new song switchfoot – The Sound

Switchfoot is an odd but interesting band. To me they kinda put Christian crossover rock on the map. Their good stuff is really really good (think “Dare you to move” and “Meant to Live”) but their bad stuff is pretty bad … fairly pedantic non-innovative rock riff type music (but Jon Foreman is always easy to listen to).

But.

They have a new song out (their second single off their new cd) called “The Sound”.

The Sound: http://www.last.fm/music/Switchfoot/_/The+Sound+%28John+M.+Perkins%27+Blues%29

Not the official video but it’s almost like seeing an inside look at a recording session.

Here is what Jon Foreman (lead singer) had to say about the song:

“The Sound (John Perkin’s Blues) is a very important song for us as a band. I see so much hatred and fear around me, I see so many people living out their pain. I hear it on the radio. I see it in the headlines. John Perkin’s story needs to be heard. This song was inspired by a man who sang a louder song than hatred. In a world where we are defined by our differences, Mr. Perkin’s life of service and compassion is a tangible demonstration of what it means to live a life of love. Love is the loudest song we could sing. Louder than racism. Louder than fear. Louder than hatred. John Perkin’s said it right, love is the final fight. We’re excited to hear this song on the radio, louder than pain.”

The song is a tribute and it has a good message to it. The full title of the song, which is off their seventh studio album, Hello Hurricane, is The Sound (John M. Perkin’s Blues). And the song is trying to help to spread the message of the man mentioned – a civil rights activist that wants to spread a message of love in a world full of hate.

The Sound is a good song. It is kind of Switchfoot at its best.

Anyway. I always wondered what the Christian significance of the band name was only to find out they were just normal guys who came up with a normal name (and happened to be Christian guys).

According to Jon Foreman, the name “Switchfoot” is a surfing term. “We all love to surf and have been surfing all our lives so to us, the name made sense. To switch your feet means to take a new stance facing the opposite direction. It’s about change and movement, a different way of approaching life and music

Here is their first release off the Hurricane cd (its okay):

Mess of me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=et1vriu29Qk

And here is what supposedly will be the third (and this one is fun because it gives you a behind the scenes look at musicians doing a sound check – which many of us just don’t get to see):

Dark horses sound check: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RazuL7fnYeU&feature=player_embedded#!

Written by Bruce