What excites me most about multi-release music projects is that you’re treated to something from the same body of work more than once, and with a fresh perspective on the entire work at that. It’s always enjoyable to imagine how the gaps will be filled in, and subsequently compare your predictions with the final product. So when I heard that Switchfoot’s Jon Foreman was releasing another set of solo EPs, I immediately began conceptualizing what was to come. As the frontman of my all-time favorite band, Jon Foreman has written some of the most important songs I’ve ever heard. They’re always thought-provoking and challenging in many aspects. He was able to carry over this ability from Switchfoot to two more projects; one being his collaboration with Nickel Creek’s Sean Watkins dubbed Fiction Family, and the other being his solo work. It’s been nearly seven years since we were blessed with a Jon Foreman solo release, in the form of The Seasons, where Jon released one EP for each season over the course of the year. Fast-forward to 2015 and Jon has started releasing The Wonderlands, a four EP collection based on the hours of the day, with each EP consisting of six songs, or hours. Each song would be produced by a different collaborator, rather than one producer for every song. was the first release, covering 11 AM to 4 PM, so I went in assuming that the body of work would be radiant and introspective, yet entirely different than Jon’s older material. Needless to say, I was right. Shadows, however, was an entirely different beast. Covering 5 PM to 10 PM, I knew it would be a little darker than Sunlight, but not as dark as the forthcoming Darkness (which will be followed by Dawn). After listening, I can say that Shadows has both met and exceeded my few expectations.
Opening in a similar fashion to his Winter EP, Shadows opens with a little bit of background noise and an acoustic guitar on “Ghost Machine”. As the song progresses, however, it becomes more layered and haunting. Sharp but slow strings add to the ominous feeling already prevalent in the guitar and Jon’s voice. The key change in the bridge is the the highlight of the track, as we’re treated to the full extent of its instrumentation. The lyricism, as usual, is very thought-provoking, with lines like “We define ourselves by the things we can’t live without”. It’s a great precursor for the rest of the tracks, and one of the best songs in Jon’s discography. “My Coffin” follows. It’s a little bit faster than its predecessor. I really enjoy the back and forth time signature changes. The instrumentation is similar to “Ghost Machine” but a little more lively. As a whole, this track is layered with warm bass lines and organic percussion that will appeal to a lot of listeners. “Fake Your Own Death” is a track I’ve been waiting to hear in its final form for quite some time now, and when I learned that Mutemath’s Darren King produced, my excitement was at an all-time high. Contrasting from the live performances I heard years ago, played on a miniature Yamaha keyboard, the studio version of this song is more beautiful than I imagined. There are a lot of horns and woodwinds and loud drums that are highly prevalent throughout. It’s not exactly the most accessible song on this release, but it’s probably the best produced.
When I first saw the tracklisting for Shadows, I assumed that “Good For Me” would be a soft worship song similar to “House of God, Forever” on Jon’s Summer EP. In reality, it’s the darkest of the six tracks. It sounds like something you’d hear a Mariachi band play during the beginning of a Mexican standoff. Driven by an acoustic guitar, Jon sings “Sometimes I wonder what I put in my soul, I wonder if it’s good for me” and “I’ve got snakes for hands, I’ve got a lamb for slaughter, We’ve been drinking sand, That we thought was water” as the sound of a trumpet resonates in the background. It’s this song that made me even more excited for the next two EPs, and it’s definitely not one to pass up. “Your Love Is Enough” continues the series of tracks Jon has been writing about love throughout the years (e.g. “Your Love is Strong”, “Let Your Love Be Strong”, “Your Love Is a Song”), and whereas “Good For Me” lacked the content of a worship song, “Your Love Is Enough” makes up for it. It’s pretty straightforward, containing typical instrumentation you’d find in his songs, but with a more accessible approach (there’s even a radio friendly rework that’s not bad). Hearing it for the first time, I wasn’t all that impressed. It does fit nicely into the rest of the EP, however, and has grown on me since. It’s followed by the EP’s closing track, “Siren’s Song”. The chord progressions are dark and slightly reminiscent of one of Switchfoot’s b-sides, “We Are Bound”. The instrumentation is grand and channels the feeling of the great unknown that’s found in the lyricism. The ending is just as grandiose as you’d expect, and it’s the perfect way to close out the first half of The Wonderlands.
Shadows has brought my excitement and skepticism for the rest of The Wonderlands to an all-time high. While I’m very excited to see what we’re treated to with Darkness and Dawn, I’m still trying to comprehend this release and Sunlight. Shadows is another beautiful entry in Jon’s discography that took me by surprise in many different ways. He’s taken risks that you wouldn’t see in Switchfoot or Fiction Family, and with each one he succeeds. Not every song is as memorable as the next, but within the grand design of The Wonderlands, it probably makes a lot of sense. Casual listeners and die-hard fans will both find something to enjoy with this EP. Give it a listen. You won’t regret it.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHO9SBiHEds[/youtube]
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