Review Summary: Yellowcard's adventure may be coming to a close, but ours are just beginning.
As “Rest In Peace” confidently announces its presence to open Yellowcard’s self-titled, final album, a feeling overcomes any listener who has ever had any sort of investment in the Floridian pop-punk act.
Whether you merely humored your friends’ attempt to belt out the chorus of “Ocean Avenue” or swore on your grave that the experimental “Lights and Sounds” was the group’s best and most under-appreciated work, you will come to a sudden realization soon after “Yellowcard” begins; This is it.
Unlike fellow genre-mate’s Motion City Soundtrack who announced their disbanding after their final record was released last year, Yellowcard’s simultaneous announcement of their last album, tour and ultimate conclusion created a lot of hype around their swan song.
So as Sean Mackin’s whimsical violin joins the opener it becomes clear that Yellowcard isn’t going to go out with a whimper.
In fact, “S/T” wastes no time getting straight into the high-energy pop-punk that they’re best known for. The aforementioned opener appropriately sets the tone with themes of redemption and forgiveness which carry out through the rest of “S/T”.
“What Appears” features chunky, distorted drums and a delightfully poppy melody. While the track ends a bit too abruptly, the outro stampedes out of frame in superb fashion. “Got Yours” is Yellowcard’s most aggressive offering from “S/T”, maybe the most predictable track, but well written and executed nonetheless.
After the assertive first few tracks, Yellowcard gets a chance to flex their songwriting skills for the remainder of “S/T”.
An excellent pair of mid-tempo tracks (“A Place We Set Afire” and “The Hurt is Gone”) make for some of the record’s best, “Leave a Light On” and “I’m a Wrecking Ball” check the boxes for well-done lower-key tunes, and “Empty Street” and “Savior’s Robes” keep the second half from becoming too leisurely.
“Fields & Fences” has to be addressed as the finale to the group’s discography. Simply put, it’s excellent. The folkish first half is complimented perfectly by the dynamic, distorted guitars of the second, which appropriately ends on the group’s defining violin carrying out Yellowcard’s final album in perhaps the best way possible.
“Yellowcard” is an excellent sendoff to one of pop-punk’s most consistent acts of recent memory. There are some flaws present, but they’re almost charming in their execution. The songwriting may not introduce any new elements to the genre and perhaps as a whole, “S/T” was a bit overproduced, but does it really matter?
The track listing is consistently solid, the variation is refreshing, but not distracting, and vocalist Ryan Key’s lyrics weave a similar thread throughout every song creating a cohesive nature to the record.
Yellowcard’s adventure may be coming to a close, but ours are just beginning.
Recommended tracks: “A Place We Set Afire”, “Fields and Fences”, “The Hurt is Gone” and “Rest In Peace”
