Yellowcard has not wavered in their approach since their very humble beginnings as a four-piece Florida native Punk Rock group. Best known for albums Ocean Avenue (2003) and Light Up the Sky (2006), and of course insane violin in every album, Yellowcard have become a mainstream in Alternative Rock. With a handful of lineup and style changes, Yellowcard has always pioneered their own way when it comes to testing the lines of genre and expectations, something they do incredibly well on their most recent album Lift a Sail released via Razor & Tie.
After the classical violin introduction of “Convocation,” Lift A Sail can easily be divided into two types of songs; fast paced and eager music that wants to inspire change and action in its listeners, and slow simple subtle beauty in the other songs that reach for heartstrings. “Transmissions Home,” “Crash the Gates,” and “The Deepest Wall” (featuring Matty Mullins of Memphis May Fire) start off the set of faster songs by building up tension, opening with some of the heaviest riffs on guitar and bass, and it no surprise that Yellowcard is able to keep that level going throughout the album. The song “Transmission Home” sounds beautiful with piano and violin showcased flawlessly at the bridge and harmonies on the choruses and echoing drums to farm the vocals singing “I will send a transmission home / to say that I should have calling in so long ago / and I wanna come home now.” The song as a whole is complete and speaks well to the overall resilient tone of the album.
In contrast, “Crash the Gates” showcases singer Ryan Key’s ability to project anger and hope into his voice as the track opens, “Something here it never looks right / we’ve been fighting on the front lines for so long.” A style and message that is later mirrored by “The Deepest Well,” a quick and angry song that chants “I’ve been clawing at the walls for so long / I was trying not to fall for so long.” These two tracks pull together the lines of anxiety and subtle beauty that Lift a Sail balance so well between. The song “Make Me So” takes a much more different approach which still holds true to Yellowcard’s Punk Rock roots though the harshness of the drumming and bass, but merely making just background sounds in the almost Pop vocals and tempo. While catchy, the track seems slightly off-beat as a follow-up to the previous one.
“Illuminate” and “My Mountain” follow on the list of fast paced song with synthesizers and rapid pace beats to pump up and get stuck in listeners’ heads. Full of imagery and energy-charged lyrics, “Illuminate” inspires action and change while it rings “when you look at me / what do you see? / maybe a future of unwritten things.” The track falls a little into an Angels & Airwaves sound which, depending on the fan, could be amazing or super detrimental to Yellowcard’s reputation. “My Mountain” instead plays around with tempo and style in a unique and rewarding way. Then “One Bedroom” bridges the lists of fast and slow paced songs starting off with prominent violins and acoustic instruments create harmonies framing the love sick lyrics, at least until the bridge picks up the pace and slips in an amazing guitar solo. This stops any real receptiveness slow songs tend to have, but could easily be jarring to some listeners.
Other pieces like “Fragile Dear,” “Madrid,” “MSK,” and the title track will quickly become favorites from the album featuring some of the more interesting and heartfelt lyrics of the bunch. Each song slows down and utilizes Key’s vocal strength and Sean Mackin’s beautiful talent on the violin. “Fragile Dear” has a deeper tone with drums and electric instruments but the sweet, fragile message rings clearest; “You can’t know the way it feels / to lose something so fragile dear to you.” Meanwhile, the title track does the same with more sophisticated simplicity by humming “I am ready now” with little more than an acoustic guitar at its best moments. Showing diversity, “MSK’” uses fiddle riffs and tempo paired with slow emotional lyrics to create one of the most successful mixes in a song.
Overall, Lift a Sail shows Yellowcard is not going to hold back. They know where they want to go, and how it is just a matter of getting there. Whether that path is more Folk-Punk violin solos, crushing bass lines, layers of drum fills, a little dash of Pop or Classic Rock, Lift a Sail shows no fear while highlighting their tremendous growth and resilience. The albums constructive style is a channel for all the ideas and emotions that Punk music is known for; every lyric is capable of evoking every emotion or inspiration. It also shows so much dedication, polish, and promise for Yellowcard’s future. CrypticRock gives Lift a Sail 4 out of 5 stars.
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