Rediscovery.

Don't you love that feeling of rediscovering something? Maybe something you lost, or something that you used to enjoy but haven't seen in a while. Finding that something can feel really, really good.

For me, the rediscovery comes in the form of a band called Yellowcard. These guys were a pop-punk band who came out in 2003 (if i remember correctly). I remember when i first came across them.

I was just flicking through, channel surfing my way across a sea of music videos from the many 'be-in-a-rockband-cos-it's-the-'in'-thing' type of bands, until i came a cross this one music video that really caught my attention. I was watching this band, which looked like any other, but then i noticed something different, something that wasn't usually there, something that didn't fit the whole 'be-in-a-rockband-cos-it's-the-'in'-thing' image that all those other bands were portaying. What was it? A violin.

Yes, that's right, a violin, being played by a rock violinist, something completely unheard of at the time. Now, i'll be honest. I thought the violin was a gimmick, maybe it was? Either way, it takes nothing away from that song. "Way Away" was the name of the video, and it blew me away. This band did what i had always wanted to do with a band of my own: powerful rock songs with good vocals and catchy, epic choruses. This was Yellowcard.

Way Away became my new favourite song at the time, and it was the song that introduced me to Dropped-D tuning. Then i discovered the album, Ocean Avenue.

I loved the album. The songs on it were great.You had the epic "Way Away", the brilliantly melodic "Ocean Avenue", and the big, powerful love song, "Only One", all of which went on to be singles. Heres a video:

Ocean Avenue, live acoustic:



Yes, "Ocean Avenue" is a good song, even on acoustic. Now, back to the story:

"Only One". This is where my feelings changed - commercial success. Suddenly the people who actually thought Simple Plan were a 'real' band were listening. This was bad. Now, when Ocean Avenue came out, it was well received, but it wasnt what caused the problems for me. The single that did cause a problem for me was "Only One".

Now, I don't know why i felt so strongly about it, but at the time, i couldnt stand the fact that Good Charlotte and Simple Plan followers were listening to Yellowcard, or at least saying they were, because of "Only One". It was played everywhere, over and over. I just got sick of the song. This caused me to start straying away Yellowcard.

Anyway, their second album came out, but i wasn't keen on the first single (at the time), so i just stayed away from the entire album.

Now, fast forward about 5 years, to about 2 months ago. I was on youtube, and somehow, came across this amazing video. What was it? Yellowcard playing for the first time ever on television. It was a live performance of "Way Away" on Pepsi Smash, which you can view here:



This performance was the catalyst to my rediscovery of Yellowcard. Well, this made me wanna go out and buy the Lights and Sounds album that i had shunned for so long, so i while i was out in Gadong one night, i went to the cd shop. Guess what i found? No, not the Lights and Sounds album. Nope, it was a completely different album, called "Paper Walls", by Yellowcard. A new album. They had released a new album, 2 years ago in 2007, and i had no idea.

It went straight into the cd player of my car, and that is where it has been since. "Paper Walls" is brilliant. I love it. It is without a doubt their best album. Why? Simply because, unlike Ocean Avenue (which i do like, don't get me wrong), this album is easier to just sit back and listen to all the way through. It's also better than Lights and Sounds (which i have also listened to), simply because the songs on Paper Walls are better. I only like two songs on the Lights and Sounds album: "Rough Landing, Holly" and "Lights and Sounds" (I changed my mind about it haha).

The main reason Lights and Sounds failed for me as an album is because Yellowcard just tried to grow up, and change their sound to one which was darker - an understandable move, but a move that cost them their most valued asset: their catchy, uplifting choruses. This is what made them big in the first place, but they lost that in Lights and Sounds.

Now, this is what makes Paper Walls extra special. Yellowcard of managed to recapture the epic, kickass, powerful, sense of urgency of "Way Away"; the catchy pop-py melodical hooks of "Ocean Avenue"; and the desperately honest love of "Only One", and turn it all into one album. The result? Brilliance.

The album kicks off with a song that just shouts "We're back.", called the "The Take Down". This is followed by the urgent, epic "Fighting", and i could go on and on and on, but i will stop now before this post gets too ridiculously long.

Paper Walls is a brilliant album, that's all there is to it. Yellowcard embody everything that i wanted my band to be all those years ago. The rush, feeling that sense of urgency - no other band has managed to do that for me since Yellowcard. I have rediscovered that rush - I have rediscovered Yellowcard.

Tell me, have you ever rediscovered anything?

Think about that while listening to this: