#Switchfoot The Music Enthusiast

[golbrocklovely]

only the lonely survive // colby brock - chapter six: don’t forget to take a breath

A/N: haven’t updated in a couple days, sorry about that. while i was away, I actually started writing a new fanfiction ;) nothing like this one. a little more thrillery and spooky. i’ll post more about it later. nonetheless, please enjoy this chapter and lmk what you think. if you want to join the taglist, hmu :) <3

description of the story

taglist: @ajosieface , @localsleeper , @julyrubyrose

trigger warning: swearing, talks of rejection

word count: 1729

DAY 3/14

"Do you actually like Beetlejuice?" Colby asked, stuffing a bunch of fries into his mouth.

"Yes! It is one of my favorite movies. Hands down the best Tim Burton movie to me." I replied, taking a bite out of my McChicken sandwich.

"What about Corpse Bride, or Nightmare Before Christmas?" He questioned.

I shrugged, "Irrelevant."

He rolled his eyes jokingly and took a sip from his drink.

Colby and I sat in the parking lot of McDonalds eating our food in Colby's car, barely lit up by the sign of the golden M and the tiny overhead light. I sat crisscrossed, facing Colby. He had his body turned towards me.

"You know, I could have paid for my meal." I insisted, looking up at him.

He swatted his hand towards me, "It's no big deal. Your meal was like under five bucks."

"Well, thanks again. But I'm paying next time." I stated.

"There's gonna be a next time?" He smirked.

I sighed, "Why do you insist on teasing me?"

"Because you look cute annoyed." He said, biting his burger.

I blushed lightly. I'm happy the car is too dark for him to see.

"Anyway," I continued. "What's your favorite movie?"

"I like Scott Pilgrim Versus the World." He nodded.

I nodded back, "Good choice."

He dipped his fries into ketchup, "What's your favorite song at the moment? Or is it the one that you sang today?"

I thought for a moment. "I do love that song, but it's not my favorite right now. I think my favorite at the moment is an old song... Stars by Switchfoot."

"Never heard of it." He replied, wiping his hands on a napkin.

I gasped, "My dude, it is so good. Seriously, I think you would like it."

He giggled, smiling lightly. "Okay, I'll have to listen to it. Do you have a favorite band?"

"I do. You won't believe what band it is." I smirked, taking another bite of my sandwich.

"Um... yeah, I have no idea. Is it a weird band?" He asked, twisting his face.

"It is. You may or may not have heard of them. I mean, you do have a cardboard cut out of one of their members." I hinted, only glancing at Colby for a moment.

He raised his eyebrows, surprised, "Your favorite band is the Jonas Brothers?"

I nodded enthusiastically. "You have no idea how much I love them!"

"Is your favorite song by them Burning Up?" He teased, grabbing the last of his fries and shoveling them into his mouth.

I sighed, immediately annoyed. "Fuck no. That song is good, don't get me wrong, but only locals like that song."

"Locals?" He questioned.

"I don't know, it's what twitter stans use to basically call someone a fake fan. Nonetheless, my favorite song from them is called Take A Breath." I said, putting my trash into the leftover McDonalds bag.

"Play it for me." He replied, handing me his phone that was connected to the aux chord.

"Really? You want to listen to the Jonas Brothers with me?" I asked, almost whispering.

"Sure. Play the other songs you mentioned too. I want to get to know your music taste." He informed, starting the car and putting his seatbelt on.

I repeated his actions, and then opened Spotify on his phone, I made a small playlist of a couple songs I had mentioned to him. The first one being Take A Breath.

The whole ride to his house, I tried not to be too loud of a singer - just kind of mumbling through each song. It was late and I didn't really feel like belting out at 1:47 in the morning.

After a couple songs played, we arrived at his house. Pulling up to the gate, he clicked a button on his key ring, and the gate opened. He drove forward, parking the car and turning it off.

The Trap House looked a bit eerie, all the lights being off except for the light outside. We got out of his car and walked to the front door. He unlocked and opened it for me. I walked in to only the hallway light on.

"Everyone's asleep so we have to be a bit quiet." He stated quietly, while we walked up the stairs.

We went to his room, the door already opened. A redish glow light illuminated the room. I looked around his room. It was so weird to see it in person. It was a bit messy, but not too bad. A pile of clothes laid on his couch. A few post-it notes on the floor, most likely fallen from the walls covered in them.

