If you’ve been waiting for Part 2 of our interview with Us Against The Archers, here it is!
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Check this out, we have a sweet video of our interview with Us Against The Archers. Part 1 is below, Part 2 will be posted tomorrow.
I was browsing the PureVolume homepage today to see the newest batch of Pure Picks, and I was totally surprised by this one group from Japan called Ellegarden.
It wasn’t just because they were amazing, but because they sounded eerily similar to Blink 182. Really similar.
And I was pumped because I’m a Blink fan and with these guys around it’s like I can still buy Blink albums!
Right now they have three good songs on their PureVolume page and you can download each one, so check em out.
We got a chance to sit down with Seth Decoteau, who co-founded Topshelf Records, in their Western Mass headquarters.
Here’s the interview:
There ya go!
Yellowcard – Paper Walls Out July 17th, 2007.
Track Listing:
01) The Takedown
02) Fighting
03) Shrink The World
04) Keeper
05) Light Up The Sky
06) Shadows And Regrets
07) Five Becomes Four
08) Afraid
09) Date Line (I Am Gone)
10) Dear Bobbie
11) You And Me And One Spotlight
12) Cut Me, Mick
13) Paper Walls
Paper Walls has an Ocean Avenue feel with its fast upbeat drumming and catchy hooks. A lot of people like when a band comes out with an album that has the same sound as a previous album, while others would rather have them create something that doesn’t sound anything like the band’s previous work. Paper Walls will have some haters saying that it sounds too much like Ocean Avenue, yet it will have a lot of people wanting more because this is the Yellowcard sound that they have grown to love!
The first three songs, Takedown, Fighting, and Shrink the World, are all solid songs. Shrink the World is an awesome song that starts out with some clean guitar and the chorus “If I could then I would shrink the world tonight, so that I would find you and me inside.” It’s pretty easy to sing along with that chorus and this song is one of my favorites on the disc.
Now that I gave you a few good songs, let’s talk about a song that I think is rather boring. Light up the Sky doesn’t really do it for me. The chorus is overplayed for a chorus that isn’t that great and I am not a big fan of the lyrics, “I would die for you.” That line was good for the Bryan Adams song, “Everything I Do, I Do it For You,” that was used in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, but I am sick of hearing “I would die for you.” The background music doesn’t get me too interested in the song either. The only cool part in my opinion is the drumming part at about 2:40. Their drummer Longineu Parsons’ creativity really makes this album what it is.
Shadows and Regrets is a song that is definitely worth mentioning. The song starts out with some acoustic guitar and then at about 1:00 drums come in and they really make this song for me. Just the sound that they have with the acoustic guitar playing and Ryan’s voice really makes this one a top 3 favorite of mine. The violin can be heard and it has a very nice feel to it because it is a slower song and we get to hear some slow violin instead of the speedy violin parts that we are used to hearing. Oh yeah, did I mention that it has a really catchy chorus?
The next song Five Becomes Four is a song that really reminds me of a song off of Ocean Avenue. It has the speedy violin that I just discussed above and the fast drumming. The song, Afraid, has a really neat violin part during the chorus which really makes this chorus a full package. It isn’t the catchiest chorus but it has the violin in the background that grabs your attention.
Dear Bobbie is a slow acoustic song that starts out with a letter that is read with background music playing. The song is pretty emotional and it actually reminds me of Hawk Nelson. I know you are probably questioning this, but once you hear the song, let me know if you hear any Hawk Nelson in it. I think it might be how Ryan pronounces his lyrics in the song.
Paper Walls comes to a close with the title track, which starts out with an acoustic guitar and a children’s choir. Quickly after the choir ends, some heavy guitar, rocking drums, and a quick violin sound begin Paper Walls. The beginning lyrics are probably my favorite part of the song. “Let’s burn a hole so we can climb out of these paper walls and this empty house” are the lyrics that I speak of. Overall this last song isn’t too bad. I think that they could have had a better closure song but I can’t complain. Ryan Key’s vocals are so perfect for Pop Punk. Like him or not, the guy’s got talent.
The one last thing that I have to say is the choruses are catchy to me the first listen. A lot of times when a chorus is catchy the first time, the song gets old after a few listens. I like songs that grow on me and usually the songs that do grow are the ones that have lasting listening power. This should certainly not stop you from buying this album, but you have to take that into consideration, if you have the same outlook on a song as I do.
Thanks for reading and be sure to check out www.myspace.com/yellowcard to hear some new tracks from the album. Paper Walls hits stores on July 17 on Capitol Records!
Here’s another live video from Us Against The Archers, brought to you by InsidePunk. This one is the song “Halos on Bedposts.” (You might remember this song if you were a fan of The Skeptics.)
Here is the latest footage we did with Us Against The Archers. It’s live video of them performing Glass House Party at The Mercyhouse in Amherst, MA.
Want to see the latest cool addition to InsidePunk? Then head on over to our photo gallery for pics of UATA.
I got some live pics and we did a bit of a photo shoot up at the Mercyhouse in Amherst, Mass. Check it out!
