New Way to Be Human

Switchfoot fly out the door, swinging from the first bouncy note of their sophomore LP, New Way to Be Human, proclaiming that having a relationship with Christ is "the only way to be human." Bothers Jon and Tim Foreman on guitar and bass, respectively, are rounded out by Chad Butler on drums, and the multilayered harmonies of these young fellows stir it up like Rembrandts on crusade. Not surprisingly, the band's sincere message coupled with samples, pop whimsy, and clean hummability have already landed them soundtrack tunes on the television shows Dawson's Creek and Party of Five. At the record's center, the acoustic "Let That Be Enough," written and recorded on the eve of Jon's 22nd birthday, eloquently captures the wonder, fear, and hunger for wholeness that all folks coming of age experience. This track is a prayer, which ultimately conveys the essence of New Way to Be Human: in the singer's words, "that Christ's love" will be enough to see him through the threshold of manhood. --Paige La Grone