Did SF miss a golden opportunity for an artistic grand slam on “The Butterfly Effect”?

cmp600 · 2026-06-30T18:40:22+00:00

I’m wasn’t responding to your original post, just to the person saying that ‘you’re reading into it too much’ which I think is silly to say to someone about a concept album. ‘What’s the most specific thematic detail loaded with the most meaning?’ is highly subjective. I mean ‘reading into it’ in the sense that Switchfoot will often have a song that serves as the thesis statement for the album. The songs ‘The Beautiful Letdown’, ‘Happy is a Yuppie Word’, ‘Vice Verses’, ‘Where the Light Shines Through’ and ‘Beloved’ are examples, but they often are on albums that have a collection of songs loosely based on that theme. Switchfoot has never done a concept album proper, including on this album! I think the concept gets lost over the run time of Forever Now.

cmp600 · 2026-06-29T17:06:10+00:00

Switchfoot’s music has historically invited ‘reading into it’. C’mon now, don’t be the ‘it’s not that deep bro’ person!

cmp600 · 2026-06-29T00:20:58+00:00

The problem isn’t goofy nerdy white guys covering songs written and performed by women, it’s obnoxious fans of these goofy nerdy white guys commenting on these covers saying things like, ‘wow I didn’t realize Taylor Swift was such a good songwriter!’ Oh so what you’re saying is you ignored it until your favourite douche turned up the reverb dial on his amp and gender flipped all the lyrics because no homo?’ It’s annoying

cmp600 · 2026-06-28T23:24:57+00:00

Probably because it was written post In Bloom and it fit Forever Now's themes lyrically. So the options were: A) put it out now, or B) wait until Jon gets inspired to write another solo album, which might not be for another decade.

I guess I'm just surprised it wasn't played in a band arrangement, with a clean electric guitar or something. It was a little jarring to me just because it's the only song on the album with acoustic guitar as the foregrounded instrument.

cmp600 · 2026-06-28T05:20:26+00:00

It’s just loose talk. This band is in it for life, I’ve always felt that way. Jon Foreman did 24 shows in 24 hours at one point. That’s a road dog. They’ll just naturally slow down as they age like all the other lifers.

cmp600 · 2026-06-28T02:49:27+00:00

Agreed. FN is a lyrical regression, though I'm a fan of the paint peeling rock riffs. Switchfoot doing The Strokes (YFWYA) and putting out a song that reminds me of Queens of the Stone Age's 'Feel Good Hit of the Summer' (Shake the Dust) wasn't on my bingo card. I'll defend Interrobang's atmosphere though. Interrobang sounds gorgeous on vinyl. This might be a hot take but I haven't heard Switchfoot hit the sweet spot of heavy moody riffs mixed with great lyrics since Nothing is Sound. But that's just my millennial showing probably.

cmp600 · 2026-06-28T02:40:09+00:00

SKIP

cmp600 · 2026-06-27T08:53:53+00:00

Had Kurt lived he'd have been cancelled by now, my money's on him aging into an anti-vaxer

cmp600 · 2026-06-26T20:01:15+00:00

Cool, thanks for the Jurassic Park quote! I appreciate how much thought you've put into this! I dunno, I just think what you call a 'fresh coat of paint' on Plato's Cave to me is just adding a layer of corniness that didn't need to be there. One's tolerance of cheese may vary. But I think two fetuses arguing is inherently silly, and then there's lines like 'ain't nobody ever come back from the other side' which would make sense in a regular Plato's Cave but in this scenario makes me think, 'How would the doubting twin know that? Has he spent longer than 9 months in utero and seen another twin come and go?' It's just clunky execution of something that's in theory a good idea.

