By now, Switchfoot is like a well-worn, comfortable pair of old shoes. If you’re ever in need of an inspirational rock anthem, any one of their past three albums would do. But, therein lies the rub. I – like many out there – genuinely like this band. It’s just that, after all these years, do we really need another rock anthem from Switchfoot?

 On Hello Hurricane, the band seems to realise that the formula is starting to get old, and the result is an album which, while solid, is also a little awkward in its shifting styles. Does the future of Switchfoot lie in the Filter-like electro rock of “The Sound”? I hope not. What about the raw Rolling Stones swing of “Bullet Soul”? Not bad, but a little affected. My money is on “Needle and Haystack Life,” a charming song reminiscent of Death Cab For Cutie, charting the course. Hello Hurricane is a transitional album then, and one I hope paves the way for greater things.