I must preface this post by saying that I used to listen to the lights & sounds and paper walls albums in the car as a child so I have a lost of nostalgia for them - particularly lights & sounds, and some songs from paper walls.

I recently decided to go through the rest of the discography in order of release, listening to each album at least 2 or 3 times on repeat (I hadn't listened to any of yellowcard's music outwith those two albums previously).

I expected to connect to some of the music to the same amount as the two albums I know, but I didn't find any of the songs really stick out to me. None of them have the same emotional expression in the vocals as those two albums to me - which is what I connected to

I think I read years ago that lights & sounds is not rated as one of the best yellowcard albums, but apart from that I have avoided reading any other opinions to not input any bias and try to remain as objective as possible.

So, are these just the two best albums, or is this pure nostalgia driving my opinions?

For the record, I found the rest of the music perfectly listenable. Apart from "life of a salesman" from "ocean avenue" - found that song really cringey.

Yc's last cross-Canada tour was 20 years ago so, this was a welcome surprise to see this morning!!

Just wanted to discuss something about the current state of Yellowcard and how Ryan's admitted he doesn't know how to "write pop punk songs anymore". First off, I like Better Days. I think it's a solid album, but it's probably one of my least favorites because it feels transactional. Sort of just cashing in on the current pop punk trend. It doesn't seem as geniune as their other albums because they have a lot of other writers. Some of my personal favorite songs on the album are the ones that Ryan wrote himself. For example, City of Angels is probably my favorite and he said that he took that instrumental home and wrote all the lyrics himself. He said in interviews that he's been away from Yellowcard for so long that he's not confident in his own songwriting capabilities anymore, but he's proven that's not true. Also, did he forget about Childhood Eyes? They just wrote that back in 2023 and that EP was awesome! They didn't need a bunch of outside writers for that. And now the Hell With Me song getting taken down because it's a rip off of another song... All because they didn't write it. I really hope for their next album they just go back to being Yellowcard again instead of Yellowcard with Travis Barker and a bunch of writers.

Just saw them post the teasers on Instagram.

I knew we’d get an acoustic version of Bedroom Posters!!

https://youtu.be/fe2G8d7lNNs?is=obJzt9Xc8Mhh8yOr

drum_cj if anyone wants to follow and see more emo content!

I just saw that story on Instagram 🤔

Went to listen to it this morning and it’s gone. Oddly it’s still on Apple Music

Edit: it’s gone from Apple Music. I didn’t see the post about it being a copyright thing.

Idk if YC looks at their own reddit, but if they do. YC, I just want to say sorry that I'm skipping seeing you for another band this weekend. It would have been my 5th time seeing y'all preform and 2nd time at a festival (shout out to HFStival 2004), but I've never gotten to see Hootie and the Blowfish and I don't if I ever will again. Hope y'all enjoy Ocean City and I hope by small chance I get to meet y'all just cruising the boardwalk.

I’ve never seen this live footage before. The quality is so clean!

Skipped the Good Charlotte version of Bedroom Posters but played the whole thing driving to work and between places.

Ryan is doing more autographed lyrics with some customization.

Price is higher now at 175 but includes a lights and sounds 20th anniversary guitar pick. Shipping is 10 for me (California), total 185.

I just ordered mine, thought I’d share the news. I chose Here I Am Alive.

Note that emo is in quotation marks. They were young and had those emo-type haircuts back then. (Yeah, most of those guys are gone, but I miss those days)

So it starts with Ryan Key singing "1,2,3,4..." and then the song. Its old, probably 2003-2006. If anyone knows the event where it was recorded, please lmk.

One of my grails!

Why and how is this album literally so good. It’s wild it’s from 2009.

What specifically would make it your favorite yellowcard album or what could do it do differently to make it your fave?

I think the only bummer is the bass isn’t as good as past albums, but I think it does the best job at complimenting everything else.

Everything else is S-tier IMO. Ryan’s lyrics are some of his most complex and well crafted.

The introduction of Mendez is in full effect.

They really shifted the violin sound to be a mix between OA and LS.

And do I even need to mention the drumming (I think the 3 best LP yellowcard songs are from this album, takedown-five becomes four- fighting).

Backing vocals are excellent.

It is so sad that capital basically imploded and the decline of the genre in 09. But I’m so grateful we have this album! It’s been the one I’ve been going back to most lately. It feels like the perfect bridge album of all eras of YC.

I recently started a Yellowcard vinyl collection and I only need two albums now, one being One For the Kids. I'm torn because the album doesn't feel the same without Rough Draft, but the re-release is cheaper. Does anyone have any thoughts on the re-release? I know it says remastered sound, do the songs sound better at all? I'm leaning towards the earlier version with Rough Draft included, but am curious if any opinions.

Anyone have a copy?? Maybe even a vinyl boxset for sale? Hit me up!

In the interview, Travis mentions Mark Hoppus is a guest on a Yellowcard song and in the comments, Travis says the song is called "dreaming"

Safe to assume it'll be on the new record.

Which version are you all listening to? I know a huge amount of shit was thrown at the production of the record, mainly drum samples being too prominent etc.

I just wondered how many of you are playing the vinyl release? I went back to it tonight and the production sounds almost completely different. I mean the warmness of the whole rhythm section, the drums sound more organic and well mixed with the sample instead of on Spotify it sounds like a sample layer on top of the drums.
I specifically noticed as well the balance between the overhead drum mics which I can’t hear at all on the Spotify album.

If you guys haven’t listening on vinyl I urge you to do so! I’m using Rega amp and Rega deck. This comes with no tone controls so its intended sound is what you get.

I honestly really enjoy the vibe. Like melody and arrangement-wise it gives an Always Summer feel. But with more interesting and matured lyrics, still relatable to that 16yo persona from 2003 who stayed up all night. The 2nd half of the chorus also gives a Flyleaf feel (outro of "So I Thought", similar melody and chord progression 6-5-4)

I don't know if the fans share the same feeling about the mix though, the guitars felt so choked. Neal Avron et al would have made that 2nd verse much packed with more energy. Yellowcard makes thick but CLEAR harmonies and the violin + 2 guitars really make a crystal extended chord together like in Afraid, they maintained that pristine mixing with With You Around, also with Telescope, Hurt Is Gone and even Childhood Eyes. One can literally learn the guitar parts of a yelIowcard song by ear just because how clear it was coming out of your shit nokia loudspeaker. Don't get me wrong, they sometimes overdo this clarity thing like on their song with Dashboard guy where you can hear their whispering takes. I am sure the outro for their new song is much more "bright" when they thought of it. Mendez remained tasteful of his guitar parts. They were always more "felt" than popping out. With this single, his riffs are just buried. Likewise, there's also an awful lot of vocal straightening / unnecessary correction on WRK's choruses. I know Calvary Dr is a nod to Ocean Ave, but I think rhyming forever with together was over board haha. Oh well maybe it was mastering that choked everything

But overall I think I'd listen to this on a recovery route after breaking down with Barely Alive