Early Album of the Year Contender

2014 barely begun and right away we got treated to what I see is the best album of the year in Switchfoot's latest Fading West. If you thought that this album would follow the more subdued indie sound of the band last two albums, think again. Fading West maintains a more radio friendly pop sound that ends up working well with the album in general. Think of Oh! Gravity but done much much better. (And with no label interference.) Lyrically, Fading West gets to the heart of what Switchfoot is while also uncovering a need by the band to "reboot" themselves. If that is the case then I welcome this change wholeheartedly. Since this album is technically a soundtrack to the band's documentary film of the same name, (a film I haven't seen yet,) the way these tracks are ordered is great in that the band took time to meticulously place each track in order for maximum emotional effect.

Fading West is Switchfoot's most accessible album to date. People will dig their new pop rock sound. The lyrics are inspirational and revealing as to who the band is and what they want to do. It's Oh! Gravity done right and ends up being an early contender for album of the year.