First I have recently come to feel that Switchfoot is a little like the TV show LOST. LOST was this monster success in season 1. It seemed like the entire world was watching it. But somewhere along the line in season 2, their viewership dwindled to half of what the original season did. Critics and fans alike stepped away from the show. And yet whenever the press would ask the producers if they were concerned @ the attrition, they also casually dismissed it, saying they new there would be “tourists, ” people who weren’t going along for the whole ride once they saw it.

I think “Beautiful Letdown” was that way a bit. I think people who had never listened to SWF found themselves devouring the record and anticipating more from the guys.

Which brings me to my second point. A lot of the new fans of that era missed “Letdown’s” role (I think) in the Switchfoot history. See to me SWF music has always been about 3 themes.

“Life & Love & Why”

Why do we live for money, power, fame?
Very much an Ecclesiates meets the book of James.

Love is the movement or as they sing on Hurricane, “love is the one true art.”

So if you’re crying out for 5-6 years, we need to shake off the world definition of success and embrace love, what happens when you receive the world’s definition of success?

I think Nothig is Sound and Oh! Gravity were artists reminding us that even from the mountain top of Beautiful Letdown type success, the ground you stand on is shaky and the weight of it all could just yank you right back down in an instant.

All that said I couldn’t agree with you more on this record Brad. I have had it for a little bit now and it becomes increasingly better with each listen. At the rate things are going I wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes my favorite Switchfoot album yet.

(sorry for the long ramble, but you know how I do.