With its play on words, Vice Verses, coherently suggests the album’s theme: everything has two sides. “Every blessing comes with a set of curses,” singer-guitarist Jon Foreman sings on the title track, all the while wondering if “there’s a meaning to it all.” That theme runs through the album’s 12 songs and is even reflected in the album’s black and white cover. Vice Verses also expands the band’s sonic palette by experimenting with a variety of sounds. There’s a great rhythm to songs such as the groove-oriented “The Original” and “Blinding Light,” which benefit from a hip-hop backbeat. “The War Inside” really puts the rhythm section up front and the snappy “Rise Above It” recalls the Chili Peppers punk-funk.
