Yellowcard’s new album sails into band’s new style
Growing up, there were always a few CDs I could fall back on when the radio failed me. Among the collection was Yellowcard’s major-label debut Ocean Avenue, which was the soundtrack to my summers and a must on any road trip. The band’s blend of classical violin and surf rock had a huge influence on my music taste as I grew up. Eleven years later, Yellowcard is still making music, and their newest album Lift A Sail is bringing new life to the unique style they invented.
Something old, something new · The band has added ethereal tones, synths and a wealth of life experience to their old mix of simple gutar riffs, strong drums, punky vocals and a violin. This has created a more refined, mature sound in Lift a Sail, the band’s ninth studio album. — Photo courtesy of Razor & Tie
Lift A Sail still has remnants of Yellowcard’s old style from Ocean Avenue. Strong drums and simple guitar riffs paired with beautiful violin tracks and punky vocals are present, but the mood has shifted, signaling to the band’s growth. In addition to the older sounds of violin and guitar, Yellowcard also contributes ethereal tones and synths that give the new album a much darker attitude. The evolution of their music has resulted in a much more refined sound.
Over the last few years, the band was hit with a slew of tragedies: violinist Sean Mackin was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and lead singer Ryan Key’s wife was paralyzed in a snowboarding accident since the release of their album Southern Air. With the band’s experiences, it is no wonder this most recent effort is more brooding than anything Yellowcard has put out before.
Lift A Sail is composed of punchy rocks songs reminiscent of an earlier Yellowcard paired with ballads about love and loss. The powerful “Crash The Gates” that is in the first half of the album is in stark contrast to the album’s closer, “California,” a slow, piano-backed piece on love in dark times.
“When everything that I can see/ goes dark I feel you here with me/ and I, I’m holding on to you,” sings Key.
Hardship is a huge theme in the band’s ninth studio album, but as shown in lead vocalist Ryan Key’s lyrics, there is also a lot of hope. Lift A Sail, according to Key in an interview with OC Weekly, is about moving forward.
“I felt like the words ‘lift a sail’ invoke such a powerful emotion and hopeful feeling,” he said “We’ve always had that with our music, and the idea of lifting and moving forward was exactly what we wanted to convey.”
The themes of Lift A Sail are mature compared to their most prominent album Ocean Avenue, and this Yellowcard feels both familiar and wholly new. Lyrics are heavier and more meaningful. Instead of singing about days by the beach, the new album focuses on loss and fighting on. Lift A Sail’s title track is a song of adaptation and survival from sadness.
“If a cold wind starts to rise/ I am ready now, I am ready now./ With the last sail lifted high/ I am ready now, I am ready now.”
After everything this band has been through, from the two tragedies to the departure of drummer Longineu Parsons, it is inspiring to see so much hope in the band’s work. There has only been one music video for a track on Lift A Sail, and the direction the band took with the video furthers the inspiration. Shot in central Africa, the video is both a love story and an awareness video for the organization Invisible Children. It features real footage of child soldiers defecting, as well as a story about a boy who was taken from his love to join the army of child soldiers. Always hopeful, Yellowcard’s choice to make their video more than just an art piece shows a true commitment to growth and change, which also happen to be the backbone of the album.
“My Mountain,” a track near the end of the album, talks about the past and moving forward. As Key’s wife was paralyzed snowboarding, the mountain imagery clearly conjures negative thoughts for the lyricist, but he owns it and finds hope in the image.
“I have found my mountain/ I can be with her/ When I finally came across, I recovered all I lost.”
Key’s lyrics over a quick, syncopated guitar riff and heavy drums make this song a strong contender for the best track on the album, but there are a lot of gems to be discovered. Ultimately, the only real issue with this album is the similarity of the songs. This is not a huge problem, as the sound Yellowcard has crafted for Lift A Sail is fresh and clean, but it would be nice to throw in a lighter track or two to even out the darkness present in most of the songs.
Yellowcard is still making music, and although they have matured since their days of chasing girls and beach cities, their artistry still shines through. Lift A Sail is a testament to finding hope in dark times, and if you are ever in need of a good pick-me-up, look no further.
Matt Burke is a sophomore majoring in film production. His column, “Notes on Notes,” runs Thursdays.