Review Summary: Lights and Sounds proves to be an excellent pop-punk effort offering up plenty of variety, despite what one's preconcieved notions may be. Without a doubt, this is Yellowcards finest moment offering both maturity and fun.
Of the many things that Yellowcard is; multi-platinum artists, Kidz Bop victim, Radio Disney regular, and fan favorite among teens across the US, it is generally agreed upon that while they do create catchy pop-rock/punk that is about as offensive as fresh breath, they are not a band that would put out a classic album. Well, with the release of their third proper full length, Lights and Sounds, they still have not put out an album that will be hailed as a classic ten years down the road. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it’s just a statement of fact. But while this album falls drastically short of being classic, it is by no means poor, or even merely good. Yellowcard have released one great and varied pop-punk album, chalked full of originality, superb songwriting, and multiple dynamics that provide for an interesting and fun listen.
Since the release of their breakout album, Ocean Avenue in 2003, Yellowcard has matured immensely. The proof comes from the very first spin, where the musicianship has become infinitely more dynamic and complex. From the raucous Dookie-era Green Day esque “Rough Landing Holly” (with added violins of course) to the anti-war, almost doo-wop style ballad of “Two Weeks from Twenty”, it’s quite apparent that this isn’t your little sisters Yellowcard anymore. Sure, there is still the caffeinated, sugar-coated pop-punk of “Lights and Sounds”, but even these tracks are decidedly more mature than previously.
As is per usual with most of Yellowcard’s work, the drumming is probably the highlight of the music, with Longineu Parsons III contributing some amazing fills and providing an excellent backbeat for almost every song on the album, save for the title track. Unfortunately, the bass is mostly lost in the mix on the album, and when it isn’t, it’s quite unimpressive. This however is compensated for by the guitar work from both singer/guitarist Ryan Key and newcomer Ryan Mendez. While at some points it is hard to decipher the dual guitarists, Key compensates for this by offering up some impressive theatrics at times, namely the intro riff to “Sure Thing Falling” and the lead line in the bridge of “Rough Landing Holly”. Vocally, Key has finally learned that it is possible to sing without an extreme nasal twang and still maintain a certain amount of catchiness to it. Key’s voice has actually improved tremendously compared to Yellowcard’s earlier efforts, and for this, he makes the record all the more enjoyable.
Lyrically, Yellowcard has grown tremendously as songwriters. As opposed to earlier hits like “Ocean Avenue” and “Only One”, which relied on mainly faux-emo clichés to appeal to the younger, lovelorn audience, Lights and Sounds is actually a loosely based concept about a fictional character named Holly Wood. The concept is a tad cryptic, but from what I can tell, it’s a story about growing up and maturing in the mess of the world that we live in nowadays. Regardless, the songwriting and lyricism is light years ahead of anything on their first two albums.
One issue that plagues many contemporary pop-rock bands is the dreaded issue of having the majority of songs sound similar or exactly the same. Thankfully, Yellowcard avoids this issue for the most part by offering a great deal of variety. From the pop-punk bounce of “Martin Sheen or JFK” to the melancholic ballad of “How I Go” (accented by Natalie Maines from the Dixie Chicks) to the somber, Jimmy Eat World-esque “Grey”, the album never really gets tired sounding. Sure, a few tracks may sound like classic Yellowcard (as I previously stated) and may get a little tiresome after a few listens (see “Sure Thing Falling”). But overall, the kickassery of most tracks outweigh the possibility of getting bored of a song.
For those who generally hate Yellowcard because you have been unjustly exposed to their craptastic singles on Radio Disney, give this album a chance. If any album by Yellowcard could possible turn on actually music fanatics like those that inhabit this site, it would be this one. Lights and Sounds is filled with one solid track right after another, with no tracks that have not a single redeeming quality (aside from possibly “Words, Hands, Hearts”, which really drags the quality of the album down towards the second half). For a pop-punk band, Lights and Sounds is a far cry above Yellowcard’s contemporaries in not only songwriting ability, but staying power and creativity as well.
Reccomended Tracks: Rough Landing Holly, Grey, Two Weeks from Twenty
