Switchfoot has been described as evolving from a Christian rock band to an alternative band with provocative, Christian-themed lyrics without the “peachiness” that the former genre often contains. The band isn’t so convinced that they weren’t the latter all the time, but labels are made for those who don’t want to do the homework and understand the entire body of work. The Best Yet is a satisfying 18-song set of the band’s output from 1997’s The Legend of Chin through the release of 2006’s Oh! Gravity. 2003’s breakout record, The Beautiful Letdown represents 33% of this hits package by supplying six songs, including the chart smashes “Meant to Live” and “Dare You to Move.” Clearly the U2 and Foo Fighter influences are present in the music, but there are certainly elements of bands like Tonic (particularly in “Meant to Live”) represented here. The occasional heaviness of the guitar playing is a fascinating contrast to the crystal-clear vocals of Jonathon Forman. “Stars” almost feels like two different songs between the time the crunchy guitar blasts in and Forman delivers his sincere and pristine vocals. Their sound alternates between the catchy and crunchy numbers that flirt with the grunge loud-soft-loud formula and songs which fall closer to the ballad end of the spectrum. They are effective at both creating a very good 76+ minute experience for the uninitiated or those who might have only grabbed Letdown. (Columbia/Legacy)
