's worked into the book, tastefully. There's not much else than can be said about this, since it's hard to describe visuals with words. But I suggest you try try try to get it if you haven't yet.
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Charts
"Mess of Me" is starting to slow down on Alternative radio. KEEP REQUESTING it at your local rock stations friends. Remember to go here to see a list of stations that are playing it! It's time for us to step up!
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VOTING
Don't forget to take the time to vote also.
- 98.7 (Los Angeles) Badass 8 We were No. 7 last night. We need to continue to put pressure on and get higher! The station is starting to spin the song more... VOTE.
- 91x (San Diego) Christy Taylor's REALLY BIG Countdown Keep requesting each day to keep it on the countdown! We were no. 1 last night. YES!
- RadioU's Top Ten Most Wanted. We still have the top spot! Well done! Let's keep it that way!
- We need to get "Mess of Me" on to KROQ, in order to get this single off the ground. Go HERE to request it! Keep it up friends! Don't slow down, WE NEED THIS. Keep going.
-

Again, go here to see a list of stations already playing "Mess of Me" and phone numbers to call in and request the song with!
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Labels: Charts, Exclusives, On TV, Reviews