The Starting Line – Direction In Stores July 31st
Track Listing
01) Direction
02) 21
03) Are You Alone
04) Island
05) Hurry
06) Something Left to Give
07) Birds
08) Way With Words
09) I Could Be Wrong
10) Somebody’s Gonna Miss Us
11) Need to Love
12) What You Want
I’ve always been a big fan of The Starting Line and after hearing Direction I can honestly say that you will not be let down. If you liked this band in the past, you are going to love this album. Direction is the follow up to 2005′s Based on a True Story. This new record has some of the same feel as BOATS did but also has a new, more mature sound. Direction still has its pop punk sound but it also has its rock sound as well. Kenny’s vocals have matured so much since his “Say it Like You Mean it” days. Each song has its own feel to it and although some of the lyrics are a little weak, Ken does not hold back and tells you exactly how he feels. The Starting Line was going for an album with some simple structured songs, yet still holding your attention, and they have certainly done just that!
The album starts out with the title track “Direction.” Most of you have heard this song already on their Myspace page. It is a little harder look at what these guys can come up with. Direction is a great way to start out the album because it gets you moving right away. The song also grabs your attention because you aren’t used to hearing this harder feel that they have created. All and all you get the purpose of this track, which is The Starting Line is moving in a new ‘direction’ and if you don’t like it then you can take a hike.
Next up is “21.” The song title pretty much explains this song. It’s about the age 21 and doing things that a normal 21 year old would do, such as drinking. The background music is pretty poppy and has a nice feel to it. The chorus says it all “It’s seven and I’m already wasted, I’m 21 and I’m already hazy.”
Moving right along to track number three, which is titled “Are You Alone.” The song starts out with some crunchy guitar work and Kenny shouting out “We’re just everyday people.” The lyrics in this song are about feeling lonely. This song gets a little repetitive towards the end but it has a different feel to it and would be a good song to listen to as a motivational song if you were feeling lonely. This one gets the point across that everyone feels a little lonely sometimes and we have to realize that.
The single “Island” is probably my favorite song on this album. The Starting Line really picked a great single and if this gets the right radio play this song could become a huge hit! It’s currently on their Myspace for streaming. It’s a love song about sailing away with your lover to find a comforting place to stay and be with your special one. The song’s chorus is so catchy and so easy to sing along with!
“Hurry” is a great Pop Punk song that this band has been known to create. It’s probably the most poppy song on the album. With its catchy chorus and happy feeling, this one could become a top 4 favorite for you on this album!
In this song called “Something Left to Give,” you will hear how amazing Kenny’s voice has become and just how great of a singer this guy is! It’s a slower song that you will be blasting in your stereo during those warm summer evenings. At about 1:45 this song has a sound that you would hear on an Ace Enders (The Early November) album. The part is repeated throughout the ending of the song and I believe that is where Cove Reber (Saosin) makes his guest vocals come in. The chorus is a catchy sing a long song and the lyrics are about keeping those who we love close to us. Very well written song!
“Birds” is a song that sticks more to the rock sound. The song has a cool little build up before the chorus. You can hear some keys in this song, as on other songs, and they seem to play a pretty big rule in this one. There is a cool little key part during the verses, which makes the song sound full, and to its highest potential.
“Way With Words” is a song that could have been the closure song for this album. It has a pretty sweet breakdown at about 2:09 where Ken yells and then it goes into some slow guitar strumming with Kenny singing the chorus “You’ve lost your way with words, at least that’s what I heard.” Pretty catchy song after a few listens.
This next song has a very cool vibe to it. It’s titled “I Could Be Wrong.” The lyrics are well written and this one has a catchy chorus just as the others do. The lyrics are about standing up for what you believe in. It’s also about others turning away from their problems and not standing up for themselves. The backing vocals at the end of this song fit in so perfectly repeating, “I could be wrong.”
“Somebody’s Going to Miss Us” is a fun pop song that gets you dancing. The lyrics are written as if this band were to end and wondering what the reaction of the fans would be. Once you hear this album the reaction would be a very sad one if this band were to breakup! The lyrics could have been written a little better for this song but it gets the point across. The second verse made me laugh with its Ace of Base reference “All that she wants, is another baby.” There was a live video of this one floating around on the net that you might have seen.
“Need to Love” is a beautiful song that Ken wrote while on a train going from New Jersey to New York. I heard this song live a while back and I could not wait to hear this song as a studio recording. It’s very close to being my favorite song! You feel like you are sitting by Ken on the train in this one. The question “Do you need to love?” is repeated a bunch of times in this track. You will definitely be shouting out and asking your friends “Do you need to love?” after you hear this song. I catch myself singing it to myself very often. A catchy and very visual song!
The last track on Direction is titled “What You Want.” I heard this song a while back as well and it is all that I hoped it would be once they recorded it. It doesn’t take long to get this one stuck in your head. The chorus is another one that you will grasp a hold of and not let go for a long time! It starts out with some guitar picking and then heads straight in to the verse, where the chorus grabs a hold of you and doesn’t let go. The lyrics are written to say, “I want you to have this and I want you to enjoy it, because this is what I love.” (That is a direct quote of Kenny!)
Howard Benson, who produced this record, did a fantastic job! I hope that this review helped you get an idea of what is to come on July 31st when Direction hits stores. Direction will be released via Virgin Records.
