THE YEAR IN SWITCHFOOT – The 10 Best Moments of 2012 (Part 2)

5. Vice Re-Verses, For The Sender & Backstage EP 

The Switchfoot fandom is extremely lucky. There’s never a shortage of new music from the guys, and this year was no exception. In between recording and filming Fading West, the guys still delivered lots of tunes to give the fans something to listen to in between albums. First, was Vice Re-Verses – a creative remix album where various musicians remixed some of THEIR favorite SF tunes from Vice Verses. The guys even gave their fans a chance to get involved with the Afterlife remix contest. The album was met with mixed reviews by the fan community, but love it or hate it, the album is a clever addition to any fans SF library. And personally? JT Daly’s remix of The Original is my favorite version of the song.

BUY HERE.

For The Sender was the brainchild of talented musician Alex Woodard, and if you don’t know about the project yet, go educate yourself RIGHT NOW by visiting the For The Sender website: forthesender.com. Jon’s work with the project supported the work of Stand Up for Kids in the form of two beautiful songs – Unbroken and Never Alone.

Unbroken

out on the margins of town
i been stuck hanging round
these amateur clowns
wondering where were you
the only song we knew
was our amateur blues

if you believed why’d you leave me
if you believed why’d you leave me
even after sticks and stones were spoken
i’m alive
i’m alive
and I’m unbroken
i’m unbroken

i been abused and misled
i been stuck in my head
unsung and unsaid
been on needles and thread
i been left for dead
but i’m living instead

if you believed why’d you leave me
if you believed why’d you leave me
even after sticks and stones were spoken
i’m alive
i’m alive
and i’m unbroken
i’m unbroken

give me a song to sing
something to balance out
the fits and starts
that life can bring
i’m waiting
give me a song to sing
a decent melody
because i’m alone and i’m nineteen
and I feel like the world
is trying to swallow me whole
like it’s trying to swallow me whole

if you believed why’d you leave me
if you believed why’d you leave me
even after our sticks and stones were spoken
i’m alive
i’m alive
and i’m unbroken
yeah i’m unbroken
i’m unbroken
i’m alive
and i’m unbroken

Never Alone

we watched the western sky
falling like a landslide
we saw the half-light disappear
i know how it hurts inside
to watch the dead leaves dry
on your own year after year

but i would never leave you
i would never leave you
even in your pain
you are never alone
you are never alone

we walk the streets tonight
lost in the tears we cried
for these dead and dying years
i can feel you heart beat running
i know we’re not home yet honey
but let your hope out with your fears

because i would never leave you
i would never leave you
even in your pain
you are never alone

can you hear my heart beat
can you hear my heart beat
can you hear my heart beat
can you hear my heart beat
keep it running
can you hear my heart beat keep running
can you hear my heart beat keep running
can you hear my heart beat

i would never leave you
i would never leave you
even in your pain
you are never alone
i would never leave you
i would never leave you
even in your pain
you are never alone
you are never alone
you are never alone

The project continued to grow, becoming a Book/CD/DVD combo – and inspiring several nights of music, filled with stories and songs. The inaugural For The Sender show featured all of the artists who contributed, including Jon, and it was an INCREDIBLE night of music:

I hope we’ll see more contributions like this in the future.

BUY HERE.

The Switchfoot guys are one of those increasingly rare bands who have absolutely no need of fancy recording equipment and digital editing to make them sound good. They’re at their best when they’re raw, real and organic – and this EP is the perfect embodiment of that. Recorded before a show during the fall tour, the 3 song EP features some of the most beautiful acoustic performances you’ll hear from the guys. My favorite Switchfoot release of the year, easily… actually let’s take this a step further. This is my favorite acoustic release, EVER.

THE STORY BEHIND THE BACKSTAGE EP

“Most nights before we go on stage, we meet in the dressing room to warm up and go over a few songs. With just some acoustic guitars, our voices, and maybe an accordion or whatever else happens to be lying around, we play these tunes backstage without any of their amplified power. These are often some of my favorite versions of the songs. One night someone said, “Why don’t we record one of these acoustic rehearsals and bring people into the pre-show huddle with us?” So we grabbed a mic, and all huddled around it in our small backstage dressing room and played a few tunes. The result is a very unique and stripped down recording of a few favorite tunes through the years. They are acoustic, raw, and sound like a dressing room. And we love it! We hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Who knows, maybe this can be the start of a new Christmas tradition? Let’s call this Volume 1!”
-Tim

BUY HERE.

