Yellowcard - Yellowcard (September 30, 2016) Album • Page 53

I appreciate all of the music you and your band have made. You guys have continually played a big part in this genre and music scene. When writing and recording the new album, what was the atmosphere like inside of the studio? Was it more of a bittersweet time or a "Lets make a kickass final record" type of thing? Much love.

 

Oh hell yes, this is my favorite as well. I've said it earlier in the thread, but the presence of that song is absolutely incredible. Such a massive, unrelenting sound that just carries all the way through to the end with that powerful last phrase. A top 10 YC song for me, so well done to everyone on that song. And while you're here, a huge thank you to the band for such a great parting gift... it's a great way to go out.

What kinds of things will you be doing with your photography going forward?

 

hey man,

I'm going to the LA date of the tour for Ocean Ave in full and am extremely excited/ I am strongly considering getting tickets for Ventura as well, to get the full non-OA set experiences before you end, will you be playing a drastically different set between the Ocean Ave and non-Ocean Ave dates?

 

So cool that you're here on the new site. You unexpectedly quoted me on Absolutepunk once, would be pretty cool to keep the streak going

Can you say how much of the new album we can expect to hear on the tour? I'd love to hear as much as you guys want to play

 

My expectations for this record were sky high after they announced it would be the last one. It's one of those rare times where the album completely shattered the expectations and then some. I'm impressed with so many things, and with each spin I find new things I really enjoy. Some early thoughts from me after soaking in this masterpiece for two days:

I saw this get mentioned earlier, but 3 songs into my first listen I was really digging the production. That's not something I normally notice during a first listen, but it really stood out to me and was in my thoughts the rest of the way. Key and Mendez did a phenomenal job.

Another standout feeling I have is that each band member fucking brought it with everything they have. I've seen Mendez mention it, but they CLEARLY went in to writing this with the focus not being on anything else other then making exactly what they wanted. It was full of surprises. There's an abundance of....freedom in every song and it's one of the things I believe I'll take away most from this record-the purity and honesty of it. It's everything music should be.

And while I'm still having a blast enjoying Mendez slay it all over this record with his strongest performance yet and oozing over Sean Mackin's ability to just soar when the moment calls, I thought Ryan Key shined the brightest. He showed off an an impressive, wide range in styles vocally throughout that I genuinely didn't know he had in him. I also think lyrically he didn't hold back at all and really captivated me with his honesty. I loved it, and I hope he never stops making music.

It also has to be said-Nate Young delivered the strongest drumming performance on any Yellowcard album. I don't say that lightly.

There isn't a song I dislike on this album. They are all strong. During my very first listen I tried to go straight through without stopping but the melody in A Place We Set Afire was impossible not to go back to right away. What Appears gets stronger with each listen, that guitar work is incredible. I really hope they play it on the farewell tour. Saivor's Robes-man. What a gem. Glad that Empty Street made it on to this record and not WYTTSY.Fits perfectly. And then Fields & Fences. Fuck, what a perfect way to cap an illustrious career. That little Mandolin (I think that's what it is, I'm not sure) solo Mackin(atleast for some reason i seem to think its him) plays after the second chorus made me absolutely melt. A perfect song that starts with a heavy amount of honest reflection and then absolutely will pull at your heart with a fitting farewell.

While it's a little too early for me to rank this in their discography, I know it's going to be contending for the top with Paper Walls in my opinion. So much love to these guys. Incredible album that really demonstrated the band's ability. This farewell tour will be bittersweet to say the least.

 

Agree with everything in the (fantastic) above post other than the drumming note. Don't get me wrong, the drums here are a huge step up over Lift a Sail and I think Nate Young did a great job here, but Paper Walls takes the title for best performance and recording of drums on a YC record.

Really, REALLY hope they play What Appears on the last tour. It's such a huge jam, and the imagery in that song is perfectly suited for those goodbye shows...

Slow steady hands waving their last goodbye
They've come a long way
They've carried me, they've carried me through waking dreams

It honestly gives me chills every time I listen to it, imagining it from Ryan's perspective up on stage with the crowd waving back and forth to the beat. Would make for a really fun live tune, and definitely one of the more hopeful songs on the record.

 

I do feel his performance on the drums here at times almost outdoes his drumming in Anberlin. But that's just me.

 

I stand corrected. Overall, yes, Paper Walls, though obviously that record has more chances to shine. I do think the drumming on Got Yours and What Appears is better then anything on Paper Walls, including LPs insane speed on Five becomes Four.

 

Nate has a style especially with His fills that neither LP or maybe any other drummer does. I also give Nate props for drumming to the challenging time signatures on here. THAT'S impressive.

