“Awakening” by Switchfoot, Saturday, April 7, 2024 (updated repost)

Everything Switchfoot has done musically rests in the shadows of their 2003 album, The Beautiful Letdown. While Letdown was sonically superior to their prior albums, the once surf-rock band still needed to finish evolving after their commercial blockbuster record. I'm biased to think that Nothing Is Sound is lyrically and musically superior to Letdown, but that may be because of how Letdown lost its novelty over the countless plays on youth group trips, on Christian radio, then on rock and alternative radio, and finally on pop radio and in some TV shows. Subsequent Switchfoot releases garnered less attention.

LAST WEEK SAW ME LIVING FOR NOTHING BUT DEADLINES. Two albums after Letdown, Oh! Gravity. attempted to bring Switchfoot back; this time with an experimental album with a flair for the avant-garde. The poppy second single stalled on the adult contemporary chart and was never released to pop and alternative radio as planned. But Switchfoot's fidelity to their Christian fans continued to drive record sales and concerts. And while the Guitar Hero-themed, star-studded video for "Awakening" never impacted MTV or VH1, it certainly did well on TVU. The music video starred actors Tony Hale, Adam Campbell, and Jayma Mays. Hale plays a straight-laced office worker who challenges his friend, Campbell, to a game resembling Guitar Hero, on the console, and the guitar controllers are made of cardboard. It was fun to see Buster Bluth rocking out with guyliner and his tie around his head. And around that time there was also talk about how Hale was actually a Christian in Hollywood, though he wasn't aligned with the evangelical coalition. Of course, Switchfoot's lead singer Jon Foreman was also one of the more liberal voices in the mainstream Christian Rock community.

MAYBE IT'S CALLED AMBITION. "Awakening" is a song about being revitalized. Many of Switchfoot's songs are anthems to "Dare You to Move." Today, "Awakening" gives me energy. This year has been busy and the winter has seemed long. There have been several setbacks as I have tried to reach my goals. But "Awakening" reminds me that tomorrow is a new day, and I can do this. It doesn't hurt that it's almost midterm season and several of my responsibilities are being put on pause. Still, "Awakening" puts me back on track to chase my original goals. Like "More than Fine," "Awakening" is a morning song. Both songs are about having a great day, and the intentionality it takes to make that day great. While I'm writing this post at night, it was a pretty good day. And because today is Sunday, I want to take that positive attitude into the new week. I know that I can do this! Let's have a good week!







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