Yellowcard – Ocean Avenue

Pop-punk. You know it. Everyone’s heard it, some people love it while others hate it. Here we have a band trying to push the boundaries of pop-punk further then they are. The band is none other then Yellowcard.

Their first major label release, Ocean Avenue, has received praise from critics and fans all around the globe; and with good reason! Right away you notice something new and different from most pop-punk bands, and that difference is Sean Mackin: the violinist. The use of this abnormal instrument gives each song something extra; it gives it something that you can’t do with only basses and guitars and it just makes the song complete; take the violin arrangement on the eleventh track, Believe, for example, that is absolutely perfect and transforms the song into something distinctive and powerful. Each song is distinctly different from the previous and from the forthcoming track. Each melody, each riff, each string arrangement is a new one, making their songs quite diverse.

Lyrically, Ryan Key may not be pushing the boundaries and changing the world, his lyrics are direct and to the point and cover a vast area of subjects. Of course, girls is one topic in a song or two (Ocean Avenue), but that’s only a small portion. He sings about friendship (Empty Apartment), fatherhood (Life Of A Salesman), growing up (Twenty-three), death (View From Heaven) and even the struggles of firefighters on 9/11 (Believe). As his lyrics are fairly direct, you find yourself singing along with him after only a few listens.

Ocean Avenue delivers you something new and exciting, something you probably haven’t heard before. With each listen you enjoy it even more. It grows on you and stays with you, and that is what music is supposed to do.