Talk about a band with a long history… Yellowcard’s story began in 1997. Initially taking their name from a phrase the members used while attending high school in Florida, the original lineup featured Ben Dobson on vocals, Todd Clary and Ben Harper on guitar, Warren Cooke on bass, and Longineu Parsons III on drums.
However, after years of strenuous difficulty finding the right members, the band’s most recognized lineup is likely Ben Harper, Longineu Parsons III, Ryan Key (lead vocals), and Sean Mackin (violin, mandolin, backing vocals, and occasional lead vocals). Nowadays, it is made up of Mackin, Key, Ryan Mendez (lead guitar), and Josh Portman (bass, backing vocals), and touring member Jimmy Brunkvist (of Like Torches) on drums.
A lot to remember: there is no question that Yellowcard’s 2003 major-label debut, Once Avenue, is what put them in the forefront of the mainstream for years to come. Their fourth overall album peaked on the charts and led the way for more success with 2006’s Lights and Sounds. Making Yellowcard a well-known name in Pop Punk and Rock, they released 10 more albums through 2017, when the band took a brief break. Reunited since 2022, after a lengthy break that lasted five years, they performed Ocean Avenue all the way through, and soon after, were back on tour. Suddenly, the band was together again and ready to start working on new music, which first emerged in 2023 with the EP Childhood Eyes. However, many fans have itched for a full-length album, and in the spring of 2025, Yellowcard signed on with Better Noise Music and announced a new album in the works that Blink-182’s Travis Barker would produce.
Released on October 10, 2025, under the title Better Days, the album comprises ten songs, two of which are collaborations. Their eleventh overall album, the title track sounds like the same Alt-Punk the band is known for, with lyrics as emotionally driven as ever, while Key’s vocals shine through. From here, “Take What You Want,” “Love Letters Lost” (featuring Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio), “Bedroom Posters,” and “Skin Scraped” all have that same Alternative Rock energy as Yellowcard initially began with.
Then you have “Honestly I,” which begins with an intriguing violin piece and features an interesting drum track. Something different, the lyrics stick to the original concepts the band started with, and that works well, too. Beyond this, “You Broke Me Too” (featuring the incredible and lovely Avril Lavigne) slows down and takes a softer approach, with two voices weaving together perfectly. It is, however, Better Days’ final track, “Big Blue Eyes,” that shifts the mood to an acoustic, melodic track that flows nicely with Key’s voice.
Overall, Yellowcard stays true to who they are while still sounding fresh and energized. As a unit, they continue to make music that can lift the sun and make you feel like you are not alone. A great reminder in times that seem very lonely, Cryptic Rock gives Yellowcard’s Better Days 5 out of 5 stars.
){kind=link}
No comment