"Ignore the clothes on the couch. They're clean, I just haven't put them away yet." He admitted, taking his shoes off and shutting the door lightly.

I sat down next to the clothes pile on the couch. He walked over to his desk and emptied his pockets. He then sat down on his bed. It was quiet for a moment.

Oh my God Skye, say something!

"So... what do you want to talk about?" I asked, look over at Colby.

"I-uh don't really know, to be honest." He replied, shrugging his shoulders lightly.

"We could always play twenty-one questions, just to get to know each other better." I stated.

He smiled. "Do people actually play that game or is that just in the movies?"

"Is that your first question?" I sassed.

He snickered. "Of course not."

"Well ask me something. Anything you like to know. I'm an open book." I said, stretching out my body and throwing my hands behind my head.

Colby shrugged. "Okay then, um... what is your favorite animal?"

"Ooh Corgis! Or like a baby hippo. I just connect with those animals on a spiritual level." I laughed.

He chuckled, "Why?"

"Because I'm stubby like a corgi and big like a baby hippo." I smiled.

Colby nodded his head, "Corgis are really stubby."

"It's honestly a shame for them. Should I ask you a question now?" I cocked my head to the side.

"Yeah, go ahead." He replied.

"Uh... chocolate or vanilla?" I asked.

He stretched out a bit, getting comfortable, "Chocolate. 100%. Favorite holiday?"

"Halloween. Favorite color?"

"Blue. Beach or woods?"

I sighed, pursing my lips, "I like both, if I'm honest. I would choose a forest, but bugs are a thing and I despise bugs, so I guess a beach."

"I'm more of a beach person." He stated.

"I've haven't been to the beach since I was like five." I admitted.

He sat up, "What? How? You live on the east coast."

"So? I live a couple hours away from the shore. It's not worth travelling through New Jersey to get to a beach that's always crowded." I complained.

"I guess so. But you must go to the beach while you're out here though." He insisted, grabbing a water bottle off his desk and taking a sip.

"I'll try. I can't make any promises." I answered.

"I haven't been to the beach in a while. Maybe a bunch of us can go together." He shrugged, smiling.

I smiled back, "That sounds fun."

We kept talking, learning all the little things about each other. It felt like we had asked all the basic questions. I wanted to take the next step, ask something deeper than favorite color and fast food places.

"Ask me a crazy question. Like, seriously anything. Something you probably wouldn't ask a stranger, but I'm giving you free range to do so." I insisted, standing up and going over to a section of post it notes on his wall. Some had random messages and little doodles, some were blank.

"Okay then. What's your biggest regret in life?" He turned his body towards me, his one leg dangling off the bed.

I hummed. "I don't have too many regrets. Maybe just one though."

"What is it then?"

I turned around to him. "There was this boy in high school. I met him my freshman year, became friends with him, and loved him until the day we graduated. I never told him how I felt."

"Why?" He whispered.

I chuckled sadly. "Because rejection is a bitch and I was too scared to admit it to him. Plus, he always had a girlfriend or if he didn't have one, he was chasing after my best friend at the time."

Colby scoffed. "Wow, he seems like a catch."

"Well, he didn't exactly know I loved him. I kept my feelings pretty hidden." I slowly moved towards the bed.

"Do you wish you guys dated?" He replied.

"Yes and no." I sat down, crossing my legs, "I wanted to be with him so badly, but I realized our senior year that we were never meant to be. Like, it was a real gut feeling that came to me randomly. Like, even if I would have admitted my feelings for him, it wouldn't have changed our relationship, I don't think. We just weren't meant to be together at that time."

His eyes met mine. "Do you still have feelings for him?"

I shook my head, "No. I haven't thought about him in years honestly. I don't really regret what I did and didn't do with him. I'm just more curious as to what our outcome would have been if I would have said something."

Colby looked at me and nodded his head lightly.

"Can I ask you something and you have to be honest with me?" I mumbled.

He squinted his eyes at me, smiling, "Yes?"

"Tell me about your first serious girlfriend. You don't have to say her name, or how old you were, just tell me about her." I stated.

He sighed, lightly playing with the rings on his fingers. "I don't know..."

Shit Skye, you fucked it up.

"If you don't feel comfortable, you don't have to tell me. I'm sorr-" I started.

He cut me off, "No, don't apologize." He paused for a moment, "I'll tell you. But I have to ask you something beforehand."

"Okay." I uttered.

