Hello Hurricane (by switchfoot) review in a hurry

"Hello Hurricane acknowledges the storms that tear through our

lives...this album is an attempt to respond to those storms with an

element of hope, trying to understand what it means to be hopeful in a

world that keeps on spinning." - Switchfoot

okay, this is only kind of a review. in all honesty, i haven't gotten through the whole album yet. i just got it yesterday. but i can tell its fantastic. what i've heard of it. (8 of 12 songs). i was kind of nervous because i think sometimes when people have high expectations, there's a higher chance for let down. and so i will say that i am not in love with this album as much as some of their others. i mean i really liked Oh Gravity (the cd before this one). but i've found that my relationship with their music grows over time. i need to listen a number of times to discover the great melodies. that awesome guitar line. the twisted and poetic lyric. what the songs are really about.

i bought the deluxe version of the cd which comes with a dvd. it has a "making of" the cd and a behind the scenes look at a photoshoot and then something else...i haven't watched them all. i was just telling sam 2 that i watched a few minutes of the making of and i was sort of surprised. i was hoping for this awesome, funny, and gooofy look into making a record. sort of like the podcasts that came with Oh Gravity. that's not what this was. it was gritty. it was really honest. and super serious. i mean, i understand that making music is their livelyhood. so obviously its important to them. but i heard the phrase "the deconstruction of switchfoot" like three times. and i thought it was a little much. jon (foreman, the lead singer) is such a thinker. lol. so i think i'll have to finish that later, when i'm in the mood to stomach all that important talk and reflection. back to the songs...

track 1: needle in a haystack life - this is sort of the quintessential switchfoot song. the great message clouded in beautiful lyric. a building verse to chorus melody.
track 2: mess of me - the single from the album. its more hardcore than some of their other songs. i've noticed a pattern with the first single off the last three albums. all more rock. i'm not sure why this is. anyway mess of me is awesome. another one of their songs that starts off with a fantastically-distorted guitar line. amazing lyrics. go listen to it. (link on track name takes you to the youtube vid)
track 3: your love is as song - switchfoot slows it down. they do it well all the time. i don't like this slow song as much as song of the others they've had.
track : the sound (john m. perkins blues) - your basic anthem/hard rock song. this is hard rock for switchfoot at least. the building up the chorus is awesome. this song is featured on the blackberry commercial out right now too. jamming guitars + gritty jon singing + echoing background vocals = amazing sound (no pun intended)
track 5: enough to let me know - haven't listened to this one enough to have a very good opinion. just relistening now...seems like it could be good. simple. clean.
track 6: free - i was rocking out to this one in the shower. another sort of signature switchfoot. i love the emphasis on the word free. seems like that obviously happen. anyway, its an imploring song which i will interpret to be about the belief in a higher power at work. plus its always good when jon takes the vocals without the instruments for emphasis.
track 7: hello hurricane - title track. i don't feel like moved by it. i mean, i like it enough. enough said.
track 8: always - was listening to this one when i started writing the post. i was really getting into it. again, another building song. starts of without much behind jon's vocals and grows.
track 9: bullet soul - a little bit edgy. there's some interesting harmonies. this sounds a little more commercial to me. sort of like a typical song on the radio.
track 10: yet - great beat. another slow down. sort of. jon keeps singing "you haven't lost me yet."
track 11: sing it out - i can see this one being a sing along for the crowd. another slower one. it almost has an imogen heap feel. which is strange. sort of haunting harmony. and strings...yay!
track 12: red eyes - an melodic uplifter. a downer on the lyrics. as in the lyrics are about sad stuff...not that they're bad.

okay...that's my initial reaction. if you feel so inclined you can check out Drew's (the guitar player) youtube channel. he calls it thedrewcast. i think its hilarious.