After a much publicized break from touring,returns with a passionate fourteen-track 11th studio album, almost 22 years after their debut. Native Tongue once again feels like an amalgam of familiar styles the band has dabbled in before, while venturing out into new territory as well, specifically with the electronic pop duet of "THE HARDEST ART" (feat. Kaela Sinclair), or the heartbreaking-but-hopeful soft pop of "Joy Invincible" (which is especially timely in the wake of member Jerome Fontamillas' recent battle with--and victory over--kidney cancer). The raw pop rock stylings of opener "LET IT HAPPEN," "ALL I NEED" and quirky "DIG NEW STREAMS" make the album feel like a natural bridge between 2006's Oh! Gravity. and 2009's Hello Hurricane, while the fun and funky title track, "VOICES," and "TAKE MY FIRE" (the bass line of the latter of which reminds me, fondly, of the theme to the Bond film Quantum of Solace) feel like a natural progression following the poppier leanings of Fading West and Where the Light Shines Through. The bottom portion of the album isn't nearly as catching as the top, but at-first unassuming highlights "OXYGEN," "THE STRENGTH TO LET GO" (a beautiful song that is a prayer of this reviewer's heart), and the peppy "WE'RE GONNA BE ALRIGHT" take on a life of their own with each listen. As lovely as the simple piano ballad "YOU'RE THE ONE I WANT" is, it brings the album to a sleepy conclusion (and the song feels more fitting for a Jon Foreman album than a Switchfoot one), which is likely to leave some listeners feeling a bit unsatisfied. Still, Native Tongue remains a strong pop rock album from a long-running band that we're thankful is still in the game, and each consecutive listen to the record is a rewarding one. 2019 is off to a great start with Native Tongue. (And I have to add, the Switchfoot.com preorder bonus track "LET'S GO HIGHER" feels like the anthemic album closer this project deserves.) - 1/13/19 John DiBiase 's 11th studio album boasts their longest track list to date, yet has the fewest songs that reach the high quality we've come to expect from the band. Aside from the infectious melodies of a couple songs ("Native Tongue," "Voices") and the sonic experimentation on the throwback "Dig New Streams" and electronic "The Hardest Art," there just isn't much here that is noteworthy or impressionable. Commercially, this is a fairly viable output and is certainly worth the money of most Switchfoot fans, but creatively (especially lyrically), it feels like a lesser retread of Hello Hurricane, Vice Verses, and other previous works. - 1/16/19 Christopher Smith With interviews revealing thatsorted through over one hundred songs for inclusion on Native Tongue, it's clear they were not lacking for material during their "hiatus." For the most part, they nailed their "sound" with their newest offering, utilizing enough twists to keep it fresh. The front half of the album--with "Let It Happen," "Native Tongue," "Voices," and "Dig New Streams"--is the most immediately accessible musically, but repeat listens of the aforementioned songs lack lyrical staying power. It took more time for the EDM tinged "Hardest Art," the piano ballad "Wonderful Feeling," and "spacey" "Oxygen" to connect with this reviewer, but now there are album favorites. A trimmer track list would have benefited the album (with the final two songs getting the axe), though overall, it is still a strong Switchfoot album falling somewhere in the middle of their catalog if I were ranking it today. - 1/16/19 Josh Balogh Following a well-earned break from the road, the San-Diego natives (pun intended!) have returned with an exciting follow-up to 2016's excellent Where The Light Shines Through. Native Tongue sees the band both experimenting with new styles and sticking to what they know best which, admittedly, tends to feel somewhat safe and uncharacteristically vanilla at certain points. In some respects then, Native Tongue harkens back to the Oh! Gravity era of the band: a season of testing the waters to see what works and what can be left off the next time around. The only difference is that what works here works exceptionally well. - 1/16/19 Lucas Munachen You can always expect some surprises with eachalbum, and Native Tongue certainly qualifies as a unique project for the audiophile. Switchfoot couldnt have picked a better opener than Let it Happen, a nice solid rock anthem with the message of not letting things overwhelm you. ("I dont know what the future holds / but I know you are my future") The title track is very captivating with its rhythmic drums, and will likely remain a requested song for years to come. All I Need is a typical Switchfoot ballad and theres nothing wrong with that, as they usually strike a chord with fans and are easily relatable to life experiences. Voices is a change from the typical sound we are accustomed to with Switchfoot in almost the same manner as 30 Seconds to Mars' "Hail to the Victor" generated in 2018. The biggest surprise is The Hardest Art as it's unlike any previous style performed by Switchfoot, yet, for some reason, its easy to appreciate this tune with its could-be-a-pinnacle-experience-in-a-movie-soundtrack feel. The Strength to Let Go is a great ballad that touches on the topic of relinquishing whatever is bringing us down. The rest of the album might take some time to grow, because its not lively and doesnt share the same experience felt with the first half of Native Tongue. The beginning of this album is so powerful that it more than makes up for this flaw and is a very welcome addition to the Switchfoot or rock music library. 2019 has just begun and we already have an impressive album to listen to for the weeks and months ahead. - 1/17/19 Wayne Myatt 's latest album focusing on love requires multiple listens. Initially, you might think it's a bland album, a second listen might reveal more layers, while a third may give a deeper appreciation. There is some excess here that could've been trimmed down, and some of the themes don't feel like they land quite right, but overall, Native Tongue is an enjoyable album worth visiting. - 1/16/19 John Underdown Eleven records and a recently terminated hiatus haven't slowed down Christian pop rock staple. Boasting an impressive degree of collaboration with some of the top names in the industry, the band's latest outing, Native Tongue, proves to be one of the most diverse and varied Switchfoot offerings to date. The influence of OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder and Brent Kutzle truly come to light on tracks such as "Voices" and title track "Native Tongue," one of the album highlights. The innovation of tracks such as "Dig New Streams" and "The Hardest Art (feat. Kaela Sinclair)" reveal that the band still has plenty of golden tricks left up the sleeve. While the California act had many fans scared with 2017's announcement of an open-ended hiatus, we can be thankful that Jon Foreman and company have decided to return to the stage (at least) once more. - 1/17/19 David Craft