Paper Walls

This album is one of my absolute favourites and ever since my 1st listen to it I have been hooked on Yellowcard. I was completely blown away by the ambitious, epic quality to the songs and how amazingly energetic they are too and have loved it ever since. Angels and airwaves are my favourite band but this is the next best thing with more energy. Light up the sky was the song that got me into the band and is my all time favourite Yellowcard song and I wasn't disappointed when I found that all the rest of the songs on the album are just as epic. Whereas the previous album Lights and sounds had a lot of negativity in it and was pretty dark this album is hopeful and takes you far away from all of that into a lot of positivity. Ryan described this album as going through all of that bad and coming out of it and looking toward the future with hope. You can definitely feel that throughout the album and it pulls you in. I definitely feel like Yellowcard reached their pinnacle of talent on this album and helped them go out with a bang before their hiatus.The album artwork for the album matches the music's epic feel with the cover of a perspective of glowing rows of houses and the city behind with the stars in the sky. The inner artwork matches and ties together the albums title song Paper walls and I love the whole feeling of it.I think the production on the album is perfect. The album kick-starts with The takedown and I mean literally kick-starts with it's fast pace and hugely energetic feel it's one of the best on the album. I think all of the elements of the guitar, drums, bass and violin fit in perfectly on this album and this song is a great example of this. Ryan's calling out to a girl not to turn her back on him because he still feels something for her but he's being taken down by the situation and can't let go. The solo is amazing and shows the quality of guitar work on this venture. Fighting is another amazing tune with a similar feel to it. Shrink the world is one of my favourites where Ryan says he wants to shrink the world so he could be with someone. The energy and pace is incredible in this song with another amazing musical interlude at the middle 8. Keeper is so epic about wanting to be with someone and wanting something real and I love the rhythm of the song with softer verses and a powerful chorus. Amazing! Light up the sky is the best song in my opinion and is the climax of the album with a hugely epic quality and amazingly beautiful, energetic music. Shadows and regrets is a feel-good song which slows things down a bit with acoustic guitar as the backdrop with electric coming in after a while. It's so grand talking about how things were easy as kids and how everything has changed, with an inspirational bridge.Five becomes four is one of the 3 weaker songs in my opinion. I think this is the best of the 3 and still has that massively epic feel with Ryan stating 'I never asked to be the one'. Afraid is another of my favourites with a fantastic sound to it. The chorus has to be the catchiest on the album. Ryan's singing about trying to get someone but not being able to find them. Date line (I am gone) is another 1 of the 3 and has quite soft verses with a pretty mellow chorus. I discovered the other day that the 'International date line' is a longitudinal line on a globe/map. It goes to show Ryan's intelligence when writing songs. Dear Bobbie is an all acoustic song which Ryan wrote about his grandparents with his grandfather reading out extracts of a letter to his wife. It's a beautiful song and even though it has a different feel from the rest of the album it fits in well. You and me and one spotlight is the last of the 3 and is a much less energetic song compared with the first part of the album but the epicness shines throughout and it`s got a great chorus. Cut me, Mick is a strangely titled song but brings back that fantastic energetic and powerful feel. Ryan sings about reaching out for someone when things get bad and how they keep him 'on the ground'. It's a great tune. Paper walls is one of the best on the album with energy, epic quality and powerful lyrics throughout. This song brings a lot of hope, talking about never giving up on dreams and getting rid of any of the hurt inside to start afresh. It's a fantastic ending to an amazing album.The album was the last on Capitol records before the band got dropped by their record label and went on hiatus before reforming again last year. They reached their musical peak with this album and I think everyone should take a listen to it because I would recommend it to anyone and it might just inspire you to great things.

Love this album, it also comes with a bonus dvd, (making of the record) behind the scenes and photo galaryit also comes with a paper case appose to a plastic one..

I will begin this review by stating that Paper Walls is a good album, acomplished musicians and songwriters displaying their obvious talent. It is a step up from Ocean Avenue, but for me it is still (too much) in that same dimension, so much so that it may as well be entitled Ocean Avenue Too!! Lights and Sounds was such a radical leap in songwriting and orchestration that it almost completely redefined Yellowcard's whole sound and direction. To me L&S is a masterpiece of musicianship, PW is a return to safe ground, to a tried and tested formula, a fan pleaser or more significantly a record company pleaser. There are highlights no doubt, the powerful melody of "Shadows and Regrets" beautifully blends acoustic and electric guitar with a haunting interlude from the violin, "Five becomes Four" is a thumping rock song again heavily featuring the violin, "Paper Walls" is destined to become an epic, both on record and I am sure, live! The rest of the album is all thoroughly enjoyable stuff - except maybe for the incredibly corny "Dear Bobbie" - but Yellowcard can do this with their eyes shut, they are capable of far greater things!!!

good cd

great album

In summary, liked this because I enjoyed oceans Avenue, this album isn't as good, bit heavier and lyrics not so rhythmic OK but no stand out songs to my ears

Don't get me wrong, I love Yellowcard (well, the 2000 band rather than the 1997 one). After somewhat disappointing 'Lights & Sounds' album last year, Yellowcard was quick to develop their next album 'Paper Walls', & boy, was it a good recovery! Now I gave it 4 stars rather than 5, is 'Ocean Avenue' I would rate as a 5 star album, now I'm not saying 'Paper Walls' is rubbish, but compared (song wise), 'Ocean Avenue' has more songs I would rate 5-4 stars while 'Paper Walls' I would rank them 4-3 stars, & I know Yellowcard can create more superior songs.There are 4 songs that's very catchy & you're bound to like; 'Shadows & Regrets', 'Fighting', '5 Becomes 4' & 'Light Up The Sky'. They are energetic & is similar, yet different to 'Ocean Avenue' songs, but I assure you, its way better than any song in 'Lights & Sounds' (no disrespect to that album)The 1 song that everybody is unsure about has to be 'Dear Bobbie', some people may say its lame & some may find it heartwarming. It's nothing wrong with the song itself, but they're more likely dislike hearing an elderley man talking about his wife(?) Bobbie at the beginning, middle & at the end of the song.

yellowcard are a band that just keep on progressing. their sound gets more and more mature, and their lyrics get more and more pragmatic.the sound in a nutshell is consistent. many bands are all over the place and don't seem to have a particular style, and end up being too unpredictable. you don't get that with this album.and the lyrics, when closely considered, are actually quite meaningful. i like songs that i can relate to, and they don't come much better than the stuff ryan key puts on paper - and i sure as hell thank him for that.for the fans this is a very safe bet, and for new listeners, you'll be disappointed you hadn't checked them out before.