Review - The Legend of Chin

Artist: Switchfoot
Album: The Legend of Chin
Record Label: re:think, Sparrow
Producer(s): Jimmy Lee Sloas
Release Date: June 17, 1997
Genre: Rock
Strong Points: Catchy tunes; creative songwriting
Weak Points: Some sounds are over-processed
Technical Score: C+
Artistic Score: B
Final Score (not an average): B
Moral Warnings: "Underwater" seems to allude to alcohol dependency


Few Christian bands have seen as much mainstream success as Switchfoot has. Though The Beautiful Letdown (released by Columbia and Sony BMG) marked the band's move into mainstream popularity, Switchfoot had a strong following in the Christian music realm from the three albums released prior to Letdown. The Legend of Chin was the first of Switchfoot's albums to be released on a major label (Sparrow).

As Switchfoot's first major release, The Legend of Chin showed a great deal of promise for such a young band. The music, though generally simple, showed a strong grasp of songwriting. The lyricism showed an uncommon maturity. The Foreman brothers (along with drummer Chad Butler) showed talent in musical performance. Frontman Jon Foreman's vocal work was fairly unique in tone. For a first album, Legend was a strong entry into the industry. However, a solid first album is not necessarily an outrightly solid album that will hold up over time.

Fortunately, The Legend of Chin is no ordinary debut. In terms of songwriting, Jon Foreman shows an uncanny ability to write catchy melodies even at the start of his career. Songs like "Bomb" and "Edge of My Seat" have a tendency to get stuck in listeners' heads for days on end. Other songs, like "Might Have Ben Hur" and "Underwater," show a strong sense of song flow. Though it can't be said that all of the tracks on Legend are exceptional, it is very easy to forget that this is where Switchfoot began.

Though the songwriting is very solid, it is also limited. The songs are very clearly written for a three-piece band. The actual musicianship on the album is solid; all of the parts are well played, but few of them show much creativity. In terms of production, the album is very no-frills with few exceptions. This is not a bad thing in itself, but some of the tracks come off a bit two-dimensional. Almost comically, many of the tracks are actually over-processed. Effects added to the vocals tend to actually detract from Foreman's voice. Too much reverb seems common on most of the CD, and this is coming from a guy who adds a healthy bit of reverb to his recordings.

In spite of these complaints, Legend certainly shows the beginning of Switchfoot's sound. Though this is a very much a rock album, it manages to avoid dependency on formula. Heavy, and good, usage of the bass as a focus point in the music is a great thing. Jazz-esque influences work their way into many of the songs. The overall sound is fairly unlike any of Switchfoot's later albums, but the same cannot be said for for Foreman's vocal work. The unique vocals shine through in Legend just as much as later releases.

Lyrically, Legend is something of a mixed bag. On the one hand, Foreman's writing shows maturity and even a little bit of satire. On the other hand, the lyrics are often vague to the point that it's hard to guess what they actually refer to. In all of the lyrics, there is a feeling of Foreman baring his soul to listeners. "Home," for example, shows an honesty too often missed: "It's a long way from Miami to L.A. / It's a longer way from yesterday to where I am today / It's a long way from my thoughts to what I’ll say / It's a long long way from paradise to where I am today / All that's in my head is in Your hands / ... I've been poison, I've been rain / I've been fooled again / I've seen ashes shine like chrome / Someday I’ll see home."

On the whole, Legend is an exceptional first album. On its own merit, the album is still solid, very catchy, and rather well made. It's far from perfect, but it is a fun and enjoyable album. Fans of Switchfoot's later releases should have Legend in their collection. People looking for something that's just a little bit different may find it here. Legend is a commendable effort, and one that can be recommended (though not quite wholeheartedly).

Album highlights:
"Home"
"Life and Love and Why"
"Bomb"
"Might Have Ben Hur"

-Kenny Yeager (kenny@revolve21.com)