Childhood Eyes | ||||
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EP by | ||||
Released | July 21, 2023 | |||
Genre | Pop-punk | |||
Length | 18:23 | |||
Label | Equal Vision | |||
Producer | Neal Avron [1] | |||
Yellowcard chronology | ||||
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Singles from Childhood Eyes | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Sputnikmusic | [2] |
Boolin Tunes | [3] |
Distorted Sound | [4] |
Childhood Eyes is an EP recorded by American rock band Yellowcard. It was released on July 21, 2023 through Equal Vision Records. The project marks the band's first studio material in nearly seven years, following their self-titled album in 2016 and subsequent breakup the following year.
Yellowcard disbanded in March 2017 following the release of their eponymous final album and supporting world tour. In an interview for Entertainment Weekly , lead vocalist Ryan Key said: "I truly never believed I'd be doing anything with Yellowcard again. We had all moved on, and Yellowcard was a closed book in our past." Key went on to detail getting an invitation for the band to reunite at Riot Fest in September 2022, stating: "That phone call came in and changed our lives forever. You don't want to talk about money, right? But that's what got us on the phone. Some of us in the band hadn't spoken in six years at that point — no communication whatsoever." [5]
The band embarked on a 20th anniversary tour for their major label debut Ocean Avenue the following summer, with Key describing the tour to Rolling Stone as the "biggest" tour of the band's career; "It’s funny how we don’t feel like we are chasing anything anymore. It’s safe to say that the band is bigger than we’ve ever been in our entire career right now." Key continued, "We’ve never played any of these venues. I was afraid that I was going to have this sort of, “where have you been all my life?” mentality for all the people at these shows. Instead, I’m filled with an unbelievable sense of gratitude. We’re playing for between five and seven thousand people a night." [6]
Violinist Sean Mackin told Get Some Magazine, "Yellowcard’s return was fueled by a reunion show to celebrate Ocean Avenue for Riot Fest, and that enthusiastic welcome fueled a full tour and an uncertain future for our band. We never imagined we would have the opportunity to write new music or play any shows of this magnitude, so this has been a very shocking and lovely surprise. We were really excited to work with Equal Vision because they were excited to work with us, and they have been very supportive throughout the whole process." [7]
Key also told Alternative Press that "the body was cold for Yellowcard. For those of us that hadn't communicated in many years after the end of the band, there really was a coming together and a reconciling, and there was a feeling of camaraderie and brotherhood and friendship again in the room." [8]
After the band had reconciled their personal and creative differences, they signed with Equal Vision Records and entered the studio to record a 5-track EP. The title track was released as the first single on May 31, 2023, and the project was released in full on July 21.
Adapted from Apple Music. [9] All lyrics by Ryan Key. All music by Yellowcard.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Three Minutes More" (feat. Vic Fuentes of Pierce the Veil) | 3:23 |
2. | "Childhood Eyes" | 3:13 |
3. | "Hiding in the Light" | 3:09 |
4. | "Honest from the Jump" | 4:26 |
5. | "The Places We'll Go" (feat. Chris Carrabba of Dashboard Confessional) | 4:10 |
Total length: | 18:23 |
Childhood Eyes received positive reviews from critics. A Sputnikmusic user wrote, "Childhood Eyes is a revitalization of the band’s classic sound. It possesses the energy and tightness of albums like Paper Walls and Southern Air, marking the first time since Longineu Parsons' departure in 2014 that Yellowcard doesn't feel held back by a lack of firepower. With Childhood Eyes, Yellowcard’s flame is burning as brightly as ever. Long may it last." [10] Kathleen Crooks of Boolin Tunes called the EP a "solid mix of nostalgic leanings and modern refinery, Childhood Eyes is a mature realization of sound for a veteran group returning to form after an extended time apart." Louis Suffill of Distorted Sound heralded Childhood Eyes as "dripping with pop-punk nostalgia, catchy rhythms, and a sound like they’d never even been on hiatus."
Adapted from Childhood Eyes liner notes
Yellowcard
Additional musicians
| Production and design
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Yellowcard is an American rock band that formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1997. The lineup currently consists of lead singer Ryan Key, lead guitarist Ryan Mendez, bassist Josh Portman and violinist Sean Mackin. Primarily a pop-punk group, their music is recognized for having a distinct sound in its genre, primarily due to the prominent use of a violin in their songs, and are best known for their singles "Ocean Avenue", "Only One", and "Lights and Sounds". Released in 2003, "Ocean Avenue" and its parent album of the same name are both certified double platinum in the US by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA); "Only One" and the band's 2006 album Lights and Sounds have been certified gold. The band has released ten studio albums, with its most recent, Yellowcard, released on September 30, 2016. Following this release and supporting tour, the band broke up. The band reunited in September 2022 for a performance at Riot Fest and embarked on a 20th-anniversary tour for Ocean Avenue in 2023. A new EP, Childhood Eyes, was released on July 21, 2023.
One for the Kids is the third studio album by American rock band Yellowcard. It was released on April 3, 2001 on Lobster Records and is the first Yellowcard album to include Ryan Key as lead singer and guitarist. It was produced, engineered and mixed by Darian Rundall at Stall No. 2 in Redondo Beach, California. "Drifting" and "Rock Star Land" both originally appeared on the band's previous EP, Still Standing EP.
