Every musical era has its masters, Elvis, who pioneered rock and roll; Prince who led pop into a new era throughout the 1980s and 1990s; and Johnny Cash, Country Music Hall of Fame icon. When I think of early 2000s pop-punk, Yellowcard is the first to come to mind. While the members of Yellowcard disbanded in 2017, they have reassembled to provide their fans with a new EP, Childhood Eyes. Lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist, Ryan Key, returns with Sean Mackin on violin, Ryan Mendez on lead guitar, and Josh Portman on bass.
Yellowcard’s punchy rhythms and howling hooks are what keep fans coming back and this five-song EP does not disappoint. When listening to the first track on Childhood Eyes, “Three Minutes More,” I felt at home knowing that Yellowcard did not depart from their energetic and fast-paced tempo. However, the substance of the album is tucked away in the lyrics. Vic Fuentes of Pierce the Veil sings, “Sifting through all the locks and the keys/ thought I was solving all of life’s mysteries,” in an attempt to convey the dichotomy of experiencing life’s trials for the first time and again later in life or in different contexts. The band, and its audience, have matured and the lyrics throughout Childhood Eyes grapple with that reality.
The title track, “Childhood Eyes”, sheds a positive light on how maturity helps with relationships of all types, end. Instead of looking at what went wrong, Ryan Key battles both internally and externally, “Love leaves me empty every time / Am I the only one who isn’t dead inside … Am I the only one watching with childhood eyes,” but settles with the idea that he is comfortable in who he is in the final line of the song, “I am the love you need.” I believe that Key’s examination of immediate anxiety contrasted with confidence is a way of showing his growth as a person and a band member. In the liner notes, Ryan Key provides context to how his age has shaped the lyrics for the title track of the EP, “I’m particularly proud of these lyrics, because they’re 43-year-old Ryan writing, not 23-year-old Ryan writing. I got to write from where I am right now.” While the exploration of pain and struggle hold significant weight in all of Yellowcard’s albums, this latest EP highlights how the dark themes persist throughout our lives and deserve reconciliation, or “childhood eyes.”
Fans will enjoy the range presented in this five-song EP, which also includes “Hiding in the Light”, “Honest From the Jump”, and “The Places We’ll Go” featuring Chris Carrabba of Dashboard Confessional. Childhood Eyes will challenge seasoned Yellowcard listeners because they, like Yellowcard’s band members, have had more experiences relating to love, communication, and broken promises. The title track “Childhood Eyes” is available now and the full album will be released on July 21.
Yellowcard has been around for more than 20 years and are gearing up to celebrate one of their most popular albums, Ocean Avenue. I recently heard “Ocean Avenue” on the radio while driving in town with my partner. We both went dead silent when the song began and were instantly belting, “We could leave this town and run forever,” with the angst of our teenage years. We found ourselves recounting the emotions we had tied up in the song and the situations those feelings were tied to: a break up, a death in the family, and just simply feeling out of place. I would argue that the weight of these situations becomes easier to emotionally manage as time passes. I hope that fans, old and new, enjoy the levity that comes with age while listening to Childhood Eyes.
Whether you are a newer follower or grew up with the band, catching Yellowcard at Huntington Bank Pavilion on July 16 is a must. With support from Mayday Parade, Story of the Year, The Wild Life, and Emo Night Brooklyn, I have a feeling that this lineup will keep you buzzing all night! Childhood Eyes is set to release on July 21.
This preview of Yellowcard's EP and upcoming show at Huntington Bank Pavilion was written by guest author Daniel M. Bass-Blue II. Daniel is from Chesapeake, Va., and spent his time in undergrad exploring the intersection of technology and art at Duke University. He has spent the last four years as an analytics professional in Jacksonville, Fla., and Atlanta, Ga. Daniel enjoys long bike rides with friends, swimming, photography, and playing music in his free time. He will be continuing his educational journey at Howard University School of Law in the fall of 2023.