Turn the "Lights + Sounds" off please.

So, the new highly anticipated album from everyone's favorite summer band has arrived. What do I think about it? Eh, I am very indifferent to it. Ocean avenue and everything before was gold, but this new album just doesn't do it for me. To me the hits aren't there and it just seems like Ryan's voice has lost its charm and Sean Mackin's talent goes unnoticed throughout the album.

I listened to the album 3 times before writing this and I've also gone around over the beautiful world wide web to see what others thought as well.

DISCLAIMER: If you are a huge Yellowcard mark and love everything about them and hate people who will be honest about your most perfect band in the world, please don't send me hate mail.

It has been a while since we've really heard from the band. In 2004 they re-released their very first album without Ryan as vocals and everyone thought it was HORRIBLE. Well of course it would be, it was the bands first album, they were getting their feet wet. Everyone thought it was new stuff and was hoping that Lights + Sounds (L+S) would save the band from the horror. Now do not get me wrong, I am a huge fan of everything Yellowcard has done, but like I stated above, this album is just stale. The sound is different, it will not be what everyone is expecting. They went for a harder sound, and got lost in it. I am officially done with Ryan's voice, I will leave it with one comment. It does not have emotion in it on this album.

The lyrics just seem like they were fished out of Ryan's toilet the day before recording. They are VERY cheesy and of course I have to use the "E" word. Yes. Emo. Even the harmonizing isn't all that great, its basic. There are good tracks on the album. I think “Sure Thing Falling” is hard charging and overwhelmingly hooky, which plays to its advantage. I enjoy the brief interlude from violinist extraordinaire Sean Mackin late in the song as well, which adds some depth to this catchy piece of music. Characterized by a throaty bass line and simple yet well-written guitar riffs, "Sure Thing Falling" will hits your listeners hardest with the infectious lyrics, which are probably the best on the album.

Now what is a album from this genre without a war song. "Two weeks from Twenty" would of been perfect, but of course there is Ryan's voice screwing it up. A song like this deserves emotion. It seems like he wrote this song because he felt he had to, because of course every album needs a war song. With that said, the horns and instrumental bridges leave your ears wanting more.

Back when I first heard of Yellowcard, the violin caught me. I played the violin back in the day and what Sean Mackin does in "Waiting Game" is what I could only dream of doing. He did all the strings by himself. I keep trying not to rip on Ryan's vocals, but its the weak point of the song.

Well, Yellowcard dropped the "punk" tag from their repertoire. Sounds like a good idea at first, but isn't that what made them big? Shouldn't bite the hand that feeds. I have a feeling that aside from one or two songs on the album the rest of the singles will not make it onto the top 40. People are used to hearing rough violin hooks and not something so orchestral. The traditional Yellowcard sound has been altered. Ryan Key comes up stale in too many places for this album. The songwriting just could be so much better. The instrumentals were perfect but the lyrics feel flat. I won’t stop enjoying their music, but this album was a severe letdown for me.

Not every album a band comes out with is perfect, and sometimes a letdown is needed to see what went wrong, to reflect. 9 out of 10 times, one bad album precedes one that is incredible. If I have to wait another three years for a new Yellowcard album, so be it, just please let it be awesome.

This is Jimi signing off.
First broadcast is tomorrow January 25th from 8-9 pm at www.wpub.org .
Hope to see you there