Reviewed by Nigel Bayley

After six excellent Switchfoot albums, it was surely only a matter of time before their songwriting frontman embarked on a solo project. And sure enough, Jon Foreman is releasing four EPs in 2008, the first two being 'Fall' and 'Winter' which come packaged together. First of all, a warning - if you're expecting loud Switchfoot style rock, you're going to be disappointed. These CDs are full of gentle, laid back songs which are strummed on an acoustic guitar with occasional wind and string instruments drifting in and out. However, the result is no less compelling, and may even be more so, as Jon's emotive voice and literate and introspective songs really come to the fore. With Switchfoot, Jon's lyrics have always grabbed attention, but here he takes them up a notch and down a beat or two. It's fascinating listening, from the slow but striking "Southbound Train", through the lively challenge of "Lord, Save Me From Myself", to the truly moving "Somebody's Baby". Don't expect pop rock immediacy but the whole package works beautifully and demands to be listened to again and again.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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