Yellowcard
The Underdog EP
Fueled By Ramen
Hmmm… Not really sure what to make of this. The cover of the CD features a bunch of kids who are trying to make fun of football players, sitting on a bench. The funny thing is, though, is that these guys look too much like football players, making it impossible not to at least kind of take the picture seriously. At least one of these guys had to actually have played football in high school; they just look too much like the people they’re trying to make fun of to actually pull off the joke.
That being said, as with many of today’s popular “emo” bands (New Found Glory, Saves The Day, etc.), it seems that the actual “emotion” being spewed forth in their music isn’t very genuine; the same can be said of Yellowcard on The Underdog EP. I just don’t believe them. I can’t believe that they’ve actually experienced the things that they speak of; it seems to me that they probably saw emotional occurrences in other people, either through the music of past “emo” bands, or through their friends. Yellowcard kind of have the “Ultimate Fakebook syndrome” – they seem like carbon copies of predecessors, and no real substance exists: in U.F.’s case, it was Weezer; in Yellowcard’s case, it’s New Found Glory [a case could be made, as well, that NFG have copied bands that have copied bands, and so on].
Nevertheless, Yellowcard try to differentiate themselves from the rabid pack of “emo” newcomers by including what sounds like fiddles or violins into their music. It just doesn’t work. Older music fans will remember spastic emo bands of the early ‘90’s often including horns in their music; it rarely worked, if ever, and it mostly came off as silly posturing. Same deal here.
I’m sure Yellowcard will probably move a lot of unit in the emo crowd; they’re very sing-along-able, the album is well produced, and the songs are catchy. For my money, though, if I want strings, I’ll listen to classical or NPR.
Fueled By Ramen Records: http://www.fueledbyramen.com
