Yellowcard – Where We Stand / 2005 Takeover Records / 10 Tracks / http://www.yellowcardrock.com / http://www.takeoverrock.com / Reviewed 21 June 2005

Yellowcard has matured a lot from this 1999 album (re-released this year by Takeover Records), that is no lie. This is not embarrassing for the band; rather, the sound that Yellowcard cultivated for “One For The Kids” is just a leap from the more punk and metal influence of “Where We Stand”. The general sound found on this disc – the meshing of eighties-metal (think Iron Maiden) with emo/pop-punk styles of vocals was just not something tenable for the course of a band’s career. Everything feels more loose and rough-hewn than say “Ocean Avenue”; during a track like “Sue”, the band has obvious gold but there are so many things happening during the disc – the drum fill, in specific that really detract from the allure of the track. “April 20th” shows a Dexter Holland influence in the lead vocals of Ben and some more of the same wall of sound that pulls the disc down from the heights it could achieve.

The key thing that would make this disc more memorable has to be a reduction of the fuzz that surrounds all instruments; as it is, some of the guitar lines are perfect for the music (simplistic, workhorse riffs) but with the fuzz they just confuse the entire focus of the disc. For the most part, the production of this disc works for Yellowcard at this point during their career, but nearly seven years after the fact, the sound on tracks like “Kids” seems unnecessarily tinny and needlessly distorted. However, tracks like “Doesn’t Matter” really sell the disc; the band’s move into a position that challenges normal time signature while still making a largely-radio friendly sound is a feat all itself and really stands for the challenges they would make after assuming the position of one of the most popular emo/punk bands out on the market.

Being able to see the evolution of Yellowcard’s sound is perhaps the beat reason to pick this album up; during the entirety of “Where We Stand”, one can see the confidence that inspired them to create better music but a lack of maturity that makes sense in the context of the band (they were only together for a few years before recording this, their second album). This album may not be indicative of what Yellowcard would become, but it is essential for all fans to see exactly what the band had to overcome before assuming the mantle of superstardom.

Top Tracks: Anywhere But Here, April 20th

Rating: 5.7/10