Bazooka-Joe
Reno, NV, United States

My Space Site
See my Blogger profile

iTunes I'm Diggin On Today:

• "Photograph" by Weezer
• "Dani California" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
• "Seven Spanish Angels" by Ray Charles
• "Always Love" by Nada Surf
• "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" by Death Cab For Cutie
• "All These Things That I've Done" by The Killers

My Links:

• My Monthly Songwriter's Column
• My Myspace Site
• My Bass Gear
• The Official Shotgun Rules
• Coming Soon - Some Christian Music Reviews I Do
• So funny they shouldn't even be allowed to update it weekly

My Friends:

• Go Off the Main Road with Dan
• Come Ride the C-Train
• You Drank What? - Pecadillo's Brainchild
• Michael Sorensen, A Watercolor Genius
• Challies Blog
• The Doulogos, for some real "deep thoughts" and Biblical Perspective

Chins Everywhere Will Never Be the Same

Long before the WB’s summer spectacular “Pepsi Smash”, before their arrival on the Top 50 Billboard Sales charts, and certainly before soundtrack appearances on multiple major motion pictures and primetime television dramas…there was ‘Chin’. Switchfoot’s 1997 debut release on Re:Think Records, The Legend of Chin, is possibly the most overlooked masterpiece in Christian music. Or at least it was before the bottom dropped out of this well-kept secret. The San Diego surf-scene inspiration for this 11 track LP won’t go unnoticed or unappreciated by listeners. From the soothing melodic tones of Jon Foreman’s creamy vocals on, “You” to the satirical grimace-inducing antics of “Chem 6A,” this album is cram packed with rock and roll goodness.

Upon picking up the album, I remarked at the title The Legend of Chin and remember pondering just whose chin they were referring to. I popped on the headphones at the in-store music display. Oddly enough, the opening track on the album, “Bomb” is just that. Luckily I gave the whole album a thorough listen before making a judgment call based on the opening song (which coincidentally, on a debut CD, is usually the best). “Bomb” is a discombobulated but energetic tune utilizing dissident chord changes between chorus and verse and poor transitions from one section of the song to the next. This one song’s short-comings however are dwarfed by the album’s overall tone, inflection and feel.

The second track, “Chem 6A,” which later came to be a single, had my chin along with my jaw gaping open in awe as I read along with the lyrics. This comical take on a generation inundated by modern distractions and a lack of desire to engage with the world is cleverly pieced together, flows well and is guaranteed to make you smile. The mature understanding of a situation and the ability to communicate a message to the listener in a way that’s not oppressive but encouraging, even humorous, is one of the stronger things Switchfoot’s lyrics bring to the table in this album.

“Underwater” is a zany little ditty whose clever use of effects processors on the drums in the first verse really gives one the feeling of being just that, under water. Once again Jon’s lyrics and delivery really make the difference on this tune about a girl who’s been thoroughly and frequently disappointed with life. Despite the serious nature of the subject matter, the poppy beat and layering harmonies make this a song you can really tap your steering wheel to and sing along with in traffic. “Underwater” transitions well into the fourth track, “Edge of My Seat”. Stellar production and skillful guitar work hold even the most ‘attention deficit’ of listeners’ attentions. The nostalgic “Home” opens with an acoustic intro and utilizes the band’s strength of impacting with simplicity. “Might Have Ben Hur,” a clever play on words, shows off another side of Switchfoot’s talents both lyrically and musically with great dynamic changes that transition well and a sentimental side to Forman’s lyrical prowess.

The second half of the album kicks off with an amazing “question and answer” pair of songs. “Life and Love and Why” departs from the conventional ‘verse-chorus-verse’ song map and begs the question “could it be true / can life be new / could it be all that I am / is in you” and immediately, rarely one to leave an audience with ambiguity, Switchfoot answers the question in a seamless transition to the song “You,” which proposes the answer to the question “sometimes ignorance rings true / but hope is not in what I know / not in me…in you” leaving the listener with the profound truths of knowledge, peace, self-actualization and God. This two-song series is perhaps the crowning jewel of an album speckled with accolades, simultaneously giving the listener the most thought-provoking moment and perhaps the catchiest melodies of the entire album.

In the end “Chin” turned out to be long-time childhood San Diego friend of the band Willis Chin and the tenth track on the LP is a playful tribute to this acquaintance. “Don’t be There” is a fitting closing ballad for the band’s under appreciated but beautiful first assortment of songs. Overall, smart decision making on musical arrangements, catchy melodies, thought-provoking, emotionally delivered lyrics and quality production make The Legend of Chin a “must have” for any Switchfoot fan and a staple in the CD collections of music lovers worldwide. Since the bulleting success of the band with their fourth album, Meant to Live, their first album has been re-released along with their second and third in the 3-album box set The Early Years: 1997-2000, which I can’t recommend highly enough.

Bazooka-Joe made it so at 9:40 AM