Most people remember Yellowcard for their catchy hit “Ocean Avenue,” which we all listened to during eighth grade. Back in 2008, the band went on hiatus and longtime fans thought that was the end of the pop-punk band from Jacksonville, Florida.
In 2010 the band reformed and began working on a new album. When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes is an alternative rock album with far more mature songwriting than Ocean Avenue.
I never loved early Yellowcard. I enjoyed the catchiness of Ocean Avenue and knew a song or two from Lights and Sounds.
A few years back I bought Paper Walls on a whim, the last album they released before the breakup. Paper Walls is probably one of my favorite albums, and when I heard the band was working on something new, I was skeptical of how good it would be.
It may be just me, but the first two songs of When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes are boring. I was uninterested and lost any desire to keep listening. The first single, “For You, and Your Denial” is actually the second song, which made me think the entire album would be awful.
If you’re like me, you would either skip the first two songs or just try to get through them. You won’t regret continuing to listen as the album begins to pick up with “With You Around” and then “Hang You Up.” They’re really good.
“Hang You Up” deviates from the standard power pop violin showcasing that Yellowcard loves, and instead lets frontman Ryan Key carry the track with his strong vocals. The album switches back to fast-paced songs and features stronger songwriting and violin-based melodies.
Then, in a similar vein to “Hang You Up,” “Sing For Me” hits home. I fully recommend also getting the acoustic of the song. While both versions are strong, the acoustic is more powerful and Keys’ voice seems a lot stronger. However, if acoustic isn’t your thing, then the full band version is still great.
The emotional and poignant lyrics are about Key’s Aunt, who died of cancer. The last verse reads, “Out of time, / all out of fight, / you are the only thing in life that I got right.”
If you remember “View From Heaven” from Ocean Avenue, then you’ll recognize something similar in the next track, “See Me Smiling.” Both songs are about losing loved ones.
While “See Me Smiling” doesn’t have the chilling backup vocals that Alieka Wijnveldt gave in “View From Heaven,” you won’t be disappointed.
The final song on the ten-track album is “Be The Young.” It’s a strong way to finish things off. While I don’t think it’ll be anybody’s favorite, it’s definitely a good listen.
Overall, When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes is a solid mix between the catchy Ocean Avenue and the mature, excellent Paper Walls. I was a bit underwhelmed during my first listen and a little disappointed, but I think that’s because I was comparing it to Paper Walls the entire time. By itself, the new album is a great release and shows that Yellowcard is only getting better.
If you liked this album, absolutely check out Paper Walls.
Richard Solomon can be reached at richard.solomon@spartans.ut.edu.