Moments of Vice Verses

For those of you who haven't heard, Switchfoot released their latest album...TODAY! (Although I got my copy a bit earlier). You should all buy it, because it is an all-around amazing album of brilliant songs strung together by the journey of life.

The Super Deluxe version includes a handwritten liner which defines Vice Verses as:
1. Against the vices
2. Verses about the vices
3. A direction change, the opposite of
4. The polarity, the didactic nature of existence:

• Death-life, highs-lows, joy-pain, truth-lie. These are always happening

5. Verses of hope, looking beyond


Throughout my listens of Vice Verses, I noticed that there were several moments that really stood out to me in the songs, both musically and spiritually.

First off, the second verse of Afterlife. Just, remember this part, it's important later. Then, after the guitar solo, Jon comes in with a muted guitar, singing "Everyday a choice is made. Everyday I choose my fate"
"I'm ready now, I'm not waiting for the afterlife"

Next up, The War Inside. This whole song is energetic, especially the chorus, but highlight, for me, at the end of the last verse: "Yeah, every thought or deed, yeah, every tree or seed. The big things come from the little dreams. Every world is made by *make believe*". Just amazing... Listen to it!!

Ahh, Restless. It's been one of my favorites ever since I'd heard the live acoustic versions. This whole song really is amazing, but the first part that  I love is in the second verse:

"Running hard for the infinite
With the tears of saints and hypocrites

Oh, blood of black and white and grey
Oh, death in life and night in day
One by one by one
We let our rivers run"

Then, the part that really gets me: (You need to listen to get it)

"Until the sea of glass we meet
At last completed and complete
Where tide and tear and pain subside
And laughter drinks them dry

I’ll be waiting
Anticipating
All that I aim for
What I was made for

With every heartbeat
All of my blood bleeds
Running inside me
I’m looking for you"

Just amazing

Blinding Light -- This whole song is great, but it's the chorus, it manages to give me goosebumps every time with it's "Still looking for the blinding light! Still looking for the reason why! Still looking for the sunshine to take me higher"

Selling the News was noted as the closest Jon will ever get to doing a rap song, and it certainly is different than anything he's done before. This part begins with a *heavy* beat as Jon accuses "Substance, oh, substance, where have you been? You've been replaced by the masters of spin", while the beat continually grows deeper and deeper until "We're still on the air, it must be the truth, We're selling the news"

 Thrive... it's just amazing, incredible: "I'm always close but I'm never enough. I'm always in line but never in love. I get so down, but I won't give up"

 Dark Horses? Honestly, who Doesn't like the "Laa la-la-la-la-la-la" 's. Then, Jon's eerie voice comes in at the end with "Keep running with the dark horses, hope makes the blood change courses."

Souvenirs, oh souvenirs. This entire song is a moment, or, more like, the moments of my life. This song takes you back, to look at the memories throughout your time here. "I wouldn't trade it for anything, my souvenirs". This one speaks to me more than any other.

 Vice Verses, the title track, written along the high tide line:
 "Where is God in the city life?
Where is God in the city light?
Where is God in the earthquake?
Where is God in the genocide?

Where are you in my broken heart?
Everything seems to fall apart
Everything feels rusted over
Tell me that you’re there"

Finally, Where I belong, a true masterpiece. From the first "Oooaaaahh" to "Forever now", nearly 7 minutes, yet it feels like it could go a bit longer, if it wanted. The first words that catch me are "I take a deep breath and close my eyes...One last time".

Jon talks of of a place where the weak are made strong and the righteous right the wrongs. Later: "This body's not my own, This world is not my own, But I can hear the sound of my heart beating out, 'So lets go boys, Play it loud!!'"

"And when I reach the other side
I want to look You in the eye
And know that I've arrived
In a world where I belong"

Then, finally, in a memory of the beginning, Afterlife, he repeats:
"I still believe we can live forever, you and I we begin forever now. Forever now"

There you have it. This came out much different than I imagined, but I hope you enjoyed it, and that it wasn't too disjointed to read.

If you made it this far, Thank You!! You are awesome! Leave a comment with your thoughts/opinions on these songs and what they mean to you!