Switchfoot - Native Tongue (2019) Hi Res

If you haven’t kept up with Switchfoot since their early-2000s heyday, “Native Tongue” may come as a surprise. It’s a far cry from the gauzy soft rock on which the band made their name with songs like “Dare You to Move” and “Meant to Live.” But the sort of slick, elastic rock ‘n’ roll that courses through “Native Tongue” has been a constant in the band’s post-2000s work.

Their message is just as platonically far-reaching as you might remember, though. The track is a roundabout rallying cry for people to be nice to each other. “Love’s a language / Love’s your native tongue,” singer Jon Foreman shouts over dagger-sharp quick-stops and a roaring bass figure. When the whole band joins him in shouting that mantra, it’s oddly comforting.