Lights and Sounds

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Untitled

Lights and Sounds is the fifth studio album by American pop punk band Yellowcard. It was released on January 24, 2006 in the United States via Capitol Records. Lights and Sounds is Yellowcard's first concept album, which was inspired to reflect what the band was feeling at the time of production and how they have matured in the process. Lights and Sounds also departs its sounds from Yellowcard's previous album, Ocean Avenue (2003), which broke away from its pop punk sound to a more alternative rock album.

Lights and Sounds debuted to mixed reviews from contemporary music critics, receiving criticism as the album fell short from the standard set by its predecessor, Ocean Avenue. Upon the album's release, it charted at number five on Billboard's 200, Comprehensive Albums, and Top Internet Albums' charts. The album accumulated sales of just over 315,000 copies, which failed to match the 2 million sales of their previous album. Yellowcard went on to explain that the disappointment of the sales were due to them going "a bit too far" with the expectations they had thought the album would exceed.[1]

The album yielded two singles, "Lights and Sounds" and "Rough Landing, Holly". While the band was promoting the album, lead guitarist Ben Harper parted ways with the band. Following Harper's departure, the band revealed that they had entered their "highest and lowest" points due to Harper leaving the band.[2] To accommodate the album's promotion, Yellowcard replaced Harper with guitarist Ryan Mendez.[3]

Background

After almost two years of touring in support of their 2003 album, Ocean Avenue, Yellowcard took a few months off. In December 2004, vocalist Ryan Key and bassist Peter Mosely moved to New York City to write songs for their upcoming album,[2][4][5] while the rest of the band remained in Los Angeles.

As Key and Mosely stayed in New York, they admitted that there was a delay when it came to start writing songs for the album.[6] However, Key did explain that they were writing "weird, obscure, not-too-mellow" tracks and working on notebooks that he compiled while the band was touring.[6] He also noted that he was able to write for a couple of hours and would receive over "15-20 ideas" that he could take out for the band, so once they all got together, they can start collaborating on the record.[6] Mosely, also in discussion of this, added that the reason it took them so long was because they were "scared to death" with the writing.[5] Mosely concluded that once the writing had begun, the process was easier on them.[5] It was also during this time that Key and Mosely began to turn their apartment into a studio, adding a drum kit, guitar amps, and even including a piano.[6] While Key and Mosely began the development of the songs, the rest of the members would occasionally fly to New York to check on the progress.[6][7]

In April 2005, the band met in Los Angeles and began recording at the Sunset Sound studios.[3][8][9] The following month in an interview with MTV News, lead guitarist Ben Harper revealed that the writing process was finished.[7] In addition, Harper admitted that the band recorded 19 songs for the album, 13 of which made the final cut.[7] In August 2005, Yellowcard announced the songs, "Lights and Sounds", "Sure Thing Falling", and "Two Weeks from Twenty", that were going to be featured in the album.[5] It was also revealed that the album would feature an instrumental and hidden track. In September 2005, the band announced a release for Lights and Sounds in January 2006.[10]

Music

Musical style

With Lights and Sounds, Yellowcard broke away from their original pop punk sound to a more alternative rock album.[11][12][13] The album is somewhat of a concept album, made to reflect what Yellowcard was feeling at the time of production. Ryan Key, in discussion of this, said that Ocean Avenue was about "finding your place in the world" and explained that Lights and Sounds was about "realizing that you've gotten lost".[14] The band has cited Radiohead's Kid A (2000) and Guns N' Roses' 1991 albums Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II as major influences for the album.[5] Yellowcard also credit Aphex Twin, Mouse on Mars and Explosions in the Sky for inspiration, regarding the music sound in the album.[5]

File:Ryan Key - Lights and Sounds 06.jpg
Ryan Key performing in support of the release of Lights and Sounds in July 2006

In an interview in August 2005, Key admitted that the album was a "definite departure" and "more political" than what Ocean Avenue had contained.[5][15] In discussion of the album, Key said that the band had matured and that the music in Lights and Sounds would be different from their previous album.[6] Though, Key added, "...we have to be careful, we have to try and write songs [in the style of the ones] we wrote before. We have to make a conscious effort not to think about the fact that we went from being a nothing band ... to having a bunch of hit singles in like one year."[6] Printz Board of the Black Eyed Peas collaborated with Yellowcard on the song "Two Weeks from Twenty" where he played a trumpet solo.[16] The song, "How I Go", features a duet with Dixie Chicks' lead vocalist Natalie Maines,[17] and features a twenty-five orchestra piece, which was conducted by violinist Sean Mackin.[18] According to Pete Mosely, the band liked the Dixie Chicks' and even thought of collaborating with Maines on Ocean Avenue for the song "View from Heaven".[19] Mosely also revealed that the band approached Maines about singing on "How I Go"; "The original plan was just for her to sing back-up (on the song). [But] it ended up turning into a duet."[19] He also added that Maines took a demo of the song and returned to the studio, Sunset Sound, where the band were working, in addition to the Dixie Chicks working on their album,[18] with lyrics and vocals of her own.[19]

