oN one Hand, there are plenty of great tunes on this New Album, but on the other hand there is the ongoing absence of that sound from there First Album.Album HighLights Include, I dare you to move, Learning to Breathe, You already take me there, poparazzi, Innocence again, and Play for Keeps. After those songs the albums pretty much doesn’t keep the “catchy melody” tempo going. I’m not really dissapointed, but I wish They would do more Rock, since “New way to be human” they’ve lost that great Raw sound from the first album. Everything sounds over-produced, oh well. I don’t wanna complain too much, cause these guys are still great I bet there songs sound better live though. But they could have gone the longer mile to do something a bit more radical with there style, this could be New Way to be Human 2, so they get a B+ for effort! But next time, how about a bit more GUMPH! eh boys?

Side Note: Isn’t it SCARY how much “Learning to Breathe” sounds like ThirdEyeBlind singing and music? I was totally freaked out. If you don’t believe me, listen too “Deep inside of you” by ThirdEyeBlind and you’ll see what I’m talkin about.
Rating: 3 / 5

The first time I heard Switchfoot was live in concert, and I have never regretted going. At the time the only album that the group had out was “The Legend of Chin”, but even with only 10 songs or so to their credit at the time, they hooked me. Their first two CDs are Fantabulous, but their latest isnt their prime work.

The album wasn’t as great as the last two for a few reasons.

1. There is no really great acoustic anthem for the album. The closest to acoustic that the boys go to is Innocence again (which is arguably my favorite song on the album. Economy of Mercy is slower, but in no way is it, or sound acoustic it. Their old acoustic songs made up the feel of their records, and they really had a depth to them that not many people have ever attained.

2. This CD has definately beed overpolished. The sounds just dont really feel natural like they did on Switchfoot’s previous two records. I think this really takes away from the record.

3. Where did the modulations go to? I remember the first time I listened to the song “Only Hope” from NWTBH. The song starts of dark and in a minor key, and is all about somebody reaching the end of their rope, and reaching out to God to help and finally realizing that he is their only hope. Twards the end of the song it modulates (changes key) during the bridge of the song to a major key, and the entire meaning of the chourus changes into one of hope. This song from New Way to be Human just hit me in the gut, as few peices of music/literature ever do. This is completely absent from this album.

4. The whole CD is musically too straight foreward, it has no swing beats, or regee, or funky acid jazz mixed in. The only songs they really do something wonderfull in is innocence again which almost feels like a latin rock mix. Another song is innocence again which is just weird funky.

There are also several good things about this CD. Most of the tunes are Deep, and thoughtfull (especially the first two), The music is good. Its just kind of a let down from their last two CD’s. I would suggest buying the first two first (my favorite is New Way to be Human), and then this one. You never know you may think differently from me. Switchfoot isn’t my favorite band for no reason, its just that I think they need to mix it up a little bit more on their next album. This is definitely a good enough to buy though.
Rating: 4 / 5