Customer Reviews

Oh! Gravity. (+2 Bonus Tracks)

5 star:		(48)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm an older (almost, gulp, 40) pop, indie, alternative music fan who came across a great pop song on the radio titled "Stars." Bought it on iTunes, enjoyed it. By this band called "Switchfoot."

I recently saw a new album by Switchfoot on Amazon (released on my birthday, Dec. 26th!) and thought, what the heck, let's see if there are any good "Stars"-like songs on it. Digressing, I appreciate solid albums (yeah, 10-12 songs long) that don't force you to skip songs and provide an emotional ride (haven't had many of those since the peak of U2, R.E.M., Coldplay, Radiohead, etc.). To say the new Switchfoot album was a complete surprise is the understatement of the decade. And then I found out they were a "Christian" band (I love labels) and I was like, really? Don't care one way or the other, because this is an awesome rock/pop whatever-you-want-to-label-it album.

Partial credit must go to Steve Lillywhite - he has this knack of getting the most pop (yeah, I like pop songs - sue me) out of rock bands, while keeping the emotional strengths and solid musicianship. Look at Dave Matthews Band - their first three albums (love em or hate em) are incredible pop rock albums with emotion to boot. Nothing they have done since ditching Mr. Lillywhite have been nearly as good. So, even though I have not heard Switchfoot's catalog, I must give credit in part to Mr. Lillywhite for the incredibly pleasant surprise that is "Oh! Gravity."

Enough blathering - every song has something interesting about it, whether it be soaring guitars (the build up to and chorus of "Head Over Heels"), awesome singing (screaming in "Oh! Gravity" and "Awakening"), heartfelt emotion ("Head Over Heels" and "Yesterdays"), kick-a** rhythms (the whole album) and interesting musical touches throughout ("Dirty Second Hands" "Faust" and my favorite, "4:12"). The lyrics and emotion feel honest, not forced, and definitely provide some solid messages for this time (excess - bad, having a heart - good). And while its sounds like a mid-90's song by Gutterball (look it up), "Amatuer Lovers" rocks out and places a giddy smile on my face every time I hear it.

I highly recommend this album - you may not rate every song a five out of five, but you have to appreciate a rock band that can do a lot of different things interestingly and well without pretention and with passion. Congratulations to Switchfoot - you have a hard core new fan. I can only imagine how fun it would be to hear these songs live...

I first saw Switchfoot when they were riding on the underground success of their single "Chem 6A." They were young, full of energy, playful, yet with serious undertones to their lyrics. That seriousness became more evident with each of the following albums. They showed maturity and skill that went beyond the average garage band, and "Learning to Breathe" proved to me that this was a group that would rise to the top. Then, with "Nothing is Sound," their darker side became ponderous. I liked the album, but understood why many revolted.

"Oh! Gravity" doesnt' find Switchfoot backing down from their sound or style, but it does show a leap forward in musical texture and in lyrics that question without floundering in the depths too long. The more I listen, the more I find to like. Songs that didn't grab me at first are now the ones I spin through again.

If the artsy simplicity of the cover isn't a signal of new things, then be prepared for a group that is taking it to another level. From guitar riffs, to vocals, to layers of sound, this is an album that belongs on the list of the year's best.

It's been three years since Switchfoot burst onto the mainstream scene with "The Beautiful Letdown", a record which went double-platinum and produced multiple radio hits, namely the rock anthems "Meant To Live" and "Dare You To Move". In 2005, Switchfoot followed up with "Nothing Is Sound", a noticeably darker and moody project which, strangely enough, was recorded entirely on the road despite the tight-sheen finish of the production. NIS received more mixed reviews, some criticizing it for being too "safe" and too reminiscent of the breakthrough TBL. While I rather enjoyed their latest outing, Nothing Is Sound was not very accessible: the dark subject matter grows thin on the listener after a time. While it's a great album to "rediscover" if you are in a fitting mood, it's not something you can listen to at any time.

With "Oh! Gravity", listeners concerned with predictability or accessibility can check their worries at the door. In their latest release, Switchfoot thunders back with a product that is at once ambitious and friendly. The new sound is a fusion of the upbeat and quirky "old Switchfoot" (pre-TBL days) with the hard rocking and existential pondering of the latter days, the result being a perfect blend of familiar rock with indie experimentation. Lead singer and songwriter Jon Foreman hones his already noteworthy craft by providing fresh looks at Switchfoot's Modus operandi: offering thought-provoking looks at (and criticisms of) materialism, consumerism, and complacency while maintaining a spiritual (though never preachy) bent. Foreman further flexes his creative muscles by introducing some fresh concepts into the songs. The title track, for instance, relies on a clever apostrophe with Foreman asking the physical law of gravity why its universal cohesiveness doesn't hold true in the social arena. Other notables include the characterization of the clock as an adversarial thief with "dirty second hands" in the song so aptly named. And Foreman once again proves that he is knowledgeable when he in one track compares the age-old tales of Dr. Faustus and King Midas to his own life experience.

