[3/5]
Newsflash: Yellowcard play cookie-cutter pop-punk that is nearly indistinguishable from any dozen other bands in the genre. The gimmicky violin buried almost inaudibly in every mix notwithstanding, there's little to set them apart. Except, of course, that 1) they sort of built that cookie cutter; and 2) they can't seem to write anything less than giant, rock-your-face-off choruses. Paper Walls delivers on all key points: Soaring hooks; crunchy pogo riffs; emo-light counterpoint vocal melodies; circular, ascending guitar/violin motifs; and vaguely life-affirming lyrics like "I'll never give up, no I'll never give up." Strangely, the band sometimes lapse into a weird sort of modern-rock karaoke with their Incubus affectations on "Light Up The Sky" or the Blink-182 vocals on "The Takedown." This record will still sound great at the mall or at the beach or-even better-at a mall near the beach! (CAPITOL) Luke O'Neil
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