Additional Reading:

• Welcome to the Planet Vice Re-Verses: Song by Song Review
• Vice Re-Verses; Spring Tour News; Giveaways
• Vice Re-Verses Info; Show News; Compilation CDs
• Vice Re-Verses Album Art Revealed; Souvenirs on Army Wives
• Vice Re-Verses Album Releasing May 1st; Remix for Switchfoot
• Unbroken and For The Sender Find Their Home; NEW Song “Forever Alone”
• Switchfoot In Sweden; For The Sender Promo
• For The Sender Project Early Release
• “Unbroken” DVD Performance; Photo Rockage
• Exclusive LOBH Interview with Alex Woodard (For The Sender)
• For The Sender Show: “I would never leave you, even in your pain you are never alone”
• Switchfoot Releasing Backstage EP; New Jon Foreman Show
• The 2012 Holiday Package and the Backstage EP Song by Song Review

 

4. New Songs, New Songs, New Songs!

We talked about all the news music we got from the guys this year, but that was just the STUDIO RELEASES. This year we got a landslide of music – from beachy tunes for Fading West to vulnerable acoustic pieces. Hopefully all these songs will find a studio home in the near future, because I don’t think any of us want these beautiful tunes to disappear. Let’s revisit all the new music, then check out the poll at the end to vote for your favorite! You can check out the lyrics to these songs (with official lyrics sent to us by Jon) over in our Rare Song Lyrics section!

CAROLINE

BACK TO THE BEGINNING

LIKE A BIRD

JOY IS YOUR BIRTHMARK

SALTWATER HEART

BEFORE OUR TIME

FIRST LIGHT

NEW SONG (Unnamed)

GHOST MACHINE

Vote for your favorite!

ADDITIONAL READING

• NEW Jon Foreman Song: Collide
• NEW SONG: Back To The Beginning
• NEW Jon Foreman Song: “Like A Bird”; Fall Tour Goods
• JOY IS YOUR BIRTHMARK – NEW Jon Foreman Song
• Saltwater Heart Official Lyrics; More Fading West; New Switchfoot Photoshoot
• NEW Song Saltwater Heart + A Pictorial Update from Filming
• NEW Song “Before Our Time”; Updates from Jon’s Solo Song
• Official Lyrics for First Light; OH Fest Update
• Free M&G Tomorrow; New Jon Foreman Song
• Ghost Machine

 

3. Switchfoot Tours with Paper Route

It’s no surprise that this one is so high on the list – and if it hadn’t been such an awesome year for Switchfoot and Fiction Family, this probably would have made the #1 slot. The long awaited (and twice cancelled/rescheduled) pairing of Switchfoot and Paper Route was one for the ages. As the Switchfoot guys are big Paper Route fans and the Paper Route guys are big Switchfoot fans, these two were a perfect touring combination. The shows were energetic, creative and exciting. The guys even brought back some old favorite tunes – like Lonely Nation and Evergreen.

 

The reviews were also raving. A few excerpts from the members of the press!:

Foreman, dressed like a stereotypical rock ‘n’ roll bad boy with a leather jacket, guitar slung around his neck and messy mop of blond hair, leaned into the crowd, pointing and high-fiving. His voice, lathered in reverb, echoed through the Westcott.

“Upstate New York, can I be one of you just for a little while?” Foreman asked. “You’re starting to feel like family.”

Though the band’s shredding started primarily on the stage, Foreman wasn’t content to stay confined, wandering into the crowd to sing. He engaged the crowd by taking a quick breather between songs to read audience member signs with tongue-in-cheek color commentary.

Foreman also wandered from the band’s scripted set list, inviting the crowd to guess what deep cut Switchfoot might play. When several audience members called out different songs, he laughed.

“Now’s the part where I tell you what we’re playing and you’re all disappointed,” he said.

One of his best tricks, however, was saving the band’s two biggest hits in his back pocket, keeping them until the back end of the set. But once Switchfoot busted out “Dare You to Move” and “Meant to Live,” the crowds — and stage lighting — went wild.

Said Foreman: “It’s feeling like a party, which I appreciate. I love a good party.”

