“I want to show you the ways that I’ve grown.”
Those who lived through the mainstream success of pop-punk in the 90s and 2000s might find it hard to believe that it has been twenty years since the release of Yellowcard’s landmark record Ocean Avenue. Proving to be the band’s breakthrough album, Ocean Avenue and its trio of singles “Way Away”, “Ocean Avenue”, and “Only One” became staples on mainstream radio and on MTV and VH1’s music video rotations. Additionally, the group’s continued success with subsequent albums Lights and Sounds and Paper Walls helped continue to pave the way for what is now an extensive discography spanning multiple decades. Twenty years on from their landmark album, as well as a few line-up changes, and both a hiatus and disbandment later, the veteran group are back and armed with a rejuvenated creative spirit and their upcoming EP Childhood Eyes, which is set to be their first release with Equal Vision Records.
The sole single ahead of the full EP release, title track “Childhood Eyes” is by far the weakest cut on the EP. While the track’s release and accompanying EP announcement helped mark and solidify Yellowcard’s return, it falls flat in comparison to the remaining songs on the EP with some borderline immature lyricism. While “Childhood Eyes’” chorus is catchy, it feels tame and middle-of-the-road compared to the big, anthemic choruses present in the other tracks on the EP and across the group’s discography. Additionally, the repetition of “I am the love you need” in both the song’s bridge and outro feels redundant and ensures the track remains average at best.
Not exclusive to the just EP’s title track, another critique I have would be that longtime violinist Sean Mackin is frequently drowned out in the mix across much of the EP. One of the defining elements of Yellowcard’s sound that set them apart from their contemporaries early on, the moments across Childhood Eyes where Mackin’s violin is really given the space to shine feel as grand as ever. That the violin seems to be so buried in the mix is a disservice to what is one of the quintessential parts of Yellowcard’s identity as a band.
Despite a weak initial showing, the remaining tracks across Childhood Eyes more than pick up the pace where “Childhood Eyes” dropped off. “Hiding in the Light” and “Honest from the Jump” follow on from the title track and help the EP bounce back with their massive choruses and lush, fleshed out soundscapes. One thing I appreciated about Yellowcard’s music in the past was just how massive a lot of their songs felt—tracks like “Believe” or “Rough Landing, Holly” and “Holly Wood Died” have this larger than life quality to them that always felt intrinsically Yellowcard to me. While “Hiding in the Light” and “Honest from the Jump” don’t quite have that same sense of grandiosity as the aforementioned tracks, they do feel like a more mature recapturing of that same energy exemplified in their past discography.
Bookended by a pair of features, both Childhood Eyes’ opening and closing tracks make the most of their guest vocalist’s appearances. Opener “Three Minutes More” sees Key and Vic Fuentes of Pierce the Veil trading lines in a punchy, uptempo track complete with lyrical nods to “Ocean Avenue” and Dashboard Confessional’s 2003 album A Mark, a Mission, a Brand, a Scar. Coincidentally, closer “The Places We’ll Go” sees its feature from none other than Dashboard Confessional’s Chris Carrabba. The closing track’s wistful lyricism and acoustic instrumentation, paired with Mackin’s plaintive violin and Key and Carrabba’s moving vocal performances create an evocative soundscape reminiscent of older Yellowcard cuts such as “One Year, Six Months” or “How I Go”, helping the EP end on a much softer note than the one it started on.
A solid mix of nostalgic leanings and modern refinery, Childhood Eyes is a mature realization of sound for a veteran group returning to form after an extended time apart. Despite a few missteps, Yellowcard have proven that they can still create music that resonates with their fanbase that has grown up with them, and their renewed musical journey should satisfy those who have been waiting a long six years for new music from the established pop-punk outfit.
8/10
Childhood Eyes is out this Friday July 21st via Equal Vision Records, with links for pre-ordering the EP, merchandise, and tickets to the ongoing Celebrating 20 Years of Ocean Avenue tour available here.