Lights and Sounds,
YellowcardI've been a Yellowcard fan for quite some time now. I was actually introduced to them during the 'One For The Kids'-Lobster Records era by former PT scribe Nick, along with Over It, Park and a tonne of other quality outfits. If you look back at the band's progression, it's been quite remarkable. From the band's early days, through to the aforementioned Lobster album, then an EP on Fueled By Ramen before surprisingly signing to a major - it's been one Hell of a leap. Perhaps most surpisingly of all was 'Ocean Avenue's' success - selling more than a million copies and landing them a prized spot as MTV's 2004 pop-punk darlings.
So what about their major label follow up? Well 'Lights and Sounds' has that almost inevitable poppier feel, ensuring the band rack up sales like they're going out of fashion. While the band, at times, keep the urgency they're famed for, many of the songs seem dumbed-down and written with a younger audience in mind. And herein lies the problem - while Yellowcard have never been a thinking man's band, if you take lowest common denominator 'punk' music and weaken it, then you have a problem. And Yellowcard, we have a problem.
Much of this record is weak. Ryan Key's vocals are nowhere near as powerful, the melodies aren't as strong and the songs seem to be less centred around the violin, previously the band's "quirk" and one of the reasons why they stood out from the pack. While the album's title track, incidentally the first single, stands out a mile, it's one of the only truly great songs on this album. Up-tempo and catchy, it's Yellowcard at their poppy best, even though any violin is kept low in the mix. But sadly from here on in things start to go awry. 'Two Weeks From Twenty' is just horrible, with lyrics seemingly penned by a 15-year-old and poor music to boot, while 'Words Hands Hearts' is a bit grim too.
'Rough Landing Holly' is a little gem amongst a pile of rubble, glistening brightly when everything is dull around it. 'Grey' is old-skool Yellowcard too, but by this point you're left a little bewildered at how YC have become so, well, boring. There's no two ways round it - this record is a disappointment. While I understand why the band have gone down a more commercial route, their more poppy style simply loses them in a pop-punk sea of generica. They simply don't stand out anymore. Older fans will still like some of this record, but I still feel it's the band's worst yet. Disappointing.
www.yellowcardrock.com
Capitol
Paul
