BEST FOURTH RELEASE 2005 Award Co-Winner! 
CO-WINNER: Relient K (Mmhmm).
Runners-Up: dcTalk (Jesus Freak), Audio Adrenaline (Some Kind Of Zombie),
Disciple (By God), John Reuben (The Boy vs. The Cynic).
Best Fourth Release ’05 was one of our toughest decisions, and in the end we had to make a tie, because both Relient K and Switchfoot deserved this Award.
This album is what really made Switchfoot a household name [and it’s still their defining record to this day]. It has a nice coherent feel to it, and because of the added bandmember (bringing it to four), their sound is also much more full than their previous releases.
Kicking off The Beautiful Letdown, fan and radio favorite “Meant To Live” is a medium-paced rocker that showcases this new fullness very well.
“This Is Your Life” is uplifting and encouraging, yet also thought-provoking. Musically, it’s a slow ballad that opens with some neat programming.
“More Than Fine” is medium-paced and more Pop-y during the chorus; yet it does pick up a little towards the end. Lyrically, it’s about wanting more than mediocrity.
Fan favorite “Ammunition” is the most rocking track on the disc. It begins with a cool, building intro, it’s fast-paced, it has heavy guitars, and it even features a quick, great-sounding scream for emphasis both after the second verse and near the end. This is easily one of this album’s best tracks (and it’s also one of Switchfoot’s all-time best).
“Dare You To Move (Version 2)” is another fan favorite. Again, it has a much richer sound than the version on their previous CD.
“Redemption” is softer and slightly older-styled.
“Gone” is yet another fan fave. It’s a bouncy tune with lyrics that turn cute towards the end; its main thrust is about how temporary everything is.
“On Fire” has downright awesome lyrics, and musically it’s an excellent, slow, piano- and acoustic guitar-driven ballad. It’s quite beautiful, and one of Switchfoot’s all-time best.
“Adding To The Noise” is a funny yet very true and apt criticism of today’s culture. It’s the last of the disc’s rockers.
And “Twenty-Four” is the final track, one last ballad. It uses the number 24 about as many times as possible during the lyrics (at least at first 
); however, the chorus and bridges are very pretty, and the lyrics become more and more creative and honest as the song unfolds.
In short, this is an excellent album, and worthy of Co-Best Fourth Release.
Our rating for The Beautiful Letdown: 5 & 1/3 Stars. 