Yellowcard – When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes

After discovering their comeback single, the scintillating and completely incredible For You And Your Denial, picking up the new album by Yellowcard, their comeback after a few years on hiatus, was an absolute must.

My expectations were high. Then this just completely smashed through them and went to the next level. This is a brilliant, brilliant record from start to finish, and is chock full of everything you would want from a Yellowcard album – emotional, heartfelt songs, driving pop punk riffs and bounce, soaring choruses, and god damn violin fiddling.

This is an awesome body of work that is nigh on complete perfection fromYellowcard. An insanely accomplished statement of intent, announcing a comeback that the world hopes is for good. On the back of this record, they have never sounded better, nor been more vital, than they are right now. This could even be considered to be one of, if not the, most complete Yellowcard album ever, and that is a big compliment. Everything they have ever done has been awesome, but this (on first listen anyway) sounds completely on another level. They are on completely stunning form, and the hiatus has clearly done them some good, as this is a sterling effort through and through.

The hits are one after the other. Personally, there is only one song that wasn’t an instant classic, and that was Hang You Up. Perhaps it is a grower, or it could just be that it suffers when in such perfect company.

Having said that though, that is the only slight downer on what is an utterly compelling and essential album. Everything sounds huge, and each track could be a single. The Sound of You And Me is a stellar opener, and are quickly followed by the lead single, With You Around, and the likes of Life Of Leaving Home. The hits just keep coming too, and by the end, you are left in no doubt that Yellowcard are well and truly back, and on top form. Hide and Soundtrack are two more stand outs, the latter bringing an awesome vibe, and a breakdown to die for.

The old hands are here to throw down the gauntlet it seems to the young pretenders to their crown. And with a record like this, nobody would bet against them reigning supreme once more.

My head said this perhaps should not get a full 10/10 as a result of having one track that didn’t quite live up to the rest. Then I listened to my heart, and gave it the full score anyway. It is just THAT good a record.

Go and buy this now – Get ready to fall in love with them all over again.

Now . . .where’s that violin??

10/10