Mackin also composed an entire string section and conducted an orchestra in the album. In an interview with Daily Nexus in June 2006, Mackin revealed that the conducting was the easy part and that the composing part was much harder.[20] In this interview, Mackin also noted, "composing was getting so frustrating since I wasn’t writing as fast as my mind was thinking, so going back I wanted to make sure that each of my arrangements for this album and the 12 different songs were completely different".[20]

Lyrical content

Lights and Sounds primarily focuses on the band coping with the success they were enduring when writing songs for the album. The album also goes with what Key described as when he was preoccupied with making Lights and Sounds. Key said that one of the common themes that were written in the album was the band's hatred in living in Los Angeles. Key said that the songs have "lost that adolescent bounciness -- they've come into adulthood a bit".[11] In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Key revealed that during the time he and Mosely spent in New York, he said it "brought out some darker places" in them and that it was "not in a 'now I'm going to start wearing eyeliner' kind of way, but emotionally darker."[10] In addition, many of the song's themes deal with Key's battle with drugs and alcohol.[2][21]

"Holly became this person on the record who appears in a lot of the songs, and at times you love her and at times you hate her. At times she's good to you and sometimes she's bad."[5]

Ryan Key in discussion of the Holly Wood character

While making the album, Yellowcard had also developed a character, Holly Wood, who served as a narrator and protagonist for the album's storyline.[5] The character is featured in the songs "Rough Landing, Holly" and "Holly Wood Died".[5] The band explained the meaning of the title track, which they said is based on a "whirlwind rocker about the pressures on the band members" and how they have changed as they have aged after the release of Ocean Avenue.[22] Key also explained that when he was preoccupied with making the album, there were distractions while in the process; he simply referred to the distractions as "lights and sounds", which ultimately resulted in the band naming the album just that. He also admits that the main reason behind that was how it affected the band during that particular time.[23]

During discussion of the track listing in Lights and Sounds, Yellowcard revealed that "Two Weeks from Twenty" stretched the "limits" for them and explained that it was a "jazz-lounge anti-war song".[11] The band also explained that the song is a narrative of a young soldier named Jimmy, from New Jersey, who is killed in the Iraq war.[3][22] Other songs such as "Down on My Head", "City of Devils", and "Holly Wood Died", had a theme that speaks about bitterness and disillusionment.[24] "How I Go" is based on both lament of a father over the life that has flowed past him and the 2003 film, Big Fish.[22][24] Another song, "Words, Hands, Hearts", is written about the events that occurred during the September 11 attacks.[24]

Release and promotion

In September 2005, the band announced the album's title[25] and revealed that the title track, "Lights and Sounds", was confirmed to be the first single from the album,[26] with a video shot in Van Nuys, California and a release date of November 15, 2005.[27] Lights and Sounds was released worldwide on January 24, 2006, issued by the band's record label, Capitol Records.

"We've simply grown apart, personally and creatively, which can happen in any relationship. This change is hard for all of us, but Ben will always be our brother."[28]

Violinist Sean Mackin on Ben Harper leaving Yellowcard

On October 24, 2005 the band began a tour in support of the album, during which they began playing at small venues at college arenas.[25] The tour lasted for six weeks. The album's title track was included in the video game Burnout Revenge.[25] The music video of "Lights and Sounds" was featured on a Verizon Wireless Vcast commercial around the time of the album's release.[29][30] The song "City of Devils" was featured in the episode, "I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness", on the CW's One Tree Hill in October 2006.[31][32] The song, "Rough Landing, Holly", was featured in the 2006 video game FlatOut 2.[33]

In November 2005, it was announced that guitarist Ben Harper had parted ways with the band.[28] Key explained that the band went through "a lot of the highest and lowest points" and that making an album "would be on the highest list, and losing a member would be on the lowest."[2] He also added, "It's really been a long journey together, you know, so obviously, parting ways with Ben was a really unpleasant experience. It was either go on without him, or don't go on at all. And, at the core, we decided that we had something too great to let go of, and that we had to kind of make a last resort and move on without him."[2] Harper was replaced by Ryan Mendez.[3]

