CD Review: Yellowcard "Lights and Sounds"

Yellowcard exploded, somewhat unexpectedly, onto the MTV-approved music scene in 2003, with its pop/punk/emo-tinged breakthrough album Ocean Avenue. Although there were other singles, the title track forever cemented the band in the consciousness of the mainstream as "that punk band with the violinist."

Admittedly the collection had its moments, from the stunning "Back Home" to the straight-up guitar rock of "Twenty Three." Naturally however, whenever a pop band gets too, um, popular, there comes a backlash — and in this case, some of it was justified. "Ocean Avenue" was so sickenly sweet that after awhile you kind of just wanted to tell that violinist where he could stick his instrument.

Now Yellowcard's back for the requisite follow-up album, called Lights and Sounds. It's full of fancy production, instrumentals and a song about a solider in Iraq. Somewhat unnaturally, it all actually works, except for the war song.

To get the embarrassing out of the way first, "Two Weeks Before Twenty" is somehow a cross of Green Day's American Idiot and a Bob Dylan song, and the results make Chernobyl look like a smashing success. That said, the rest of the album is more ass-kicking than an entire season of "Walker Texas Ranger."

The violin now can only be found somewhere in the distant background and in the occasional solo, making for a less distracting and gimmicky Yellowcard musical experience. The first single is the title track, "Lights and Sounds," which is a fairly simple rock song that serves as the introduction to the album and is followed by the catchy, mall-rock of "Down On My Head," which should make your next trip to Hollister a tuneful experience.

The disc really kicks into gear about halfway through, starting with the sonically and lyrically stunning "Waiting Game." The song is all melodrama and strings and has the sound of band that knows what they're doing is something epic.

As another plus, the songs here are about more than the last time the lead singer got dumped. "How I Go," a slow, weepy song that features a duet with the Dixie Chicks' Natalie Maines is about a dying father's last words to his son. And "City of Devils" eloquently struggles with the battle between choosing right and wrong while resisting the urge to turn the song into a sermon. That's not to say the band has lost their sense of fun either, "Sure Thing Falling" is a high-school relationship on the rocks song that tackles pot smoking and breaking up, among other things.
Most rewarding about Lights and Sounds is Yellowcard's willingness to give the finger to the typical mopey emo many expected of them and a willingness to embrace their inner Third Eye Blind. The band dispenses with any notion that they are anything more than a pop-rock band and it suits them perfectly. Not having to take the time to put in requisite punk or emo flourishes, this newfound focus gives them time to craft huge anthems and tight rock songs, which was always the band's strength in the first place.

Grade: A