He grabbed a pillow and pulled it into his lap, hugging it slightly. "Do you think it's weird... that I've only ever had one serious girlfriend? Be honest."

I glanced up, looking into his eyes, "Of course not. I've only ever had one boyfriend."

He nodded. "Okay then."

 << CHAPTER 5 || CHAPTER 7 >>

[themusicenthusiast]

Single Review: “Native Tongue” by Switchfoot

Overall, Switchfoot seems to be criminally underrated. They’ve definitely become a force to be reckoned with during their two decade plus long career, earning some notable awards and nominations; amassing a following of loyal listeners and supporters; and proving themselves to be an exceptional live band that is primed for festival performances. Nevertheless, the quintet doesn’t seem to get the same amount of recognition as other bands topping the charts do, and Switchfoot is more than deserving of it. Their level of artistry is impressive to say the least, each record they’ve released dialing into something different and having its own distinct sound; the evolution from record to record being noticeable. And that’s something you don’t hear too often these days when it’s easier to simply stick with what works best; Switchfoot having produced plenty of gritty rock numbers as well as ballads or captivating tracks with more of a pop style about them. Their newest single suggests that trend will continue with their forthcoming eleventh studio album, the group not necessarily reinventing themselves, but progressing all the same.

“Native Tongue” -- the title track of the forthcoming album that is due out on January 18th, 2019 via Fantasy Records -- combines everything that Switchfoot has been over the years and splices it with some modern elements. It still possesses that raw rock ‘n’ roll vibe, though it boasts some interesting components of current pop music, subtle electronic/synth elements woven in along with a mesmerizing drum beat. Said percussion is rather mechanical at times, though it’s fleshed out by a more passionate series of beats during the choruses. That leads to an ideal balance, one seldom found in the majority of such songs these days, allowing it to be catchy while still packing a punch. Indeed, “Native Tongue” is as anthemic as one could imagine upon hitting the chorus. Still somewhat minimalistic, there’s an undeniable force to it as the guitars and bass grow more prominent, leading it to be somewhat primal while retaining that infectious quality. Less of a refrain and more of a rallying cry, it speaks to the listener, energizing them as it encourages every individual to be the best possible version of themselves, aspiring to get people to reevaluate their perspectives so that their actions will be nothing less than thoughtful and pure. And that is arguably the most striking quality about “Native Tongue”: Jon Foreman’s delivery of it all. The lead singer and multi-instrumentalist puts every fiber of his being into singing it; and there’s an interesting duality to it all. The verses are more restrained in every respect, the vocalist even doing his singing in somewhat of a spoken manner, reflective of the way in which it assesses the state that things are currently in. On the other hand, the chorus is searing and impassioned as he asks questions such as “…My friend, where did we go wrong?”, reckoning with where people deviated from the path that had been laid out before them. Foreman is absolutely on fire as he belts out the occasional line here and there, his conviction being unwavering and a crucial aspect to the single being so compelling. While it may be possible to construe some of Switchfoot’s material in various ways, this track seems rather cut and dry, the religious connotation being difficult to ignore. Its message tends to focus on how society as a whole has experienced a fall from grace of sorts, people fostering hostility by giving in the darker side of themselves as issues become more divisive. At times “Native Tongue” attempts to grapple with how that even happened, and at other points it tries to remind people what it was all about in the first place as the line “…Love's the language, love's your native tongue…” so beautifully depicts. Seemingly coming out of nowhere, the heartfelt piano-based outro just further hammers that home. “I want the world to sing in her native tongue; to sing it like when we were young, back before the pendulum had swung to the shadows. I want the world to sing in her native tongue; maybe we could learn to sing along, to find a way to use our lungs for love and not the shadows.” Further fostering the notion that we are all one it provides a stunning end to an enthralling track, the somber desperate cry (even a plea) begging for unity amongst all humankind, Foreman sounding broken by what he has seen transpire, wishing that idyllic dream would become a reality. If someone wanted to equate this song to another band, one could say that it’s a style that is similar to, say, Imagine Dragons. However, to say something like that would also severely undercut what Switchfoot is doing; and really, “Native Tongue” is still something distinct to them. Jon and his brother Tim Foreman, Chad Butler, Jerome Fontamillas and Drew Shirley are covering the spectrum with this one, unleashing their rocker personas while also being adept at creating and playing what modern rock has transitioned into, with a healthy alternative flare and the hooks required from pop/rock hits. The five of them seem invigorated by the fresh approach they’re taking, which should bode well for Native Tongue; and while it’s sure to feature other tracks in a similar vein, expect it to be another record that encompasses a variety of genres. Pre-order Native Tongue on: iTunes | Google Play | Amazon MP3 Visit Switchfoot’s websites: Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube Current Shows: 2018 November 3--Meghalaya, India--NH7 Weekender Festival 4--Kolkata, India--NH7 Weekender Festival 2019 February 14--Asheville, NC--The Orange Peel 15--Knoxville, TN--The Mill & Mine 16--Atlanta, GA—Tabernacle 17--Nashville, TN--Ryman Auditorium 19--Silver Spring, MD--The Fillmore 20--Philadelphia, PA--The Fillmore 22--Montclair, NJ--Wellmont Theater 23--Huntington, NY--The Paramount 24--Boston, MA--House of Blues 28--Toronto, Canada--Danforth Music Hall March 1--Cleveland, OH--House of Blues 2--Grand Rapids, MI--20 Monroe Live 3--Detroit, MI--The Fillmore 5--Saint Louis, MO--The Pageant 6--Indianapolis, IN--Egyptian Room at Old National Centre 8--Chicago, IL--Park West 10--Madison, WI--The Sylvee 13--Memphis, TN--New Daisy Theatre 14--Tulsa, OK--Brady Theater 15--Dallas, TX--House of Blues 16--Houston, TX--House of Blues 18--Austin, TX--Stubb's Waller Creek Amphitheater 22--Tampa, FL--The RITZ Ybor 23--Lake Buena Vista, FL--House of Blues 24--Fort Lauderdale, FL—Revolution 27--Minneapolis, MN--State Theatre 28--Omaha, NE--Sokol Auditorium 29--Kansas City, MO--Uptown Theater 30--Denver, CO--Fillmore Auditorium 31--Salt Lake City, UT--The Depot April 3--Tuscon, AZ--Rialto Theatre 4--Phoenix, AZ--The Van Buren 5--Los Angeles, CA--The Wiltern 6--Santa Barbara, CA--Arlington Theatre 7--San Francisco, CA--Warfield Theater 9--Eugene, OR--McDonald Theatre 10--Portland, OR--Crystal Ballroom 11--Seattle, WA--Neptune Theatre 12--Seattle, WA--Neptune Theatre 13--Vancouver, Canada--Queen Elizabeth Theatre