Reception

Critical response

The reviews for Lights and Sounds were mostly mixed upon release, particularly from mainstream media, but some critics have stated that the album had fallen well short of the standards of Ocean Avenue, the album's predecessor.[34] Kelefa Sanneh of the New York Times, in review of the album, wrote: "To listeners on either side of rock's latest generational divide, there's a big difference -- the difference of a decade -- between being a loser and being a twerp ... Lights and Sounds is Yellowcard's attempt to split that difference."[29] Sanneh notes that the song "Two Weeks from Twenty", one of the band's anti-war song, "sounds suspiciously like Green Day; the lyrics echo the plot of the video for Green Day's 'Wake Me Up When September Ends'."[29] Despite this, Sanneh goes on to say that Yellowcard is still "pretty good" at "writing sweeping, upbeat punk-rock love songs".[29] Ben Breier of Kent News wrote: "One thing is certain: The Yellowcard you grew to know and love circa Ocean Avenue is no longer with us. The band has vastly matured when compared to past records, but it comes at a price - members forgot what made them occasionally catchy and addictive in the first place. It's clearly the right direction for the band, but Yellowcard needs to further refine its new style before it can come up with something above average."[35] Mike Schiller of PopMatters, who was somewhat unpleased with the album, wrote that the album does not "make up for the overabundance of flaccid mediocrity on display throughout most of the album".[36] Schiller went on to say, "Lights and Sounds may be Yellowcard’s attempt at a big, serious album, but the band doesn’t sound even remotely ready."[36] Nick Cowen from Drowned in Sound, wrote: "Those who register for Pop-Punk 101 will receive Yellowcard’s Lights And Sounds as their first set-work; the Jacksonville quintet's new album would be the perfect teaching aid, as it's technically proficient while being boring and forgettable enough not to inspire the temptation to plagiarise."[37] Cowen concluded with, "...Lights And Sounds is a substandard, second-tier album with some strings thrown in for good measure. It's really not worth the money in your wallet - even if that wallet is attached to a very long chain."[37] Now magazine claimed that the band "may be in the right place, it's clear they're simply incapable of realizing this clumsy faux magnum opus."[34]

Despite the mixed reaction, many critics were fond of the album. Rolling Stone's music critic Jenny Eliscu wrote that the album "has made what ends up being one of the best straight-up pop-rock albums of 2006".[38] Elicsu also complimented the band, writing: "Like the Goo Goo Dolls ... Yellowcard have rightfully recognized the transcendent value of a big, fist-pumping anthem coated with a light dose of romantic schmaltz."[38] Alternative Press gave the album a perfect rating, saying "It may be one of the least 'punk' albums a pop-punk band will make this year--but it's probably one of the best, too."[34] Sputnikmusic wrote: "Lights And Sounds is finally out. And with it comes not necessarily a different sound, but a stronger and more mature sound. [...] Yellowcard takes you on an adventure with Lights And Sounds that not only compares to Ocean Avenue, but may very well be more mind blowing and heart felt than its predecessor."[39] Heather Phares of Allmusic wrote: "On Lights and Sounds, Yellowcard sounds light years away from its One for the Kids/Where We Stand days. Granted, the band still trades in the immediate melodies and heart-on-sleeve lyrics that they've used since the beginning, but major-label success suits them well."[40] Though, Phares went onto add that the band "ends up sounding self-assured instead of compromised in its big-budget surroundings."[40] Billboard magazine gave the album 8 out of 10 stars, and claimed that Yellowcard made a "strong effort that trades sunny-sounding rockers and breakup songs for weightier concerns of war and family, 'Lights' conveys that maturity without seeming strained."[34] Dan McClanahan of Iowa State Daily wrote: "...This disc will likely change people's opinion of Yellowcard. Much more angst and a drastically matured sound make for a pleasant surprise."[12] McClanahan revealed that he was not looking forward to listen to the album, but admitted once he heard he knew it embraced the band's "strengths" and that they "greatly expanded the subject matter of its songs."[12]

