The ninth long-player from the pioneering pop-punk outfit,
Lift A Sail
finds
Yellowcard
doing what they do best, offering up tightly rendered, hooky, melodic rock anthems that are as emotionally charged as they are accessible. Their first album to feature
Nate Young
from
Anberlin
on drums (
Longineu Parsons III
left the band shortly before recording began to pursue other musical interests), the 13-track set adds some relatively subtle flourishes of electronics to the mix while dialing back a little on
Sean Mackin
's signature violin playing, but fans looking to conjure up some nostalgia for the band's
Ocean Avenue
heyday will find what they're looking for on standout cuts like the catchy and propulsive "Make Me So," the big-hearted "Transmission Home," and rousing "Deepest Well," the latter of which features a guest vocal from
Memphis May Fire
frontman
Matty Mullins
. ~ James Christopher Monger