Fading West

In an interview with Jake Denning, drummer Chad Butler said: "It's been interesting you know – typically a Switchfoot record will start with Jon [Foreman] and a guitar, then we'll build the framework of a song around that. But this time there's been a lot more space to have new experimentation, finding instruments in the locations we go – for instance, Drew [Shirley] finding a guitar on the side of the road in Africa made out of a gas can, being inspired by the unique sounds that it had. (...) I guess it's allowed us to start from the ground up, and let the sounds that we're finding exist without necessarily melody or a lyric yet, and just have a landscape of sound. (...) I think there's going to be room to breathe on the album that we haven't allowed ourselves in the past. You know, I think there's that cinematic idea in the back of your mind that you're creating something that doesn't have to be a 3 minute pop song." According to Jon Foreman, the album will feature some Switchfoot friends, including his Fiction Family bandmate Sean Watkins and his sister Sara Watkins, saxophonist Karl Denson and Charlie Peacock (the co-producer of "Dare You to Move", who discovered Switchfoot and signed the band to its first record deal): "We want to just kind of pull on different people who play other instruments and can add colors to the score that we would never be able to add." == Promotion ==

In December 2012, a tentative track listing for the album was posted by Switchfoot on Facebook and Twitter, saying "FadingWest soundtrack. Subject to change, like we all are..." In March 2013, a new tentative song list was posted onto Instagram by Jon Foreman. Another list, containing thirteen titles, was posted on Switchfoot's Twitter and Facebook pages on 5 June 2013. The Fading West Tour, held to promote the album, started on 20 September 20, 2013 in St. Louis, Missouri, and will end on November 24, 2013 in Abilene, Texas. In each of 45 American cities, Switchfoot fans are going to see a special screening of the Fading West film, serving as the opening act for an intimate live show. In June 2013, tour dates were published on Switchfoot official website. Dates for other countries have not been announced yet. The album was preceded by the Fading West EP, released on September 17, 2013. The EP contained three songs from the album, On September 18, 2013, a music video for "Who We Are" premiered on the Rolling Stone website. A video for "Love Alone Is Worth the Fight" was released on October 1, 2013. "When We Come Alive" was released as the third and final single to modern rock radio on May 13, 2014. == Critical reception ==

Fading West garnered critical acclaim from seventeen music critics ratings and reviews; however, Metacritic reports that by using four selected independent ratings that the album has a weighted average Metascore of a 71 indicating "generally favorable" reviews. Bert Saraco of The Phantom Tollbooth rated the album four-and-a-half tocks, stating that "Fading West in many ways sums up what Switchfoot is all about." Also, The Phantom Tollbooth's Michael Dalton rated the album three-and-a-half tocks, stating that "this has much more colour than the early and mid-period Switchfoot, but despite the fine production work, there are not as many great songs here as on either of the last two releases." Jono Davies of Louder Than the Music rated the album four-and-a-half stars, and evoked that "The music is true, memorable and appealing." At Christian Music Review, Amanda Brogan rated the album four stars, and noted that "Switchfoot delivers a new level of transparency, giving us a glimpse into their world while encouraging us in our own journeys." CM Addict's Kelcey Wixtrom rated the album four-and-a-half stars, and alluded to how the release was akin to a "long road of finding who you are, learning to love through fear, understanding forgiveness, and starting again." Joshua Andre of Christian Music Zine rated the album four-and-three-fourths out of five, stated that this "will be a classic in the years to come", and it does "seems to be the start of something special for the band." However, Caleb Caldwell of Slant Magazine rated the album two-and-a-half stars, and noted that "Jon Foreman's ability to write hook-laden melodies remains, and he's an often poetic and perspicacious lyricist, but the themes of redemption and hope on Fading West are too abstracted, frequently degenerating into cliché". At American Songwriter, Hal Horowitz rated it likewise, and highlighted that "the bulk of these songs feature clichéd lyrics and arm-waving call and response construction". == Commercial performance ==

Fading West sold 39,000 units in its first week of the release in the U.S., allowing it to debut at number six on the Billboard 200 chart, and thus become the band's highest charting album since Nothing Is Sound (2005). Fading West also topped Billboard Christian Albums The album also debuted at number 12 in Canada, and at number 50 in Australia, becoming the band's first album charting there since Nothing Is Sound. In Switzerland, it became Switchfoot's first album to ever chart, debuting at number 90. It also debuted at number 38 in New Zealand, and reached number 27 in its second week. == Track listing ==

Switchfoot • Jon Foreman – guitar, lead vocals, programming • Tim Foreman – bass, backing vocals, cover design, programming • Chad Butler – drums, percussion, programming • Jerome Fontamillas – keyboard, guitar, backing vocals, programming • Drew Shirley – guitar, backing vocals, programming Additional personnel • Mike Elizondo – programming, additional instrumentation • Eric Owyoung – programming, additional instrumentation • Josh Silverberg – additional instrumentation • Jared Fox – additional instrumentation • Blain Stark – additional instrumentation • John Painter – additional instrumentation • Brandon Zedaker – additional instrumentation, engineering • Drew Pearson – additional instrumentation • Sarah Masen – additional instrumentation Technical personnel • Neal Avron – production, programming, engineering, mixing • Tanner Sparks – engineering • Adam Hawkins – engineering • Eric Robinson – engineering • Ted Jensen – mastering • Chris Burkard – photography • Brian Nevins – photography • Alan Van Gysen – photography ==Charts==

;Year-end charts ==References==