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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.




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Track List

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