Three years have passed since Yellowcard's sophomore release "Ocean Avenue." For fans of the band, it will have been worth the wait.
Their new release, "Lights and Sounds," is a beautiful album that explores everything the band has gone through on its way to success, from being an opening act to becoming a band listed on every pop-punk music lover's Facebook profile.
"Lights and Sounds" starts off with a soft instrumental piece with an orchestra section that recorded with the band. Their sound adds lush background music to at least half the songs on the album.
The opening leads into the album's most popular song "Lights and Sounds." It starts out with a catchy guitar riff and follows with an up-tempo, up-beat sing along.
"Stop turn take a look around/ At all the lights and sounds/ Let them bring you in/ Slow burn let it all fade out/ Pull the curtain down/ And wonder where you've been," sings lead vocalist Ryan Key.
"City Of Devils" is a welcomed point on the album that slows down, connecting interesting lyrics at a new pace.
"And I can feel the fire of city lights burn/ And it's hard to find angels in hell."
The beat instantly picks back up with its next few tracks. "Two Weeks From Twenty" is the band's political piece that includes Black Eyed Peas' Printz Board playing trumpet. The Dixie Chicks' Natalie Maines performs accompanying vocals on "How I Go," her voice blending beautifully with Key's vocals.
Yellowcard's sound on the new album, especially "Down On My Head," could be compared to that of Green Day's work. "Martin Sheen Or JFK" is the most addictive song on the record.
In the last song on the album, "Holly Wood Died" the orchestra can be heard faintly in the background throughout the piece making for a strong finish, bringing the album to a peaceful rest.