Ocean Avenue is the fourth studio album by American rock band Yellowcard. It was released on July 22, 2003, through Capitol Records. After touring to promote their third album One for the Kids in 2001, the band signed to the label in early 2002. Following this, bassist Warren Cooke left the band in mid-2002, and was replaced by Inspection 12 guitarist Peter Mosely. In February and March 2003, the band recorded at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California, with Neal Avron. Ocean Avenue is a pop-punk and punk rock album, which was compared to Blink-182 and Simple Plan.
Anberlin is an American alternative rock band formed in Winter Haven, Florida, in 2002. Since the beginning of 2007, the band consists of lead vocalist Stephen Christian, guitarists Joseph Milligan and Christian McAlhaney, bassist Deon Rexroat, and drummer Nathan Young.
Lights and Sounds is the fifth studio album by American rock band Yellowcard, released on January 24, 2006, in the United States through Capitol Records. Lights and Sounds is Yellowcard's first concept album, which was inspired to reflect what the band was feeling at the time of production and how they have matured in the process. Lights and Sounds also departs from the sounds on Yellowcard's previous album, Ocean Avenue (2003), which broke away from its pop punk sound to a more alternative rock album.
William Ryan Key is an American musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the rock band Yellowcard. He is the owner/operator of a recording studio in Jacksonville, Florida, called The Lone Tree Recordings. He is currently writing music under his full name, William Ryan Key, as a solo acoustic act and electronic act. He is also one half of JEDHA, an electronic duo consisting of himself and lead guitarist of Yellowcard, Ryan Mendez. He has recently toured as guitarist/vocalist/keyboardist for New Found Glory. In late 2018, he played as a supporting act on Mayday Parade's Sunnyland tour along with This Wild Life. During 2021, he live-streamed his songwriting process on Twitch full-time.
"Rough Landing, Holly" is a song by the American pop punk band Yellowcard. The song was written collaboratively by all the band members for their fifth album, Lights and Sounds (2006). The track is built around an introductory guitar sound, followed by a soaring chorus, and heavy beating drums. "Rough Landing, Holly" is one of the songs from the album that is based on a character, Holly Wood, that Yellowcard had developed while working on Lights and Sounds. Despite its name, the song has nothing to do with the plane crash of Buddy Holly.
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"Ocean Avenue" is a song written and recorded by American rock band Yellowcard for their fourth studio album of the same name. It was released as the second single from Ocean Avenue on December 15, 2003, through Capitol Records. "Ocean Avenue" shares writing credits between the band's singer Ryan Key, guitarist Ben Harper, bassist Pete Mosely, drummer Longineu W. Parsons III, and violinist Sean Mackin. It was written about the band's teenage years along the Atlantic Coast. Neal Avron, a veteran punk rock producer, engineered and produced the tune.
"Lights and Sounds" is a song by American pop punk band Yellowcard. The song was written collaboratively by all the band members for their fifth album, Lights and Sounds (2006). The track is built around a guitar riff, which is then followed with a repetitive drumming beat, then it is followed by a roaring guitar sound. The song's lyrics are based on the band coping with the success they were enduring when writing songs for their second album. It is also based on how they have aged in the process. "Lights and Sounds" also goes with what vocalist Ryan Key described as when he was preoccupied with making the album.
Paper Walls is the sixth studio album by American rock band Yellowcard, released on July 17, 2007. This is also the first Yellowcard album with Ryan Mendez, their last with Peter Mosely, and their last studio album to be released through Capitol Records. The album was recorded at Ocean Studios in Burbank, California and was mixed at South Beach Studios in Miami, Florida.
Yellowcard is the tenth studio album by American rock band Yellowcard. It was released on September 30, 2016, through Hopeless Records. This was the last album the band released before their breakup in 2017 and reformation in 2022.
Sean Mackin is an American rock musician. He is best known as the violinist and backing vocalist for the American rock band Yellowcard.
Benjamin Eric Harper is an American rock musician. He is best known for being the founder & former lead guitarist for the American rock band Yellowcard, as well as for the bands Amber Pacific and HeyMike! and This Legend. Benjamin Harper is founder and CEO of Takeover Records. Alongside these projects, Harper is the owner and founder of Takeover Live, a broadcasting and media production company that specializes in live-streaming bands along with giving artists a platform to share their sound on.
Southern Air is the eighth studio album by American rock band Yellowcard. It was released on August 14, 2012 through Hopeless Records. The songs "Always Summer" and "Here I Am Alive", were released as singles, the latter featuring Taylor Jardine of We Are the In Crowd. The album also features guest appearances by Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low and American recording artist Cassadee Pope. It debuted at #10 on the US Billboard 200, their highest-charting appearance since Lights and Sounds debuted at #5 in 2006. It is the last studio album to feature founding drummer Longineu W. Parsons III.
Set It Off is an American rock band formed in 2008 in Tampa, Florida. The band consists of lead vocalist Cody Carson, guitarist and bassist Zach Dewall, and drummer Maxx Danziger.
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