Tracklisting:
Afterlife (3:37)
The Original (3:15)
The War Inside (3:39)
Restless (5:18)
Blinding Light (4:17)
Selling the News (3:35)
Thrive (5:12)
Dark Horses (3:54)
Souvenirs (4:15)
Rise Above It (3:33)
Vice Verses (5:08)
Where I Belong (6:53)
Vice Verses continues to put the quartet in the category of bands that continue to get batter with age. Like with Hello Hurricanes Switchfoot continues to rock with the dirty guitar sounds a quick snappy drum beats that culminate in a complete and full sound. "Afterlife" works as a perfect opener, giving fans an immediate sense that this album is going to be a little different. The album gains more momentum "The Original" a steady rocker that is perfectly complimented by the albums slower songs. One of those slower songs is "Restless" which almost sounds at first like a tribute to Audio Adrenaline's Tremble while there is more diversity added by "Selling the News" which features what sounds like a Jonathan Foreman Rap.
Lyrically Vice Verses is probably one of the heaviest hitting Switchfoot ever released. Present are messages of Hope and Salvation as well as the usual social commentaries mixed evenly into the album "Afterlife" talks about waking up from complacency, the smash hit "Dark Horse" is a song written for underdogs. ("We're singing wait, it's not over now, been down but we've never been our, yeah, we're the dark horses") While "Souvenirs" talks about the things that we collect throughout our lives as we build memories with one another. "Selling the News" serves as a very convicting and honest Social Commentary about our reliance on news and willingness to sell what we find out.
To say that Switchfoot has outdone themselves would clearly be an understatement. Vice Verses is a stunning example as to the bands maturity over their nearly seventeen year career. This album will make an incredible addition to any fan old and new.
Record Label: Credential Recordings / lowercase people / Atlantic
Album length: 12 tracks: 52 minutes, 32 seconds
Street Date: September 27, 2011
Drew Bartlett
Alex Tironati
Stephen Vicino
Eli Reznekervitz
Cameron Bartlett
Kris Lori Fuentes Cortes
Brittney Reyna
Keith Ouellette
Matthew Mikaelian
Jonathan Faulkner