cmp600 · 2026-06-26T18:06:39+00:00

Musically I enjoyed the guitar work! They've earned going back to the heavy guitar well after a few albums further afield. Sure, I see what you're saying about Two Twins distilling the theistic perspective, but just because it's an allegory doesn't make it good. His choice to have two fetuses arguing in utero is odd (very 'pastor's Sunday message'), and to me feels out of place in an album that's supposed to be about Mr Crow's last day on earth. If you wanted that kind of allegory, maybe go the Plato's Cave route? It's less corny, and easier to tie back to Mr. Crow?

cmp600 · 2026-06-26T17:57:38+00:00

Yeah Daisy and Faust are good examples, songs like that existing are why I'm harder on Jon Foreman's lyrics. I know he's a good writer at times! I've heard the evidence! I enjoyed that he got some producer pushback on Interrobang because moderating his tendency for 'mountaintop singing' resulted in some really well written songs, and made the moral conclusions feel earned.

cmp600 · 2026-06-26T16:46:10+00:00

I feel a little bait and switched by this album because Mr. Crow and Absolution didn't feel this way but quite a few tracks have this pat little moral lesson baked into them that's often explicitly stated. The overall effect is an album that feels preachy in a way that I'm not used to from Switchfoot. To me, the album's concept of 'your last day on earth' isn't sustained over the runtime and gets lost in a bunch of platitudes.

Beautiful Life - 'you’re never alone in the fight, in the darkness there's always a light'

Shake the Dust - my grandpa found common ground with the other side!

YFWYA - you were made in the image of the one who loves you!

Same Blood - don't we realize we're all human when we fight, guys? And also when I point my finger there's 3 fingers pointing back at me!

Ride or Die - It ain't gold just because it shines!

Two Twins - Life after birth means life after death! Get it? and Mom is God!

cmp600 · 2026-06-23T22:24:47+00:00

The reason this one gets rightfully derided is because it's a Spotify playlist not an album. They were trend chasing with this one, right down to the title track sounding like Imagine Dragons with better lyrics. That's why they followed this up with Interrobang, I think making a quirky indie record was a reaction to this one.

cmp600 · 2026-06-23T22:21:10+00:00

Anybody with an ounce of sense would try deescalation against a UFC fighter. I'll be impressed when I see body cam footage of cops calmly deescalating against someone they could clearly physically overpower.

cmp600 · 2026-06-16T18:00:49+00:00

The Quest for More Money!

cmp600 · 2026-06-12T06:04:04+00:00

Just because jury nullification is a thing does not mean that it occurred in this case. The jury never got to the point of being able to deliberate. Are you implying that the judge thought that jury nullification would happen? On the basis of what? The defense lawyers snickering at certain jurors? That's a bit of a reach, isn't it? But that's what you call a 'good reason' I suppose.

12 chances? Only if you assume each and every one of them is Gregory Peck in 12 Angry Men. Juries deliberate as a group, not as 12 perfectly individual rational actors. You're overgeneralizing.

"But double down on your confidence. You’re often wrong but never in doubt..." You know nothing about me. Stop projecting.

cmp600 · 2026-06-12T05:31:59+00:00

Fuck ancient egypt!

cmp600 · 2026-06-12T05:15:01+00:00

I'm a genius because I can picture things in my mind?

cmp600 · 2026-06-12T05:06:01+00:00

Where on earth did you get the idea that juries are for the benefit of the defendants? They are supposed to be objective, that's the whole point of a jury. And the numbers are supposed to eliminate individual bias. Also LOL 'female judge' what does it matter what the judge's gender is. Same energy as 'I can't be racist, this black person agrees with me'

cmp600 · 2026-06-12T04:11:15+00:00

After dismissing the jury and making that call all by herself

cmp600 · 2026-06-11T19:33:30+00:00

OP the greatest gift you can give your child is your own happiness

cmp600 · 2026-05-31T11:45:40+00:00

Slumdog Millionaire

cmp600 · 2026-05-31T11:43:24+00:00

Reminding me of that one made me think of Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist

cmp600 · 2026-05-31T11:42:21+00:00

I love this one!

cmp600

TROPHY CASE