So can a six-song EP really qualify as a best ALBUM of the day? Well, not really. However, if you put out four of these EPs in a year's time - as Jon Foreman is doing - we'll make an exception. In fact, I think getting 24 songs in six-song installments makes it easier to get to know the songs better. So I salute you, Jon Foreman, Mr. Puts Out a Ton of Songs on Four Albums in a Year Guy. (sung like the beer commercials)Spring is the third of the four EPs, all of which have been much mellower than anything by Foreman's band, Switchfoot. It is heavily layered with strings, horns, and eclectic percussion, and every song is acoustic-based. So far my favorite song is "Your Love is Strong." I should add that even though I am listing Spring as today's best album, all of the EPs so far have been worthy of that honor.
I don't know if I can come up with any good comparisons for this stuff, but I hear a little bit of Sufjan Stevens, Bright Eyes, Damien Rice, Wilco, and a whole bunch of other stuff I can't quite put my finger on. Maybe a little bit of Beatles' Yellow Submarine???
It's interesting that I'm such a big Foreman/Switchfoot fan. When I was a junior in college, Switchfoot were the opening band for a concert on campus. This is when they were all really young. I thought they were absolutely horrible. I couldn't believe they had even achieved opening-act status. Needless to say, they have improved greatly and I've really enjoyed their last few albums, and I absolutely love Foreman's solo stuff.
Listen to this album
This was a good call. The Fall album was good too...I really like The Cure For Pain....but this is the best one so far. Now if they could've just fit all these on one disc...
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ReplyDeleteThis is a fine musical selection right here.
ReplyDeleteThe only one I've been able to track down so far is The Fall... good stuff! Will be anxious to hear The Spring.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone else hear some Rufus Wainwright similarities? I also hear some Billy Bragg flavors on a couple tunes. Similar... but I like the Foreman stuff better.
ReplyDeleteZac you're probably right and if those similarities are there I've been ignoring them. :-) (I don't like Rufus W or Billy B)
ReplyDeleteI should really be more specific, since the comment wasn't intended to be a slam to Foreman. The song March is very Rufus sounding. (Which is not a bad thing, in my opinion) Southbound Train (from Fall) sounds like Billy Bragg to me. That's about it, everything else sounds like Foreman, but has a refreshing variety to the dynamics of one song to the next. It's a similarity that was probably not worth mentioning, but I did anyway :)
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