|
| REVIEWS |
Yellowcard
Ocean Avenue
(Capitol)
A relatively small cult of devoted followers have known for
years that Jacksonville's Yellowcard have what it takes to rejuvenate
rock. On their latest, Ocean Avenue, Yellowcard are
prepared to prove themselves to the fickle and critical masses.
The band shows the significant musical improvement and personal
growth that has occurred since 2002's Underdog EP,
a collection of five songs which failed to capture the band's
charm and creativity. Each song on Ocean Avenue stands
out from the others and the album as a whole shows the band
living up to their full potential. The end result is fresh and
relatable sing-along rock with violin accompaniments and an
understanding of what Yellowcard is about.
The album's opener and first single "Way Away," a
song written about wanting to leave Jacksonville for the glitz
and promises of California, introduces Yellowcard's common theme
of real life and, to those new to the band, Sean Mackin's violin,
the defining element which separates Yellowcard from the predictable
pop punk genre. Mackin later takes vocals on "Twentythree,"
a track which, despite the change in vocalist, still fits in
with the rest of the record. Longineu Parsons' drumming, although
often overshadowed by the press in favor of the violin and vocals,
emerges as the driving force and energy behind the band throughout
the entire album, especially evident on "View From Heaven"
and "Life of A Salesman."
"Empty Apartment," "Only One," and "Breathing"
show maturity in their arrangement and lyricism. Unlike many
other singers on the scene lately, Ryan Key's vocals aren't
whiny and his lyrics aren't frivolous. Instead, Key writes introspective
lyrics relevant to his life and sings clearly in an unoffending
voice. Despite the inevitable pop-punk tag, there is nothing
irritable about Yellowcard. Last track "Back Home"
provides a fitting end to Ocean Avenue by looking back
at the sacrifices they made to pursue their dreams and realizing
that life on the East Coast wasn't all that bad.
The style of their 2001 Lobster Records debut One For the
Kids remains intact, but on Ocean Avenue Yellowcard
realize that "the kids" have grown up and so have
they. This concept of maturing musically rather than basking
in playful eternal immaturity is key to staying relevant, relatable
to their fans, and as prevention from becoming a joke. While
many young bands making the leap from indie to major label lose
their sincerity and create overproduced and rushed works, Capitol's
support and production by Neal Avron actually bring out the
best of Yellowcard. The band remained focused on their music
and goals, and the hard work paid off in the form of a great
album. Now if only other bands would grow up...
Reviewed by
Ashley Rigazio
July 16th, 2003
|
|
|
|
|
