They're Backkkkkkkk -- Yellowcard

I may want to do movies for a career, but music was my first love, and is still a huge passion of mine.  That’s the reason I’m minoring in music, so let’s see if I can put those skills to good use.

After a four-year hiatus Yellowcard has finally come out with a new album, When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes, on March 22^nd, and it is fantastic.  This brings me back to 8^th/9^th grade, when “Ocean Avenune” was a huge hit.  The album is much better than their last two, Paper Walls (2007) and Lights and Sounds (2006).  Yellowcard definitely still has it. The power drumming by Longineu W. Parsons III, sweet violin of Sean Mackin, and the great vocals of Ryan Key drive the record, and every song is just enjoyable as the last.

The very first song “The Sound of You and Me” sets the tone.  Yellowcard comes in with an upbeat guitar riff, coupled by some great electric violin, and drumbeats that make my arms tired just listening to them.  Parsons really makes great use of the double-bass pedal.  It’s not too much; instead it adds a great beat underneath to the fast tempo.  The very next song, “For You and Your Denial,” keeps the upbeat feel, but starts off with a nice little violin intro, showing off Mackin’s skills.  Ryan Mendez, the lead guitarist, while not overly flashy, plays awesome riffs and rhythm.  It’s the type of guitar that you just wanna rock out to, which is the best type. 

What makes Yellowcard, in my opinion, a great band, is their ability to change it up and play a beautiful ballad.  Their first single off the album, “Hang You Up,” is a slower-paced song about getting over lost love and the past.  The lyrics hit you hard.  Everyone has a friend or someone that they wish they still hung out with as much as they used to.  “I hang you up and I pull you down,” “It’s hard to see you, we’re older now, and when I find you, you just turn around,” are some examples of the lyrics from this song.  I can’t help but think of people I was better friends with in High School, and now, because of college, just don’t get to see them nearly as much. 

Another great ballad is the acoustic bonus track “Sing for Me.” Key’s lyrics again go straight to the heart with lines like, “Just close your eyes and sing for me.”  This is probably the reason why I tired to ask a girl out with “Only One” off Ocean Avenue (2003)… what it was my first time asking out a girl, I was nervous, 14, and thought it was romantic, like something out of Boy Meets World.  However I digress… His vocal range is obvious in this song, and he’s up there as one of my favorite lead men in a punk-rock/power-rock/pop-punk whatever you wanna call it band.

Bottom Line:  From beginning to end this album rocks.  I already see myself rocking-out to tracks of this record in my living room with my roommate.  Do whatever you gotta do to get your hands on this album. I won’t judge you. iTunes, Amazon, A RECORD STORE (do they still have those), or if you have other means of obtaining it, I’ll just look the other way.