Musically, Oh! Gravity takes Switchfoot to new heights. The band strikes the perfect balance of diversity; you'd be hard-pressed to find one track that sounds just like another. I don't find it appropriate to go through and rate each song on a record like this. Switchfoot successfully employs a variety of musical styles, including hard-rock, punk-rock, country twang, Britpop, psychedelic, and even Motown. Some tracks even combine styles to form a very unique outcome (i.e. Dirty Second Hands, 4:12) Yet Foreman has repeatedly stated that this record is about leaving all expectations behind and putting together the most honest product possible; pitch and theory take a backseat to feeling. Here, the band succeeds on sending the listeners through a rollercoaster of emotions:

The title track is a raucous 2 minute and 30 second release of fireball energy. American Dream exhibits hard-rocking passion. Dirty Second Hands unleashes the dobro and toys with the rhythm, creating an absorbing and hypnotic sound. Awakening is a throw-out-your-arms, larger-than-life anthem of hope. Circles is exotic and exquisite. Amateur Lover is just FUN. Faust is an engrossing story-song, ranging from soft to hard in just the right moments. Head Over Heels is a poetic love song. Yesterdays is sorrowful, lamenting the death of a loved one. Burn Out Bright, as guitarist Andrew Shirley has called it, is a "roll-down-the-windows" romp of meaning (with killer riffs). 4:12 is different...you have to hear it to really grasp it. And Let Your Love Be Strong, the closing ballad, is beyond my words to describe.

What makes this record stand out above others? I point to Switchfoot's ability to create a thoroughly SOLID record, as virtually every song is finely crafted and worth listening to. I don't believe it judging artists by their singles, but rather their finished products. Does this album have any songs that will climb the charts and surpass "Meant To Live" or "Dare You To Move" in terms of popularity? Not likely. Does the album contain tracks that are just as good, if not better? Absolutely. Though this record may not contain the same tailored-for-radio material that contributed to the band's breakthrough (there are, however, some songs I can see being successful on the airwaves), the collective effort is undoubtedly the best yet by the fellas from San Diego.

Track One Oh! Gravity. : This has been in my 25 Most Played Songs since I've purchased the single months ago. The song almost captures their vivacious personalities during their live performances...but then of course nothing can really be as good as a live performance than actually being at one of their shows.
Fave. line from the song: "In the fallout, the fallout the hype won't get you through. Connected, connected I meant it the hype won't get you through."

Track Two American Dream : The song spoke volumes to me, the play on words were fun and it really has a great guitar riff towards the end. I was lucky enough to have seen them perform this song live and this song had automatically became one of my favorite new songs.
Fave. line from the song: "And talk has always been the cheapest thing. Is it true would you do what I want you to do? If I show up with the right amount of bling? like a puppet on a monetary string."

Track Three Dirty Second Hands : Another song that had been on my list of 25 Most Played Songs. It has such a great vibrancy and such a different tone to it that it got my attention as soon as I heard the song. I love the guitar that Jon used when he played this at the concert (Oh! Gravity Tour '06)
Fave. line from the song: "Are you really as tough as you think you blink and you're over the brink. You bleed but your blood runs pink."

Track Four Awakening : This song had an effect on me like Only Hope, On Fire, and The Shadow Proves the Sunshine did. The songs mentioned have a special place in my heart in that, those songs made me realize where I am, what point I am at in my life. From beginning to the end and back, this song by far is one of my favorite tracks that this talented quintet had ever written, recorded and performed! It was difficult to pick just one verse because I just love this song!
Fave. line from the song: "I want to wake up kicking and screaming. I wanna know that my heart's still beating, its beating. I'm bleading. I wanna live like I know what I'm leaving. "

Track Five Circles : This one that has a slightly darker tone than the rest of the album.Inexplicable if you haven't heard the song...but it's cool because you feel like you're in 'circles' when you listen to the song.
Fave. line from the song: "Another freefall, I've lost what I wanted to leave. I've lost all that I want to be. Don't believe that there's nothing that's true. "

Track Six Amateur Lovers : Catchy, catchy tune that you can bob your head to. This is something that I could picture having my top down (if I had one) and blast this song really really loud. :) There's a great guitar part midway to the end of the song, and when you think that the song is over, it's not.
Fave. line from the song: "We've all got a disease. Deficiency of love. Everyday we still try. Every night we still cry home "

Track Seven Faust, Midas and Myself : Great story telling in the song and the build up to the question 'What direction? Life begins at the intersection'. It's different from everything else you'll hear, a new approach to music as only they can make.
Fave. line from the song: "I jumped to my feet. She asked me what was wrong. I began to scream. I don't think this is me. Is this just a dream? Or is it really happening?"

