New Way to Be Human

Last updated
New Way to Be Human
Newwaytobehuman.jpg
Cover art by Shepard Fairey. [1]
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 11, 1999
Recordedre:think Studio
Genre Alternative rock, indie rock
Length37:37
Label re:think Records
Producer Charlie Peacock
Switchfoot chronology
The Legend of Chin
(1997)
New Way to Be Human
(1999)
Learning to Breathe
(2000)
Singles from New Way To Be Human
  1. "New Way To Be Human"
  2. "Incomplete"
  3. "Company Car"
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Jesus Freak HideoutStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Cross Rhythms Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]

New Way to Be Human is the second studio album by the band Switchfoot. It was released on March 11, 1999, under independent label re:think Records, which was distributed by Sparrow Records. [5] [6] The song "Only Hope" was featured in the movie A Walk To Remember, and the tracks "New Way to Be Human", "Something More (Augustine's Confession)", and "I Turn Everything Over" received substantial play on Christian radio. The song "Let That Be Enough" was featured in the Disney television movie Model Behavior and in the television series Dawson's Creek . "Sooner or Later" appeared on the soundtrack to Elektra .

Contents

Book

A book of the same name has also been written by producer Charlie Peacock. The intro to the book is written by Jon Foreman, Switchfoot's lead singer and songwriter.

Lyrical philosophy

Both "Sooner or Later (Soren's Song)" and "Something More (Augustine's Confession)" are based upon the works of philosophers.

"Something More" is based upon a series of books, known as Confessions, that were written by Augustine of Hippo. [7]

About "Sooner or Later", Jon Foreman has said: "Sooner or later we all have to deal with the frightening reality that there is much that is wrong in the world... This is Soren's song... These are his thoughts as best as I understand them," alluding to the philosophy of Danish Christian philosopher Søren Kierkegaard. The song also references Jean-Paul Sartre's idea that men are "condemned to be free". [8]

Composition

The songs are alternative rock/jangle pop based. "New Way to Be Human" has two keys: E major and C Major. "New Way to be Human" has been remixed once.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Jon Foreman, except where noted. Tracks 1, 2, and 4 were released as the album's singles

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."New Way to Be Human"Jon Foreman, Douglas Kaine McKelvey3:36
2."Incomplete"Jon Foreman, Tim Foreman 4:13
3."Sooner or Later (Soren's Song)" 3:58
4."Company Car" 3:13
5."Let That Be Enough" 2:38
6."Something More (Augustine's Confession)"Jon Foreman, Douglas Kaine McKelvey4:00
7."Only Hope" 4:13
8."Amy's Song" 4:30
9."I Turn Everything Over" 3:21
10."Under the Floor" (The song "Under the Floor" ends at minute 3:07. After 15 seconds of silence, at minute 3:22 an untitled, hidden song that is a brief radio jingle begins.) 3:55
Total length:37:37

Personnel

Switchfoot [1]
Additional musicians [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 CD Liner Notes
  2. Jesus Freak Hideout review
  3. Allmusic review
  4. Kirk, Trevor (June 1999). "Switchfoot - New Way To Be Human". Cross Rhythms (51).
  5. "New Way to Be Human - Album by Switchfoot". iTunes . Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  6. "New Way To Be Human: Switchfoot" . Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  7. "Beauty and the Beat". June 19, 2003. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  8. "Twenty-Four Voices". Archived from the original on February 17, 2005. Retrieved March 16, 2024.