From JesusFreak Hideout:

The guys walked off the stage with the inevitable encore still forthcoming, and then something truly intriguing happened. While in the photo pit, I caught a glimpse of the set list and saw what songs were in their encore. I don’t know if some of the crowd also saw this or not, but while some screamed for “One more song,” a large group of other fans began singing the intro “Whoa-oh’s” from “Hello Hurricane” over and over (which was the song listed as coming next on their set list). The band then came out and Jon excitedly encouraged the “Whoa-oh’s” before joining them to launch the song. And after they completed that song, Jon thanked the audience and began what is arguably one of their most impactful songs to date, “Where I Belong.” Foreman proceeded to wade into the audience once last time, making his way all around the crowd and back to the stage before finishing. They then said goodbye and Jon added a “God bless you, Philly!” before walking off. Fans chanted for “Afterlife,” but “Where I Belong” had been the night’s official capping.

While I can’t say I’ve seen Switchfoot a hundred times, I have been following them since their humble beginnings and have indeed seen them many times over the years, since before Drew and Jerome made the three-piece a five-piece powerhouse. The band’s sets at festivals can be really exciting and massive, but it’s these intimate tour nights in clubs where most of the fans are diehard Switchfoot fans that really are the special ones. And matching up Switchfoot with Paper Route was an inspirational pairing. It was an excellent night of rock music and I would encourage anyone not to miss this tour!

From SpinningPlatters:

The next song was “Dark Horses,” and when it was over, the band immediately exited the stage, returning quickly to play “The Sound (John M. Perkins’ Blues”), after which Foreman asked, “can we play one more for you on a Tuesday night, San Francisco?” Naturally, I wasn’t the only one happy to stick around a bit longer. “We’re making a movie about surfing, music, and the past eight years,” Jon explained before they began “Where I Belong” with the crowd singing the “oh oh oh”s without being encouraged to. As all the band members stepped back from their microphones, it was just the sound of the crowd singing with the instrumentals of Switchfoot. As the show concluded, I couldn’t help but feel that, religious or not, a Switchfoot show is a place I’ll always be happy to belong.

The OC Register:

Crunchy guitars and powerhouse drums by Chad Butler propelled the hit single “Stars” as fans dutifully pogoed along. Foreman and bassist brother Tim’s harmonies totally soared. The fun and funky stomping rocker “The Original,” on the other hand, espoused individuality.

Jon explained the compelling “Restless” was inspired by rainy British weather and author C.S. Lewis. His passionate vocals, Shirley’s chiming fretwork and Jerome Fontamillas’ lush keyboards on the slow-building song combined for a magnificent concert moment à la U2. (They also evoked Bono & Co. during the uplifting, harmonica-laden ballad “Your Love Is a Song.”) You couldn’t help but get caught up in all the emotion, with Foreman finishing the tune on his Taylor acoustic guitar.

Hard-charging “Mess of Me” boasted a Nirvana-like wallop and a bluesy breakdown section and saw the band really kick out the jams. Prior to “Dare You to Move,” the singer recounted when Switchfoot first signed to Columbia Records in the ‘90s and how it was hard to reconcile their approach with the music industry’s hunger for hits. “For me, it’s always been an issue of heart. We believe in these songs, no matter if they’re hits or not,” he said. The comforting song resulted in plenty of hands stretched skyward, much like you’d see during the Harvest Crusade held annually next door at Angel Stadium.

The guys even did some Fading West filming during the last show of the tour – check out these awesome behind-the-scenes shots!:

But this right here? These were our favorite moments:

All we can hope… is that this pairing happens again. SOON. Very soon. Like. Spring tour perhaps?

Additional Reading:

• Fall Tour with Paper Route – DATES!
• Fall Tour Kicks Off In Baltimore; “Just singing these songs, they become the soundtrack to people’s lives”
• “It’s feeling like a party, which I appreciate. I love a good party.”
• Switchfoot & JT Daly (Paper Route) Perform “Evergreen”
• “Full of joy, passion, pain and the one thing the entire band stands for… hope.” – Concert Updates
• “If music feeds the soul, then Switchfoot is a prime source of nourishment” 

 

2. Fiction Family Holiday EP + Forthcoming Release/Tour

It’s been a few years since the first release from our favorite Fictional Family and in that time the guys have added 2 official new members and recorded a new album – and released a surprise EP.

