On my iPod: Jon Foreman – Spring EP

The San Diego rock band frontman is at it again! Spring is here and hope is in the air! After the melancholy themes of the November release of Fall and the January release of Winter, the Spring EP is definitely a breath of fresh air thematically. In going with the seasonal theme, Foreman has focused this album on taking the listener out of sadness and melancholy into hope and new life.

The album begins quite light-heartedly with a quick, polka-esque first track entitled “March (A Prelude for Spring)”, incorporating a small horn section, a “bouncy” melody, and a female voice backing Foreman. He moves into “Love Isn’t Made,” using some strings, drums, bells, and his own wife and her sister for backing vocals. This track is definitely one of the stronger works on the album.

“In My Arms” comes in next. This romantic ballad filled with bells gives the lighter feel of spring while the lyrics of missing someone still have quite a melancholy tone. “Baptize My Mind” fits in perfectly with the spring theme of the season’s growth as a prayer of renewal. However, at times, the song’s music is somewhat cheesy, trying to sound too “cheery” with flutes and chimes. Although, at this point, the listener can begin to see the progression of the album from melancholy lyrics into a prayer of renewal, all leading up to the final two tracks, including the focal point of the EP in “Your Love is Strong.”

“Your Love is Strong” is a beautiful rendition of Matthew 6:9-13 and 6:25-34, the Lord’s Prayer and Jesus’ command to not worry respectively. I see this track as the focal point and climax of the whole theme of renewal, rebirth, and new life of spring. This is a track of moving music with beautiful lyrics and a powerful declaration of God’s love in the chorus. This track almost feels as though it is the whole point of the album.

Foreman ends the album with “Revenge,” a stripped down version of the track as it appeared on Switchfoot’s Oh! Gravity b-side. This track brings the whole album back down to a more poignant end, but is a good addition in light of the album’s release only days after the Easter season (especially Good Friday).

Some elements of the previous EPs are still present in this one. Foreman still hits home with powerful, brutally honest lyrics of life and love. He still adds an eclectic group of instruments to the tracks, providing many different sounds and feels to the album. Along with Fall and Winter, Spring is definitely another album on my recommendation list.

Genre/Style: Acoustic/Folk

Discography:
Fall EP, November 27, 2007 [Lowercase People/Credential]
Winter EP, January 15, 2008 [Lowercase People/Credential]
Spring EP, March 25, 2008 [Lowercase People/Credential]
Summer EP, projected May 27, 2008 [Lowercase People/Credential]

Website:
www.jonforeman.com

What I Like Most:

• Use of variety of instruments
• Brutally honest and poetic lyrics
• Unique seasonal theme for each EP

I didn’t do a review of Winter EP (although I should have…it was good!), but here’s my past review of Fall EP

Also, here’s the other two reviews I have done on here:

Mute Math – Mute Math
Deas Vail – All the Houses Look the Same

~ by Cody Thomas on 29 March 2008.