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YellowcardLights And Sounds Capitol/EMI I get a lot of CDs to review: too many. And, behind my door, I keep a shoebox that is full of CDs that either didn't warrant a second listen or I gave bad reviews to. Hell, there's even some in there that I gave pretty good reviews too, but didn't quite make out of the shoebox and onto the coveted CD shelf. So then I get handed Yellowcard's new album. Instantly, I figure it's going in the box. Then I listen to it. If you've seen the video for lead single Lights And Sounds you'll already know from the black collared shirts that Yellowcard, proprietors of radio-friendly pop-punk with a violin for a gimmick, have "matured". But if you listen to the album, you'll see that they've actually matured, no quotation marks or anything. Lights And Sounds is a dark piece of punchy rock with a slightly off-kilter chorus melody that immediately elevates it beyond anything from predecessor 'Ocean Avenue.' The highlight is the brilliant Rough Landing, Holly, a pop-song with a sickly dark edge that Alkaline Trio would be proud to call their own. But the most intriguing song here is City Of Devils, and acoustically driven track that combines country and flamenco sounds to deliver a sombre soundscape that revolves around a quietly effective bridge. Then the chorus comes, and Yellowcard show that they're not quite there yet. Interesting ideas abound, but in City Of Devils, as well as in Down On My Head, Space Travel and others the band sheepishly end up returning to the mainstream melodramatic choruses that made them a hit with 14 year olds everywhere in the first place. The lowpoint is the abysmal Words, Hands, Hearts, which has not only a shudder-inducing title but has a verse that sounds like Nickleback and a chorus that sounds like Simple Plan - pretty much the worst combination this reviewer can think of. But, there's enough power-punk excellence like the obtusely titled Martin Sheen Or JFK here to keep 'Lights And Sounds' out of the shoebox and onto the shelf.  |
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