Track Eight Head Over Heels (In This Life) : A wonderful song to sing along with. This was another one of the songs that I was anticipating to hear, and of course it's fantastic as a whole.
Fave. line from the song: "You're everything that's fair in love and war. I'm coming down like a gunshot. In all these battles I've fought. You're the mark I'm aiming for. I was yours."

Track Nine Yesterdays : A song about losing someone, a song about death. It's a serious subject, and they tackled it well. It feels like you can put this in a montage for remembering someone you love.
Fave. line from the song: "The ache I feel inside. Is the where the life has left your eyes. I'm alone for our last goodbye. But you're free."

Track Ten Burn Out Bright : Another song to do some major head bopping and feet stomping. I really enjoy the melody of the song, they rock to their own beat and I love it!
Fave. line from the song: "I'm still discontented down here. If we've got only one try. If we've only got one life. If time was never on our side. Then before I die. I want to burn out bright."

Track Eleven 4:12 : There's a part in the end of the song that I really really dig, yes I said DIG! (3:22 to be precise) when Jon repeats the my favorite line for this song over and over. It's another one of those songs that you just have to clap to, it's awesome.
Fave. line from the song: "Souls aren't built of stone. Sticks and bones. And Stones aren't built of stone."

Track Twelve Let Your Love Be Strong : I was lucky enough to have heard Jon play this song with just his acoustic guitar. This is just a beautiful heart warming song that I needed when I first heard it.
Fave. line from the song: "In this world of news. I found nothing new. I've found nothing pure. Maybe I'm just a little misinformed. Maybe I'm just idealistic to assume the truth."


Oh! Gravity gave me such a wonderful mix of emotions, feeling their message loud and clear through each and every song. I love this album!

When I noticed the new Switchfoot in Walmart the other day I was disappointed. Not because I didn't like Switchfoot, but because I thought that they, like so many bands do, went into the studio and rushed another album to try to cash in on the popularity of their last album (which was great, by the way). After all, Switchfoot's last album was released only a year earlier. No way could they write and record a batch of "good" songs that quickly. Fortunately for me and my 13 bucks I underestimated these guys. Oh!Gravity is yet another great album. Now, if they would only spend less time in the studio and more time touring down my way (Knoxville, TN.) I'd love to see them in concert.

For those of you who, like me, were incredibly disappointed by Switchfoot's last effort, "Nothing is Sound", "Oh!Gravity" is both a fresh face and a comforting return to the Switchfoot we know and love. While the messages in many of "Nothing"'s tracks were trite and contrived, "Oh! Gravity" feels losely controlled, an album driven more by the songs themselves than those performing them. Probably the best example of this is the track "Dirty Second Hands", a song that uses the clock as a metaphor for man's fight against time, and time's fight against man. The song is driving indie fare, yet filled with echoes of bluegrass and grunge rock. One minute you're convinced the song is turning in one direction, and the next it's flipped itself completely upside down. "Circles", one of the best songs on the album, also follows this musically anarchist plan.

The most rewarding songs on the album are those of slow or midtempo range. "Faust, Midas, and Myself" is a haunting tale of lust and greed. "Yesterdays" is a somber song of heartbreak at the loss of a loved one and echoes of U2's influence on Jon Foreman. "Let Your Love Be Strong" is the kind of bittersweet song of loss and hope that Switchfoot usually ascribes to, being both winning and heartbreakingly truthful to our hearts.

My reason for subtracting a star is because while this is Switchfoot's most honest and original album in quite some time, there are still a couple of songs that fail to capture the imagination. While "Awakening" is marked progress from the soppy "We Are One Tonight" and the sickeningly sugary "Golden" (both from Nothing is Sound), it is still ringing with empty sentiments that, while inspiring, leave the bitter out of the sweet and therefore the reality out of the emotion. "Amatuer Lovers", while catchy and downhome rock, is a message given to us last year by "Easier Than Love".

Switchfoot has made an amazing album that will renew a fan's faith that may have been waivered by last year's messy efforts. These songs will capture your heart, mind, and soul.