Commercial performance

Yellowcard performing songs from Lights and Sounds on tour

Lights and Sounds debuted at number five on the Billboard 200, Comprehensive Albums, and Top Internet Albums' charts,[41][42][43] and sold over 90,000 copies in its first week of release.[1] As of June 2006, Lights and Sounds has sold over 315,000 copies in the United States.[1] The album did not exceed the expectations of Ocean Avenue, which approached 2 million in record sales.[1] The album also failed to debut within the Top 50 charts in the United States.[1] Internationally, Lights and Sounds peaked at number four on the Canadian Top Album Chart,[43] making it Yellowcard's highest debut in Canada. It also debuted at number six in the Australian chart, in which it spent six weeks, before retiring in the number 49 position.[44] In the New Zealand chart it peaked in the number 11 position.[44] Lights and Sounds charted on the number 59 spot in the United Kingdom and spent one week on the chart.[45]

When asked about the disappointment of sales that Lights and Sounds received, Sean Mackin said: "I think that the band went on ... maybe not a tangent, but we had a goal in mind, and at the end of the recording process, we were so proud of how artistic we were. And I think we showed too much. I think maybe we were a little too jaded and a little too dark, and I think that the lack of hope and faith that we put on this record made us a little less sparkly and light to people. But I think that it's all part of our evolution. We all went a bit too far".[1] Mackin also insisted that the band did not see the album as a mistake, but more of a "learning experience",[1] so that it would not happen again whey they work on their next album.

Two singles were released from Lights and Sounds. The first, "Lights and Sounds", the title track, was released on November 25, 2005.[46] The song peaked at number four on Billboard's Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart.[47] The song also appeared on the Hot Digital Songs chart on the number 26 position.[47] It also charted in Billboard's Hot 100 and Pop 100, respectively.[47] The second single, "Rough Landing, Holly", was released on May 6, 2006, reached 27 on Billboard's Hot Modern Rock Tracks, and peaked at number 49 on the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) chart.[48]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Ryan Key, Pete Mosely, Sean Mackin, and Longineu W. Parsons III, except where noted

Lights and Sounds
No.TitleLength
1."Three Flights Up" (Key, Mosely, Mackin)1:23
2."Lights and Sounds"3:28
3."Down on My Head" (Key, Mosely)3:32
4."Sure Thing Falling"3:42
5."City of Devils"4:23
6."Rough Landing, Holly"3:33
7."Two Weeks from Twenty" (Key, Mosely)4:18
8."Waiting Game"4:15
9."Martin Sheen of JFK"3:47
10."Space Travel" (Key, Mosely)3:47
11."Grey"3:00
12."Words, Hands, Hearts"4:24
13."How I Go" (Key, Mosely)4:32
14."Holly Wood Died"4:39
Bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
15."Three Flights Down" (Japan and iTunes)4:42
16."Down on My Head" (Wal-Mart only acoustic version)3:25

