Yellowcard – Life A Sail
Review by Geoff Burns
Yellowcard has returned with its seventh full-length album, Lift A Sail, and its first release with Razor and Tie Records. With an incredibly inspiring story behind the album, Yellowcard takes its music to an entire new level with this release.
The record starts with instrumental track, “Convocation.” Not only does the sound of Sean Mackin’s violin give you hope for what the rest of the album has to offer, it stands as a rebirth for the band. If Lift A Sail was a giant letter, “Convocation” is the “Dear …..” line at the very beginning, symbolizing purpose. And that purpose is filled with a message of evolving its sound for the better.
The instrumental leads right into the next track “Transmission Home,” potentially one of the strongest songs on the album. A steady, heavy drum beat, from Anberlin’s Nate Young as the guest drummer throughout the record, is overpowered by a heavier guitar riff from Ryan Mendez during the verse. The song takes a new direction musically during the chorus with light vocals as frontman Ryan Key sings, “I will send a transmission home, to say that I’ve been out here to long alone, and I want to come down now.”
A couple of songs later and we hear the track “One Bedroom.” The track is inspired about Key’s feelings he had during the first stages of rehabilitation his wife had to go through after being paralyzed from the waist down from a snowboarding accident. The song has the capability of feeling emotion while Key sings, “What more could I do in a life without you? What more could I lose than what I’ve found in you?”
Another highlight of the record is when we hear Matty Mullins from Memphis May Fire on the track “The Deepest Well.” Mendez keeps a fast guitar riff during the verse and switches to distorted power chords during the chorus as Key and Mullins sing back and forth. The song reminds Yellowcard fans why they were attracted to its music in the first place.
The highest peak on the album is the title track, “Lift A Sail.” The song starts with Key singing, “If a cold wind starts to rise, I am ready now, I am ready now.” The song is about being able to face any one of life’s hardships and overcoming the struggle. It’s about winning the battle. If there is any song with these kinds of lyrics hanging above soft violin chords and an echoed drum sound that give some sort of indication of how much Yellowcard has evolved its music, this is the track.
Lift A Sail isn’t a one-time listen. This is a record that will be played on repeat by fans for a long time. Yellowcard has so much potential with this release, and fans should be more than excited for what’s going to come next.
Overall Rating 4.5/5
Recommended Tracks: “Transmission Home” and “Lift A Sail”
Website // Facebook // Twitter // Instagram
