Native Tongue

by Switchfoot

Overview

The most interesting songs on Switchfoot's expertly crafted 11th studio album, 2019's Native Tongue, are the ones that the band wrote for themselves. Sure, we get a handful of big-swinging rock numbers like the philosophically Zen opener "Let It Happen," the bright-toned fan appreciation song "All I Need," and the effusive midtempo anthem about letting God take control with his mercy "The Strength to Let Go." These are all catchy, well-produced songs full of grand chorus hooks and an underlying sense of spirituality that will most likely appeal to the band's longtime fans and anyone who jumped on board with 2003's The Beautiful Letdown. Furthermore, with the band having passed the 20-year mark (and gone on indefinite hiatus in 2017 after promoting Where the Light Shines Through), it's impressive that they are able to recapture much of their initial alt-rock buoyancy here. That said, it's fun to hear the band's primary songwriters, lead singer/guitarist Jon Foreman and his brother bassist Tim Foreman, explore what feel like more personal influences. To these ends, they draw upon the Beatles' woozy, '60s-style Baroque psychedelia on "Dig New Streams," pair with M83 vocalist Kaela Sinclair on the synthy, sweet-toned "The Hardest Art," and draw upon Harvest Moon-era Neil Young for the rootsy, piano-driven "Wonderful Feeling." Similarly, they evince Paul Simon's '70s playfulness with the jaunty acoustic singalong "We're Gonna Be Alright." Elsewhere, they dabble in Maroon 5-esque pop on the Ryan Tedder-co-write "Voices" and the hip-hop-inflected "Take My Fire." Native Tongue is a nicely cohesive album that lives up to the band's two-decades-long reputation for delivering heartfelt, uplifting pop/rock. ~ Matt Collar

Product Details

Release Date:	01/18/2019
Label:	Concord / Fantasy
UPC:	0888072079090

Tracks

1. Let It Happen
2. Native Tongue
3. All I Need
4. Voices
5. Dig New Streams
6. Joy Invincible
7. Prodigal Soul
8. The Hardest Art
9. Wonderful Feeling
10. Take My Fire
11. The Strength to Let Go
12. Oxygen
13. We're Gonna Be Alright
14. You're the One I Want

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Switchfoot   Primary Artist
Kaela Sinclair   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
John Painter   Drums,Strings,Horn
David Angell   Violin
Brent Kutzle   Keyboards,Guitar
Betsy Lamb   Viola
Paul Nelson   Cello,Contrabass
Craig Nelson   Contrabass,Contrabass
Tyler Chester   Keyboards,Guitar (Acoustic)
Drew Shirley   Guitar
Keith Tutt II   Cello
Tanner Sparks   Guitar
Tyler Spry   Guitar,Keyboards,Guitar (Acoustic),Vocals (Background)
Chad Butler   Drums
Jon Foreman   Guitar,Vocals
Tim Foreman   Bass,Vocals
Jerome Fontamillas   Guitar,Keyboards
David Davidson   Violin
Bear Rinehart   Keyboards
Monisa Angell   Viola

Technical Credits

Ryan Tedder   Composer
Matt Marshall   A&R
Brent Kutzle   Composer,Producer,Programming
Tom Steele   Design
Steve Wilmot   Engineer,Programming,Additional Production
Chris York   A&R
Paul Nelson   Contractor
Tyler Chester   Producer
Carrie Smith   Art Direction
Joe LaPorta   Mastering
John Nathaniel   Mixing
Drew Shirley   Group Member
Brandon Collins   String Arrangements
Jordan Wetherbee   Cover Art
Tanner Sparks   Mixing,Engineer
The Foreman Brothers   Composer,Producer
Kaela Sinclair   Engineer
Tyler Spry   Composer,Engineer,Producer,Programming
Chad Butler   Group Member
Erick Frost   Photography
Jon Foreman   Composer,Group Member
Tim Foreman   Composer,Group Member
Jerome Fontamillas   Group Member
Bear Rinehart   Additional Production
Doug Sarrett   Engineer
Adam Hawkins   Mixing
Bryan Cook   Mixing