Album Review: Paper Walls by Yellowcard

 Alright so I am aware that this is pretty much off topic, but I felt the need to shake things up around here (even though there’s not much to shake: there’s only 3 posts so far)… Anyways, music is some thing I really care about, so I’m going to write a review that pretty much defines biased. Why is that? I’ve been obsessed with the Floridian band (that moved to Cali) known as Yellowcard for three years now. Which is why I’m choosing to critique their latest album, by the name of Paper Walls.

Paper Walls is very unlike their other famous album, Ocean Avenue. The latter delivered rock that was more in your face, from the guitars to the violins to the voice of the lead singer. The former, however, sounds big, grand, majestic, etc… and it’s tone seems a bit darker. However, it’s interesting to note that the overall sound is hopeful, so that it seems like a shooting star in the darkness I mentioned in my previous sentence. The album also feels a bit more fluid and connected than Ocean Avenue, and overall is better, although the earlier album does have several stronger songs.

I apologize for comparing this to another Yellowcard album, for people new to the band may have some trouble understanding what I’m saying. Perhaps it would just be easier to say that if you are a fan of alternative rock along the lines of Something Corporate, Simple Plan, Taking Back Sunday, Bayside, Jimmy Eat World, etc… then you should like this band. And if in fact you are a Yellowcard/alternative rock music fan, then I urge you to somehow listen to this album, because it is truly beautiful. I’ll go through the songs track by track.

1. The Takedown: A very strong opening song with a nice guitar riff in the beginning. This is pretty energetic, a bit more reminescent of Ocean Avenue (once again, I apologize) but in a darker way. The lyrics are a bit lacking, but it’s still a great song.
2. Fighting: This is one song that it’s hard not to like. Always fun to sing along to, great both musically and lyrically (ex: Said I’m ok but I know how to lie, you were all that I had, you were delicate and hard to find), and with a fast, driving rhythym. The violin is nice here too.
3. Shrink the World: Alright, so the first time you hear this song, it might come off as extremely whiny, and therefore extremely annoying. Give it a chance. Once you hear it more than once, the tune is pretty catchy, and is likely to get stuck in your head for a long time. It’s interesting lyrically as well.
4. Keeper: This is a slower song, with a soft intro, although the chorus does pick it up. Keeper is a beautiful piece, and it’s pretty emotional (in a nice way that only Yellowcard can manage).
5. Light Up the Sky: This is their first single off of Paper Walls, and it definitely deserves it. It’s been described as “bruised but beautiful”, and this is true both musically (I love the violin part during the chorus) and lyrically (one of the most amazing bridges ever, lyrics go something like “Let me light up the sky just for you tonight…and it’s still so hard to be who you are but you’ve come this far with a broken heart”). Definitely worth a listen.
6. Shadows and Regrets: One of my favorite songs on the record. This starts out acoustic, which is nice, and slowly builds up as the song progresses. It’s extremely emotional (I actually teared up, and the song still gives me the chills whenever I hear it) and the lyrics (ex: when we were only kids, and we were best of friends, and we hoped for the best, and let go of the rest) are simple, repetetive, but powerful. The music element goes along almost perfectly. Simply beautiful, in a melancholy way, and definitely one of the best songs.
7. Five Becomes Four: This song is hard to describe, but if I had to use just one word, it would be “wow”. Every aspect, from the vocals to the amazing violin part, to the drums and to the guitars never ceases to astound me. This is a powerful song, more akin to The Takedown and Fighting than the others.
8. Afraid: A song I personally am not a fan of, but it is generally well liked. Great melody, very easy to get stuck in your head. Unfortunately, unlike many of the other songs, it is too much like an average pop song (though those lack the violins, lyrics, guitar riffs that Yellowcard has, but you get my point).
9. Date Line (I Am Gone): One of the stronger songs, but not one of my favorites. There’s this line that I am a fan of though (When you hold one chance, and you break your hands). Nevertheless, this is a good song.
10. Dear Bobbie: Don’t be fooled by the voice of the old man (the grandfather of the lead singer, Ryan Key). This song is not out of date. Instead, it is the sweetest song on the record, and probably the sweetest song I have ever heard. I actually cried, not just teared, cried. I’m generally not that emotional too. This song is entirely acoustic with some recordings of the grandfather reading a love note to his wife, about how he has loved her all these years. This is so beautiful, and one song that you must listen to, and is one of my favorites (it’s too hard to decide!).
11. You, And Me, And One Spotlight: Another song in the mood of Keeper. This starts out slow and soft, and builds up a bit for the chorus, and then falls back down again, and the pattern continues. The meaning is a bit ambiguous, but the mood to me seems to be an acceptance of endings, which is portrayed very powerfully. I like the piano part at the end, and it helps to accentuate the grandeur. This is another one of the songs I am a fan of.
12. Cut Me, Mick: Another powerful song along the lines of Date Line (I Am Gone). It’s not one of my favorites, but I still like this song, and it is loud, strong, and driving. However, it can get a bit repetetive.
13. Paper Walls: Yellowcard never ceases to amaze me. The same band that has a violinist in its lineup, that requested a full orchestra for its previous album Lights And Sounds and used recordings of an old man reading a love note, is using a womens’s choir as an introduction to Track 13. As I said for Dear Bobbie, don’t lower your expectations since it sounds cheesy. Raise them. This song will surpass them with no difficulty whatsoever, and the introduction with the choir helps it to do that. This is also a very powerful song, with one of the most wicked (sorry for my lack of a better vocabulary) violin parts. It is also very hopeful, like I said in the overall album description, a shooting star in the darkness. If I went around singing “Here I am, still hold onto this dream we had, won’t let go of it, hear me now, you will never be alone” then I’m sure you would think the same thing (I’ve sortof adapted this as my life’s anthem, that’s how obsessed I am.)

 So there you have my Yellowcard album review. For a bit more information on the band, click here.

P.S. I plan to have a book review soon as well (hint… Khaled Hosseini), but I’d like to get a few environmental/political posts in before I do so.