Truth is that my first impressions aren’t going to do this album justice. It needs a full on review – but, that’s the kind of thing that needs a lot more time, especially if I’m going to actually write a review in a way I haven’t in years. But … that’s coming, in tr meantime – how about some first thoughts on the new Yellowcard album? I feel like I’m in a good position to talk about this band – having followed them virtually their entire careers.
I have emotional attachments to basically all their albums. I loved OFTK and OA, and have long thought PW was their best album. While their previous release was a great welcome back … maybe something wasnt quite there. Or maybe PW was just really hard to follow-up? Whatever the case, this album is undeniably great. After a few spins I am thinking this could be the essential YC album, and most certainly one of their best in their catalog. They hit this one completely out of the park and made an album that transcends just fun pop-punk by being more ambitious, more intelligent, and having more heart than most albums full of hooks of this level.
Opening track is brilliant. It’s instantly one of my favorite YC songs ever. What I love about this album in general is the energy the songs have. They sound full and thick – and the band isn’t holding back. Some pop songs you can tell the band tried to write a “pop song” — however with this album you never get that feeling, you have the feeling this band wrote the songs they needed to write. That had to come out.
Track four has one of the biggest choruses the band’s ever written. There’s almost a dance like quality to the beat, but not in that overdone annoying way. And it’s definitely unique on this album. However the song itself is bloody brilliant. Huge hook, great melody, and some lyrics that I absolutely relate to … the song deserves to be on everybody’s mix tapes and summer samplers.
My full review will touch on the other songs, but I also have to call attention to “10” because it might be one of the most emotional songs ever attempted by this band. The album has a few Star Wars references on it, but the one in this song – may just bring you tears.
All in all, I’m extremely impressed with this album. It seems like the band is at the top of their game, and making music as good as they ever have before. I can’t believe it’s been so many years since I first heard “One For The Kids”, but here we are now with the newest Yellowcard release: and it’s just as good as they’ve ever been.
Note: Pardon the awful typos. My Internet is down and I’m typing this from my iPhone. I will edit it when it goes back up. I will also write more – a keyboard is way easier to type on.