 

Those two are the definite standouts, that's for sure. Really great drumming on both. And as RoughLandingSully said, some really solid stuff with the time signatures on this record. (stuff that I have to really concentrate on to nail down while listening)

 

For me this album keeps soaking in. But will not truly hit me till after the final tour and the band fades away from social media. When they are only left in my heart I can give you the true review and rank. But I can safely say, this will probably be in my top three and over all stay the most special and personal record they ever made.

 

Some people might be disappointed to hear this, but no. We never approach a song with an idea for it to be a first or last song or anything in between. We write what we write and then we choose a sequence that feels right after. In this case, Fields and Fences originally ended hard right after the full band section, but one day like three days before we were recording strings I had an idea that I felt the song should keep going. It just felt like it should be something more than we had it somehow. My original idea was for the full band section to just keep going and slowly fade out, and I told Sean and Ryan and we started talking about the different ways we could extend it, and we talked about strings doing it, and Sean said what if we did it like an orchestral goodbye where pieces of it started fading out until there was only a single violin left. We were all so stoked on the idea, and when we recorded strings a few days later we knew then it was pretty much a no brainer that it should close the record. Sorry for the long winded answer.

 

In terms of meet and greets etc, I don't have control over that, I'm sorry. However it's usually not too hard to meet us at a show, we're out and about enough to see people all the time. My favorite song to play live is tough to choose, but Way Away is always super fun. I also LOVE playing Transmission Home (my favorite song on LAS, you haters can suck it)

 

You'll hear a few songs.

 

Think that might've been just me, oops. Still love the record though!

 

Love your thoughts. Thank you!

 

They'll be very different.

 

Stoked you feel the same way as I do about it. The bridge might be my favorite thing we've ever done. In regards to photography I'm not sure yet. There are so many avenues that could be and I'm not sure which I really want to focus on yet. I was really enjoying doing some music photography on Warped, although I don't see myself focusing solely on that. Weddings some maybe, definitely some travel/lifestyle stuff.

 

Ryan,

Two questions.

Is there any hidden Easter eggs ( what's being said on the distorted yells in got yours or vocal manipulation in the intro of the hurt is gone) on this album ? Maybe fun facts about the album as well?

And how hard would it be for a diehard fan to actually play Lights and Sounds with you guys live in Minneapolis? You inspired me twelve years ago to pick up a guitar.

It's my favorite riff ever and a dream to make that a reality even though it might not happen. Haha

The album grows stronger on me every day I spin it. Thank you for one final gift to us. I will treasure all the words and music you have given us forever.

 

Thank you! The atmosphere around writing this record was very similar to how it was during the writing of Southern Air, which was very much "let's write exactly what we think sounds good and don't overthink anything" with no agenda at all, the main difference being we made zero decisions whatsoever based on any classic "rules" etc. for instance, during Southern Air Neal thought we should write a song between 120-130 bpm because at the time many many hit pop songs were in that realm, and it might be a good idea to have a song like that just for the sake of it. He said nothing else, just that tempo range, so we went and wrote Here I Am Alive. That was the only exception for that record in terms of writing with zero agenda. There was nothing whatsoever like that with this record. We did EXACTLY what we wanted in terms of song length, structure, etc. In the past there's always been "how long is it?" when we finish a demo and will usually say hmm maybe we should shorten that prechorus or do the intro half as long or whatever to make the song a little more streamlined. There was zero of that with this record. We did exactly what we felt was right no matter how many times something repeated or how long a song was.

 

Love the guitar work in Transmission Home! That song always get me so pumped.

 

I was joking, I don't care if someone doesn't like something. That one puzzles me a bit from YC fans though, I get if someone doesn't like One Bedroom but to me Transmission seems like it should appeal solidly to any hardcore fan, just my opinion. (I think the same about The Deepest Well also)

 

Aren't the lyrics for that in the booklet? I can't remember if they are or not off the top of my head. The intro vox on THIG is just one of the longer lines from the outro that we tweaked and effected like crazy. I'm stoked you are such a big fan and love your appreciation, unfortunately because of the way our stage setup and monitoring system is its not conducive at all to having guest performers. I'm sorry! I'm glad you like the record! I can't take credit for any words though.

 

Not a problem sir. Being a musician who has had complicated set ups before, I fully understand. I look forward to meeting you on the 31st. See you front and center at the show and 30 min hangout!

P.S. Play us a song, make it a NEWER one...or several.

Can we all sign a petition for you guys to play the final album front to back in full on the tour? ;)

 

I'm not a muso but this makes so much sense of things for me. Here I Am Alive always felt so out of place to me in that amazing album. Many songs I love on Lift a Sail seemed to be over too quickly, the longer songs on Yellowcard seem more natural. In saying that I'm listening to Lift a Sail now after your mention of Deepest Well, the album grows on me every time.

A big thank you to you guys for all the amazing music you have left us with, all the albums have something different to add so that there is always something from Yellowcard to fit mood of the day. Can't wait for Brisbane next year!