Switchfoot's "Nothing is Sound"

Nothing much changed in Switchfoot's sound between Beautiful Letdown and Nothing is Sound; it appears they adhere to the old adage, "If it's not broke..." Indeed, since Letdown was anything but, I'm glad the band decided to rehash the sound. The first listen or two, then, of Nothing is Sound felt very familiar, which is not what you want on the first listen or two.

But "Stars" was very catchy and I've loved the last four Switchfoot albums, so I thought I'd give it a chance. I kept listening, and finally started comprehending the lyrics. What gives?! Switchfoot got deep on us! :)

I mean, post-Legend of Chin, it's not like they've been setting records for shallow thought. "Only Hope," "Let That Be Enough" and "You" got me through some awful times in college. They've always been able to mix totally frivolous, punny lyrics with deeper meaning (see: Newsboys). Now they've outdone themselves! Frivolity is still in evidence -- witness "Happy is a Yuppie Word" and "Politicians," pronounced Poll-liticians -- but give another listen to "The Blues," "Setting Sun" and "The Fatal Wound." They've found their eternal perspective.

Here are a few snippets (courtesy of http://www.hughchou.org/ccm/nis.html), each from a different song:

It'll be a day like this one when the sky falls down
And the hungry and poor and deserted are found.
Are you discontented? Have you been pushing hard?
Have you been throwing down this broken house of cards?
It'll be a day like this one when the world caves in.

It won't be long;
I belong
Somewhere past this setting sun.
Finally free,
Finally strong,
Somewhere back where I belong.

Son of sorrow
Staring down forever
With an aching view
Disenchanted
Let's go down together
With the fatal wound

As always, their production is faultless. I give this album 4.5 stars (out of 5), just because they didn't do anything new and it has only "Daisy" for a ballad, but be warned: this isn't fluff you can lightly toss away, no matter how slick it sounds.