Yellowcard was a largely successful band at the beginning of the 2000s, starting with their breakthrough single “Ocean Avenue.” And, much of its success in the past has stemmed from the impassioned singing of frontman Ryan Key. In 2008, Yellowcard announced that it was going on an indefinite hiatus, and the band’s return is now uncertain.
This paved the way for Key to form a new band, BIG IF, with fellow vocalist and guitarist Sean O’Donnell. O’Donnell achieved notoriety in the band Reeve Oliver, another pop-rock band that has two albums to its credit. Oliver has won acclaim in the San Diego Music Awards, and has opened for bands like Yellowcard, The Vandals and Switchfoot.
BIG IF is not expected to release an album until later this year, but the band has given us a short preview of its music, posting three demo tracks on the band’s MySpace page. Here’s the skinny on each one:
“Bunny and Me,” is a song that unfolds in two distinct phases. It opens with Key singing a much softer part alongside an acoustic guitar. Near the three-minute mark, the listener hears a drum roll, and the song picks up in intensity moving toward much more passionate vocals and a full electric band. The song transitions seamlessly between the two parts, and they complement well the lyrics of the song, in which the main character is just realizing how he feels about a special person in his life. The contrast between the two sections of the song really shows off Key’s vocal versatility; he can convey just as much emotion whether he’s singing softly or loudly.
The second track, “Bug Light,” begins with O’Donnell singing, with Key taking over about 25 seconds in. The two vocalists’ voices are weaved in and out throughout the song, producing a great effect. This shows the distinct advantage that a band like this would have over either singers’ original bands: they have two strong vocalists and are willing to use them, reminding the listener of bands like Blink-182. Lyrically, this song contrasts with “Bunny and Me,” as it is about the breakdown of a relationship. Because the song is relatively upbeat, the listener gets the sense that the main character is not angry or spiteful — just disappointed about the situation.
“When,” the third song, is about waiting for love, something to which most people can relate. Key and O’Donnell’s voices also rotate in and out throughout this song, with Key singing slightly more often. Musically, it follows much of the same formula established by the first two.
Overall, BIG IF doesn’t explore much new ground. Many of the instrumental parts will be recognizable to anyone who has listened to Yellowcard or Reeve Oliver. The same is true of its lyrics. Nevertheless, the band is worth checking out because the interplay between the two voices makes BIG IF’s sound just different enough to be interesting. You can check the group’s songs out on myspace.com/bigifmusic, which also features videos of the members during the recording process.
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