Yellowcard
makes its major-label debut with
Ocean Avenue
. This SoCal
punk-pop
fivesome slightly softens the edges found on its previous two albums in what is an attempt to win over the
TRL
crowd. Regardless of the reasons why,
works with that familiar formula of spastic, crunchy guitar licks,
emo
-inspired lyrics, and vocals tailored for that tinny, whiny effect. Some say it's been done before, and by 2003 it surely had, but
seems to not give a care about it because
delivers despite of its catchy recipe. The 13-song set switches in mood and tempo for a layered, dynamic sound, and vocalist
Ryan Key
could very well chasten
Dashboard Confessional
's
Christopher Carrabba
about keeping things short and simple. Songs like
"Way Away"
and
"Empty Apartment"
thrive on the basics of
rock & roll
-- foliated guitars weaved in between high-speed percussion. But that's not all.
has a secret component when it comes to crafting its own
punk
-inspired presentation. Violinist
Sean Mackin
is impressively skilled, and his talent allows
to have a bit of an advantage in making something sound original and fresh.
"Believe"
and the acoustic guitars of
"One Year, Six Months"
are proof of that.
isn't exactly outstanding in the sense that this band has done something outrageously different, but it is a worthy collection of songs with a real heart; that alone shows that
is on to something solid. ~ MacKenzie Wilson