I bought Oh! Gravity the day it released and after my first listen, I couldn't believe how disappointed I was. Most of the songs did absolutely nothing for me. 'Awakening' and 'Head Over Heals' were about the only tracks I really liked. Luckily I kept the CD in my car CD player and played it on my way to work for the next few days. Now, two and a half months later, it's still in my player and I listen to it almost twice a day while on the road. Believe me, these songs just take a little while to grow on you, but once they do, you'll enjoy them as much as any of their best tracks from previous albums. What's also strange is that this album made me appreciate Nothing Is Sound a WHOLE lot more too. I can't recommend Oh! Gravity enough, it's definately up there with Switchfoot's best. It's so hard to believe I didn't appreciate these songs to start off with, I'm glad I gave it a few days.

This CD by Switchfoot does not disappoint!
All of the songs on here are wonderful, some of personal favorites are "Faust, Midas and Myself", "Awakening", "Head Over Heels", "Yesterdays", "Burn out Bright" and "C'Mon C'Mon (Remix)".

This Limited Collector's edition is worth the price and it comes with 2 bonus tracks: "C'Mon, C'Mon" (Remix) and "Burn Out Bright" (Acoustic)

This is an excellent addition to any Switchfoot fans collection :)

"Oh! Gravity" is a brilliant album. Many of the tracks have a sound that's new for Switchfoot, but they experiment well. "Dirty Second Hands" is the most unique - in a totally good way - and "Awakening" is perhaps Switchfoot's new best song. Its lyrics are inspiring and beautiful, with music that has the power to create chills in the listener even after having heard it many times. If you're afraid that they have abandoned their previous sound, don't be - "4:12" and "Let Your Love Be Strong" keep that. Another highlight is "Yesterdays", which is the one of the best treatments of grief that I have heard in song for a long time. But really, each track is exceptional.

First off, I'd like to say that I'm not Sheryl Oda, but her 15 year old son. :)

Yesterday I went to the local HMV to buy Switchfoot's new album, Oh! Gravity. I wasn't sure whether they'd have it in stock or not, and at my first look around the "new releases", I didn't see it. So I went to "S" Rock Artists, and there it was. Switchfoot: Oh! Gravity! Only two CDs in stock. I grabbed one, looked at the heavy price, debated in my head whether to buy it or not, and then finally went to the register.

I payed 2500 yen (roughly 23 bucks) for this item, so when I got home and opened a BROKEN CD case, I was dissapointed. Yes, the case was broken, and it wasn't my fault. :( I was saddened. Whaaaaa

But soon my spirits were lifted when I heard the actual CD (the disc itself was fine, of course). COOL ALBUM
Switchfoot remains the same in the fact that their sound changed yet again. It adds excitement to their lives, I think.

Amazing vocals as usual, and of course AWESOME LYRICS! Guitar riffs are cool, and very original. Bass comes out more in this album, I think. Drums nicely accompany the songs rather than take over them. The beats and rhythms are playful, sometimes simple and sometimes a bit more complicated.
The keyboard adds a nice overall tone to the songs as well.

Album Breakdown:

1) Oh! Gravity. - 3/5
Not one of my favourites. Probably I just need to listen to it more frequently and it'll grow on me.

2) American Dream - 5/5
Sums up our modern "civilized" lives in first world countries. Awesome. I think that many people will be able to identify with this song.

3) Dirty Second Hands - 4/5
Interesting song. Very different from the Switchfoot we knew, and it's not bad. About how we let time control our lives. Another song that we can easily idenity with.

4) Awakening - 5/5
Inspiring song. This track is one of the few on the album that sounds like the old Switchfoot.

5) Circles - 5/5
Very hard to miss the meaning of this song. Cool composition, and again, very different!

6) Amateur Lovers - 4/5
Lyrics are better than the actual sound on this track. It's about modern "lovers" and how we don't really know how to love.

7) Faust, Midas, and Myself - 4/5
Material riches don't keep us alive. They drag us down. Lyrics and sound equally good.

8) Head Over Heels (In This Life) - 5/5
A love song, I guess. I like the overall sound better than the lyrics.

9) Yesterdays - 4/5
A farewell song, with simple lyrics. The sound matches the lyrics well.

10) Burn Out Bright - 5/5
Not exactly a song about ambition, but wanting to... well, burn out bright! To be more than average.

11) 4:12 - 4/5
This is a song about laying in bed with philosophical thoughts. Anyone could identify with this one.

12) Let Your Love Be Strong - 5/5
A sweet song that builds up. Quite touching actually.

13) American Dream (Acoustic Version) - 4/5
Simply an acoustic version of American Dream. Not as good as the original, but not bad as far as acoustic versions go.

Overall an awesome sound and incredible words. Very inspiring. Sometimes the words may be depressing, but that's just so that we realise that we need to change.
If you've had a problem with The System, but didn't know why you didn't agree with it, this album may help you realise your own feelings.
It's a great rock album, and I must say that Jon Foreman and Switchfoot are one of the best song-writers in modern rock culture.
Way to go guys!