The conclusion to Forman's great seasons
Posted January 12, 2009
By Nathan,
One reoccurring theme over 2008 was Jon Forman and his acoustic seasonal EPs. Though the set of EP’s started with the Fall EP back in November of 2007 it wasn’t until October of the following year that Forman’s beak from multi-platinum selling rock band Switchfoot was concluded with Limbs And Branches: The best of all four EP’s with two new songs thrown in.
What made the acoustic pop/rock/folk rock survive boredom was a steady dose of powerful ballads with the occasional oddball song and some up tempo song at the right time. “Behind your eyes” has a very upbeat tune, which is very energetic compared to most of the unplugged songs while “resurrect me” sounds like Switchfoot performing acoustic along with some pretty innovated music. A solemn feel surrounds the entire CD and it helps many of the songs including the impressive light pop ballad “the cure for the pain” even though it could be argued that Forman’s attempt hit the high notes fall short.
The single “Your love is strong” is a basic acoustic song among the 26 overall songs released by Forman but the emotion that is brought to the guitar driven chorus is greatly effective. The music reflect the title of “southbound train” because of the harmonica and the very country style of music and the duet with Sarah Masen on “the house of God” also has a southern sound. Not every song has diversity or a solid sound though. In the cases of “a mirror is harder to hold” and “in my arms” which are simply guitar driven ballads and new song “over the bridge” lacks an artistic touch. The other new song, “Broken from the start”, doesn’t lack much with its upbeat acoustic tune that uses a haunting piano in key places.
The lyrics have been a key part of the attraction of the Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer EP’s as it seems that Forman’s has been allowed to free himself up to talk about faith and life in places he could not as a part of Switchfoot. Many songs take their roots in the scripture such as “your love is strong” which features a slightly altered version of the Lord’s prayer (nothing is taken away) and the song also underscores God’s faithfulness (‘So why should I worry?/Why do I freak out?/God knows what I need’). “The house of God forever” borrows heavily from the 23rd psalm a “mirror is harder to hold” seems to originate from James 1:23-24 and Matthew 7: 3-5 (‘You’ve got nothing I could ever hold/against you/I got fatal flaws to call my own’).
Gems surface on “the cure for the pain” which is about a man struggling with pain who won’t give up despite his difficulties/admits the futility of searching elsewhere for the cure for sin (‘Oh my Lord! to suffer like you do.../It would be a lie to run away’) and “learning how to die” which is a though provoking look at our mortality. “Instead of a show” is a very blunt song against the modern American Church and a call to live righteously (‘Instead let there be a flood of justice/An endless procession of righteous living’). Although “behind your eyes” and “in my arms” leave something to be desired the song writing is usually very solid and, in the case of “broken from the start”, spectacular.
Of the 24 starting songs the final ten that made the final cut are very good (though “equally skilled” would have been a nice addition), but even with the strength of “broken from the start” it’s a no much off an incitement to those who have the previous EP’s. But the point of the all the EP’s and Limbs and Branches (at least in my eyes) is to give more credit to Jon Forman’s work and which will certainly add more anticipation to Switchfoot’s next album.
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