Yellowcard was likely prepared for a slow rush of success, but not a catapult into fame. Their first album, Ocean Avenue, quickly earned cult status among rock and pop lovers alike. The record had three hit singles, each generating more publicity than the last. The first of these three, "Ocean Avenue," featured an unexpected instrument, the violin. Although use of string instruments is not that uncommon in the music industry, never before had a popular rock band used the violin as a permanent fixture in their sound.
Since their sudden and swift rise to stardom, Yellowcard has become associated with a specific subset of the rock genre. "Emo" is a term that can be found in the urban dictionary. It's recently been coined to refer to any artist or person who wears their heart on their sleeve like a badge of honor. While the moody voice of Yellowcard's lead singer might earn them that not-so-coveted label, it is undeniable that there is something unclassifiable about their music.
Their second release, Lights And Sounds, retains this quality. Violin and guitars are cohesively meshed to produce a timbre that is both somber and lighthearted. While no less prominent than in the first album, the use of the violin is not as overstated.
The subtlety of the violin is indicative of Yellowcard's maturation. Their sound, young and fresh on Ocean Avenue, has grown like a prepubescent boy into adolescence, teenage angst included. The open-ing track, an instrumental titled "Three Flights Up," is carefully crafted to give a classical chamber sound. Pianos and strings are also used in the last track, "Holly Wood Died." Such instrumentation frames the album and further adds a sense of cohesion.
Lyrics for Lights And Sounds were written by lead singer Ryan Key and bassist Pete Mosley. Key wanted to put on paper all that the band was feeling after a quick flight into stardom.
The album is filled with lyrics that were born from the band's inner thoughts and fears. Songs like "Two Weeks From Twenty" touch on the state of affairs in the country. With a focus on the effects of war on both soldiers and their parents, the lyrics of this song would fit any historical era.
While some of their lyrics can be smart and insightful, others fall short of the bar. In "Down On My Head," Key belts the chorus, "I never thought I would wake up in bed / watching the world coming down on my head / I'd sleep like a dog if you would never have said / this is the world coming down on your head."
Lyrics that are easy to listen to and solid melodies are only part of the reason why Yellowcard has been so successful -- good timing is another. Yellowcard was fortunate enough to produce their first record at a time when the pop wave was moving out and rock was making a comeback. Lights And Sounds capitalizes on this sentiment, proving that sometimes we all just need to rock out.
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