While the release of their second album, “Fiction Family Reunion” and their forthcoming tour with TWLOHA is still to come, this year was a great time for Fiction Family fans.

We got lots of info on their 2nd album, including cover art and a tracklisting – and everyone was pretty excited to see that “Just Rob Me” definitely made the cut.

Their surprise Holiday EP included a whimsical original Christmas song, 2 outtakes from “Reunion” (My Forgetful Baby!!!), a live version of “We Ride” and 2 songs from the new album – including their first single “Up Against The Wall”. A music video for that is in the works, but fans are already loving the song.

We’ve waited a long time for more music and activity from Fiction Family and it was nice to see so much progress this year – it was definitely the beginning of a VERY time for Fiction Family, and we can’t see what’s still to come!

Additional Reading:

• Want To Be In The New Fiction Family Video?
• Holiday EP – Song by Song Review
• Fiction Family Release Holiday EP – Download Now!
• Fiction Family Reunion Release Date, Single, Record Deal & Tour Announced
• “Did we just finish the Fiction Family record today!?”
• Fading West & Fiction Family Updates
• “There are 300 stories walking into the theater right now”; Fiction Family updates

 

1. Fading West Filming

Never ones to just settle for status-quo, the Switchfoot guys took it to a whole new level this year with Fading West. As they’ve said in interviews, they’ve always wanted to score a film… so they decided to take matters into their own hands make their OWN film. It would have been easy to make a video full of stock footage and leftover podcast material and call it a day, but instead the guys hired a film crew and travelled the globe. Fading West is set to release at the 2013 Switchfoot Bro-Am, but the guys did the majority of the filming this year, traveling to Africa, Bali and other exotic locations, ending with filming a KILLER show in California. (Drew had a Go-Pro mounted to his guitar!) The guys, and the crew, kept fans updated with all kinds of instagram photos from filming, giving everyone a behind-the-scenes peek of what’s to come – and DANG is it going to be good.

Tim had this to say in a recent interview:

TF: It’s been really an amazing year for us. In many ways, it’s kind of been the dream year, in that we’re making a film about music and surfing right now…

JW: Fading West.

TF: Yeah. Which is a dream, even to say it. We got to look at the map and pick our favorite surfing destinations around the world and book shows there. We were able to prolong our stays and surf quite a bit in each location, specifically South Africa, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand and then of course, home in San Diego. So, yeah, it’s been a really fun year for us.

JW: Definitely sounds like a dream year. So, how is the Fading West project going? Are you any closer to a release date, how wide of a distribution are you hoping for and how much fun are you having throughout this process?

TF: We’re pretty much done filming it. Our last location was Bali, and now we get to make the soundtrack which I think will be the most fun part of this whole thing. We’ve always wanted to make a soundtrack to a movie, and we decided, what the heck, let’s just make our own movie as well.

We’re about halfway through with the soundtrack already, and it’s been a really fun process. We got inspired by these locations while we were on tour and traveling, so to write about things that are impacting us at the time…and to really be thinking about it as a musical accompianment to the visuals we’re filming has been a fun challenge.

JW: Sounds like you had to be really in the moment with this project.

TF: Yeah, absolutely. And it’s fun to think of the possibilities. I mean, this is going to be a proper record for us, it won’t sound strictly like a soundtrack. This will be our ninth studio project and we’re taking it very seriously. But then outside of what you would expect from a record, we’re thinking about scoring and instrumentals and it kind of allows us to think a little bit differently.

Let’s relive the instagram memories, shall we?

Africa:

Bali:

Filming from the California concert:

Additional Reading:

• Fading West Recording Updates from Twitter
• “In a film, there’s lots of room to push the music in different directions”
• “I do believe Against the Voices will be on the soundtrack”
• EXCLUSIVE Fading West Info
• “If music feeds the soul, then Switchfoot is a prime source of nourishment”
• “Now we get to make the soundtrack which I think will be the most fun part of this whole thing”
• NEW Song Saltwater Heart + A Pictorial Update from Filming
• Fading West and Fiction Family Updates
• “Is it me?? I’m wearing this new cologne”; Fading West film crew in Sydney”

As good as 2012 was, 2013 is going to be even MORE exciting – with the release of the new Fiction Family record as well as the release of Fading West (movie, film and soundtrack), it’s quite possible that 2013 might be the best year for Switchfoot YET. We can’t wait to experience it with you all!