Personnel

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Montgomery, James (June 27, 2006). "Yellowcard On Ambitious Lights And Sounds: 'We All Went A Bit Too Far'". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved March 20, 2009. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ a b c d e Tomlinson, Sarah (January 27, 2006). "After highs and lows, Yellowcard grows up". The Boston Globe. Retrieved March 4, 2009.
  3. ^ a b c d Goldberg, Michael Alan (January 27, 2006). "Digging deeper". The Boston Phoenix. p. 1. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
  4. ^ Montgomery, James (June 14, 2005). "Don't You Forget About Yellowcard: Band To Return This Fall". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved March 4, 2009.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Montgomery, James (August 9, 2005). "Yellowcard Move To New York, Write LP About Hating Los Angeles". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved March 4, 2009.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Montgomery, James (February 3, 2005). "Yellowcard Feverishly Working On New Album ... Starting Tomorrow". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved March 8, 2009.
  7. ^ a b c Montgomery, James (May 1, 2005). "Yellowcard Finally Have A Concept For Their Non-Concept Album". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved March 8, 2009.
  8. ^ "US rockers Yellowcard preview new album". Eastern Daily Press. Archant. March 10, 2006. Retrieved April 3, 2009.
  9. ^ "Yellowcard". Yahoo! Music. Yahoo!. Retrieved April 3, 2009.
  10. ^ a b Ford, Tracey (September 13, 2005). "Yellowcard Make "Sounds"". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 9, 2009.
  11. ^ a b c Devenish, Colin (June 24, 2005). "Yellowcard Green No More". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 9, 2009.
  12. ^ a b c McClanahan, Dan (January 26, 2006). "Highnote: CD Review- Yellowcard". Iowa State Daily. Retrieved March 25, 2009.
  13. ^ Temby, William (February 7, 2006). "Yellowcard 'Sounds' no different than contemporaries". The Daily Cardinal. Retrieved March 25, 2009. On Lights and Sounds, Yellowcard clearly attempts to grow beyond the teen punk-pop of their past.
  14. ^ "Yellowcard - Bio". Yellowcard. Retrieved March 5, 2009.
  15. ^ Larocque, Mike (September 22, 2005). "What are you, Yellow?". Vue Weekly. Retrieved March 23, 2009.
  16. ^ Beaujour, Tom (January 20, 2006). "Lights and Sounds". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 1, 2009.
  17. ^ Sterdan, Darryl (January 27, 2006). "Lights and Sounds". Jam!. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved March 10, 2009.
  18. ^ a b Montgomery, James (December 19, 2005). "Yellowcard Singer's Duet With Dixie Chick Winning Points With Parents". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved March 10, 2009.
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  20. ^ a b Vandor, Mollie (June 28, 2006). "Lighting Up". Daily Nexus. Retrieved March 30, 2009.
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  22. ^ a b c Edwards, Gavin (February 13, 2006). "Yellowcard Rock With Strings Attached". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 3, 2009.
  23. ^ "Yellowcard Light and Sounds--Bio". College World Series - Omaha. 2006. Retrieved March 4, 2009.
  24. ^ a b c Neven, Tom (January 30, 2006). "Does Yellowcard Deserve One?" (Internet Archive). MTV. Plugged In Online. Retrieved March 3, 2009.
  25. ^ a b c Montgomery, James (September 13, 2005). "Yellowcard Line Up Club Tour, Post A Preview Of Newly Named LP". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved March 9, 2009.
  26. ^ Hasty, Katie (November 1, 2005). "Yellowcard Confirms New Album Track List". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved March 3, 2009.
  27. ^ Montgomery, James (October 17, 2005). "Yellowcard Get Back To Rock Roots, Lure Moths In New Video". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved March 4, 2009.
  28. ^ a b Montgomery, James (November 7, 2005). "Yellowcard Confirm What Fans Already Knew: Ben Harper Is Out". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved March 10, 2009.
  29. ^ a b c d Sanneh, Kelefa (January 26, 2006). "Critic's Notebook; In the Wake of Grunge, A Rock Culture Clash". The New York Times. p. 2. Retrieved March 23, 2009.
  30. ^ Lazarus, David (January 22, 2006). "What cell phone ads don't say". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved March 4, 2009.
  31. ^ "One Tree Hill Featured Music". The CW Television Network. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
  32. ^ Mark Schwahn and Stuart Gillard (October 25, 2006). "I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness". One Tree Hill. Season 4. Episode 5. 42 minutes in. The CW Television Network. {{cite episode}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |seriesno= and |serieslink= (help); Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help)
  33. ^ "IGN: Flatout 2 Flatout Rocks". IGN Music. News Corporation. June 15, 2006. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
  34. ^ a b c d "Yellowcard: Lights And Sounds (2006): Reviews". Metacritic. January 24, 2006. Retrieved March 5, 2009.
  35. ^ Breier, Ben (January 19, 2006). "Band doesn't go for the gold on new album". Kent State University Official Website. kentnewsnet.com. Retrieved April 2, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  36. ^ a b Schiller, Mike (February 16, 2006). "Yellowcard: Lights and Sounds". PopMatters. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
  37. ^ a b Cowen, Nick (January 27, 2006). "Yellowcard: Lights and Sounds". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
  38. ^ a b Eliscu, Jenna (January 23, 2006). "Yellowcard: Lights and Sounds". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
  39. ^ "Yellowcard - Lights And Sounds Review". Sputnikmusic. January 28, 2006. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
  40. ^ a b Phares, Heather (January 24, 2006). "Lights and Sounds". All Music. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
  41. ^ "Top Music Charts - Hot 100 - Billboard 200". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. February 11, 2006. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
  42. ^ "Billboard Comprehensive Albums". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. February 11, 2006. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
  43. ^ a b "Yellowcard - Charts and Awards". Billboard. All Music. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
  44. ^ a b "Yellowcard - Lights and Sounds". Austrian Charts. March 2006. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
  45. ^ "Chart Stats - Yellowcard - Lights and Sounds". Chart Stats. April 2, 2006. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
  46. ^ Hasty, Katie (November 1, 2005). "Yellowcard Confirms New Album Track List". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved March 3, 2009.
  47. ^ a b c "Artist Chart History". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved March 3, 2009.
  48. ^ "Yellowcard - Rough Landing, Holly". Australian Recording Industry Association chart. May 21, 2006. Retrieved March 20, 2009.

External links


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