Monday, February 11, 2008

Jon Foreman's Fall & Winter EPs

Switchfoot's Jon Foreman new solo project is simply amazing and addicting. On November 20, 2007 Foreman released a six song EP called Fall available to download.

Then January 15th, Foreman released Winter online as well as in retail packaging with two CDs (Fall EP & Winter EP). The more I listen to these songs the more they keep on impressing me.

Each 6 song EP has a folksy tone that is very lyrically driven. Yet the music is so unique and full of unique sounds. For example, executive producer and music legend Charlie Peacock is credited with playing piano, wurli 200a, hammond b-3 organ, pro one bass, and the astro organ.

Similarly songs like "The Moon is a Magnet" (Fall EP) has fantastic love lyrics ("what are we if we're not in love?") yet it's musical text is certainly not what you'll notice the first time you listen to. Instead it's the texture of the music with the unique sounding bass clarinet in the background.

On my first couple listens of these two EPs, the absolutly stand out song to me were "Equally Skilled" (Fall EP), which probably sounds most like something that would show up on a Switchfoot album, such as their most recent album "Oh, Gravity!"

The other song that really sticks out the first listen is "Somebody's Baby" (Winter EP) which is a very sad folk-style song about a homeless drug-abusing girl who dies that is discovered by the cops as the result of an annoymous call.

Another early highlight includes "White As Snow" (Winter EP) which plays off of Psalm 51.

Yet as I listen to this CD, every song becomes a favorite...I notice new lyrics, or become attached to the favorite lines or the unique sounds and ambiant sounds that make up songs like "In Love," "Southbound Train," or "My Love Goes Free."

I can't wait for the release of the Spring and Summer EPs later this year.

4 comments:

nate said...

Yes I agree...I love the shift from indie/over-produced-pop to folk...It is so much more soulful.

One Wink at a Time said...

Don'cha love to find music that does this for you? I recently "discovered" Matt Pond PA and feel the way you do about all their cds. Makes life more interesting...

Anonymous said...

GREAT review! I'll be linking this on my Switchfoot fansite!

Will said...

Thanks, RC! I didn't know about these and was able to find them today.