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Fall EP (November 27, 2007) 1. The Cure For Pain 2. Southbound Train 3. Equally Skilled 4. Lord, Save Me From Myself 5. Moon Is A Magnet 6. My Love Goes Free |
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Winter EP (January 15, 2008) 1. Learning How to Die 2. Behind Your Eyes 3. Somebody's Baby 4. White As Snow 5. I Am Still Running 6. In Love |
While his name might be vague to some, Jonathan Foreman's voice is not unfamiliar to most Christian music fans. As the past and current lead singer of Switchfoot, Foreman's distinctive vocals often catch the attention of his listeners, whether in poignant ballads ("Only Hope") or fun upbeat songs ("Oh! Gravity."). If there's one thing that unites all of his songwriting, it's his consistent humility and honesty in the ups and downs of life, so that even his fast-paced material present truths of life ("Gone").
In Fall, the first out of four EP's slated for release, Foreman creates an artistic but genuine mini-album that reflects both his personal struggles and the larger themes of lost love and the weaknesses of mankind. Appropriately, the title of the EP can be interpreted both as the archetypal season before Winter, when rains and brisk breezes sporadically grace the land, and as an imperfection, a fall from grace, so to speak. The songs fittingly incorporate folk and mild elements to evoke these emotions of reflection and regret, creating what is probably Foreman's most vulnerable project to date.
The EP begins with lead single "The Cure For Pain," a musical sigh that remarks on his own past weakness, "I've spent ten years trying to sing these doubts away, but the water keeps on falling from my eyes... " The repetition of the line "it keeps on falling" in the bridge allows for empathy with the overwhelming feelings he expresses. "Southbound Train" uses a harmonica, cellos, and later maracas and louder-than-average breathing to simulate a moving train. The skillful use of the homophone "pane" recalls the "pain" of the previous song and expertly connects the pain with a direction - southbound, a metaphor for homeward. In this manner the EP is cohesive, thematically tied from one song to the next. By the time "Lord, Save Me From Myself" is over, however, one expects something more that is lacking; the southern hand-clapping, generational Gospel feel of the song renders an anticipation for a climax that never comes... all we are given are two instrumental breaks at middle and end. At this point we discover that the album really lacks a musical climax, but the mellow vibe is appropriate given the autumnal theme.
At the half point of the EP is "Equally Skilled," which initially recalls the atmosphere of the previous track, relating to the theme of the fallibility of mankind, yet its uniqueness becomes apparent with a more careful listen. The vocal production sounds like that of Kevin Max, and the lyrics recalls Max's penetrating songwriting as well, more complex and sophisticated in general. From here, the theme takes a sudden twist towards love. The bass clarinet and high falsetto in "The Moon Is A Magnet" almost gives the song a different feel, almost as if it belongs on the Spring EP instead. Being the shortest song on the release, it definitely sounds more like a interlude than a full-blown track. "My Love Goes Free" takes yet another interesting turn, for Foreman sounds vulnerable to the point of weakness on this last track with a muted piano sound and more falsetto.
At times the overall folk sound of this EP recalls Please Come Home, the solo effort of Thrice's lead singer Dustin Kensrue. Released January last year, Please Come Home had sparser and less interesting production. But at times Foreman also sounds like Kevin Max vocally - vulnerable and with much emotion. It's this interesting diversity of his material that makes Foreman a forerunner of the music industry and places this album among one of the best releases of 2007. In conclusion, if you're looking for something similar to Switchfoot, look somewhere else. But if you're looking for a down-to-earth, heart-to-heart piece of art, look no further; Foreman delivers a seasonal effort that will last for many seasons to come.
- Clem
Disclaimer: This review is based solely on the opinions of it's reviewer and is rated on how that reviewer enjoyed the content.
