I don't know about you, but the end of those harsh winter months always fills me with a sense of hope and exuberance because it signals the gradual rebirth of sunlight, plants and warmth. This in turn lightens my spirit because winter is by tradition the season of death; one only has to look at the swine flu pandemic and the Michael Jackson tragedy to perceive life's fragility and how it is exemplified in winter. The expectations of Spring therefore, were quite high, as I didn't only expect it to lift my spirits, but also to flow nicely as the third in Jon Foreman's 4-part series, offer the same insightful observations into the season and also provide a new angle on the acoustic style that Foreman has perfected in his past 2 releases. While they could be categorised under the theme of "stark loneliness" (with accompanying instrumentation), Spring attempts to up the ante ever so slightly in preparation for summer. Does it succeed? Let's find out.
Track Listing
- March (A Prelude To Spring)
- Love Isn't Made
- In My Arms
- Baptize My Mind
- Your Love Is Strong
- Revenge
As I said above, the previous 2 EPs focussed very much on portraying a subtle sense of melancholy amongst other emotions. Spring and Summer, being the two "happier" seasons in a year, are naturally expected to project happier melodies, instrumentation, and lyrics. The beginning of the EP definitely lives up to his expectation, with the quirky opener "March (A Prelude To Spring)" setting a very light, bouncy tone to open proceedings. The acoustic guitar revels as one of the only instruments on this track, working well with Foreman and guest vocalist Molly Jenson as the harmonies are perfectly balanced. A contrast exists between this track and the next, which is what I think Foreman intended in the first place; "Love Isn't Made" is a much more sombre track, with Foreman's tired vocals singing "An hour ago/ I felt so low/ I almost drowned/ Wandering around". There are also depressing vocal harmonies that sound slightly out of place on the EP, but then again the progression works brilliantly as the end Foreman's wife and her sister (singer-songwriter Sarah Masen) provide uplifting harmonies. It is ironic that this is one of the first tracks in the whole series which encompasses a full drum kit, albeit one played quite softly. "In My Arms" is an extremely passionate love song, perfectly encapsulated in Foreman's scratchy voice. The sound effects work very well, as do the inclusion of percussive instruments like tambourines and muted snares. Like the previous track, it becomes more upbeat as it progresses, and does not take up a significant amount of time at 2:50. The simplicity of the lyrics are what create the song's poignancy; most of it is Foreman repeating the line "I dream to hold you in my arms". Next up is an unashamedly religious track that does not rely on cryptic lyrics but goes for a straightforward repetition ("Baptise My Mind"). I have to say, though, that the quirky melody does feel slightly overworked, not exactly fitting with the very serious theme that it considers. Nevertheless the song adds to the variety in a welcome fashion. Foreman continues the religious motif with what is IMO the best track on the EP ("Your Love Is Strong"). This is the closest thing to epic that I have heard in one of Jon Foreman's solo releases, and this epic nature is apparent from the starting guitar riff, which begs to be built on. Add to this the repetitive chorus and the gradual increase of instrumental density and you have quite simply, a masterpiece. In a sentence, think U2 mixed with Bob Dylan mixed with, well, Jon Foreman. In a sense, though, the song's success is a two-edged sword because of its placing on the EP; it would end the EP perfectly as an epic track (think Planetshakers' "The Anthem"). Sadly, though, the next track feels out of place, no more so because it is merely a Switchfoot B-side from Oh! Gravity. The EP would have been much more potent had these two tracks been switched, because "Revenge" is the song whose lyrics require the most brain power to decipher ("That's when the irony hit me/ This was revenge/ That love had descended and stolen our pain away"). I prefer to look at it from the perspective of the repenting thief hung up with Jesus, but then again this is completely up to you. "Revenge" does feel like more of an epilogue because of its placing, though, and there would have been more power in it being placed before "Your Love Is Strong".
Spring is perhaps the most ambiguous EP so far in the series, simply because it does not exude any particular feel like Fall or Winter. However this arbitrary personality allows for a greater variety of expression through the instrumentation and lyrics; Foreman can be sombre one minute and upbeat the next. Perhaps this is what he had in mind all along; spring is, after all, a season in which the air is still brisk but life is reborn, and in this sense the contrast is portrayed in songs like "Love Isn't Made" and "Baptise My Mind". Spirituality is again apparent in this EP, and we wait in eager anticipation for Summer, to see how Foreman concludes this life journey in the season of the sun.
Rating: 4/5
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