[pvrrhadve]

music tag

ah. a classic. tagged by @brideshead whomst did raise me from my infancy, thanks mom.

rules: put your music library on shuffle and list the first 10 songs that pop up (eris did 20 tho, i will also do 20 because i love my music) and then tag 10 people (my taste in music is…. all over the place…… what a mess)

swan - galileo galilei (they were a good band. where did they go.)

2! 3! - bts (big feel tm)

scenery - ashmute

au revoir - onerepublic (i haven’t listened to this in so long! what a good)

writing to mama - john williams (the book thief)

wherever you will go - the calling (a blast from the past. my favourite song when i was like 12. incredible. )

paradise - coldplay (a formative piece)

friend, please - twenty one pilots

dreams so real - metric (big giant 2013 mood)

silhouettes - of monsters and men (remember the catching fire soundtrack?? amazing brilliant spectacular completely not ever been done before unafraid to reference or not reference put it in a blender etc)

platonic love - snuper (a bop! i’m going to name my first born child snuper)

only hope - switchfoot (hhhhhhhhhhhhhhgngng)

solitaire - marina and the diamonds (listen. i’m a big fan of froot. i’m a froot enthusiast)

polarize - twenty one pilots (that mcfricking bowl of rice)

dog days are over - florence + the machine 

what am i to you - history (what song goes harder than this one? even when i’m not physically listening to it, i’m listening to it in my heart)

lothlorien - the lotr musical (i always forget about the lotr musical sd,ngjksdna)

to the beautiful you - wonder girls (!!!)

period - chemistry (what a song. im going to turn into a flying squirrel through sheer force of will and jump out a window)

truce - twenty one pilots (real big feel tm)

tagging @nolivingdudeami, @mirkwouldnt, @alightfromtheshadowswillspring, @empressofnothing, @ladyinshiningarmor, @supersoldieress, @chainedtocomets, @wewerethebestrichard, and whoever else wants to do this