Equal Vision Records
Release Date: July 21st 2023
Reviewed by: Joshua Andre
Yellowcard– Childhood Eyes (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- Three Minute More (feat. Pierce The Veil)
- Childhood Eyes
- Hiding In The Light
- Honest From The Jump
- The Places We’ll Go (feat. Dashboard Confessional)
Pop/punk music hasn’t really been my thing. Sure, I’ve listened to Stellar Kart, Hawk Nelson, and Relient K back in the day, but that was because they were ‘Christian’ bands and I rationalised that I could listen to pop punk because these bands were Christina, and I couldn’t if they were ‘mainstream’. Now I know that God can use any type of music whatsoever to draw people more to Him. Yet even now, no other pop punk artist impacts on my soul and on my heart. That is, until Yellowcard.
I first heard Yellowcard way back in the day when Stellar Kart covered the song “Only One”. It was original for their 2010 album Everything Is Different Now, but it was removed from the track list for one reason or another. I didn’t pay much attention to the song- but I know it had Christian undertones and could double up as a worship song if you saw it that way. Then last year, Alex Melton satirised the song and covered it as a full on worship song. I briefly wrote my thoughts on Alex covering worship songs here; but the rendition did pique my interest more and more. Was there an uplifting pop-punk band I didn’t know about? Is Yellowcard good for the soul? Childhood Eyes released this past July… and here I am writing my two cents worth about the 5 songs. Pop-punk still isn’t in my wheelhouse. But these melodies are hopeful and encouraging; and speak about real issues and things we all deal with.
Album opener “Three Minutes More” speaks about wanting to go through life again and having a do-over and three minutes more to ‘get it right’. it’s a self-analysing song with lots of imagery and metaphors, and maybe I’m still not getting to the heart of the song. But for me, it speaks about trying to be the best that you are, and not settling until you get there. The title track speaks about being innocent and forever in a state of wonder and awe, and always asking questions of the world around us; while “Hiding In The Light” contains a heap of religious imagery, and speaks about two people who are in a holding pattern in terms of whether it is a romantic relationship or not- the persona longs for them to be together and wants to make it work- even if he has to sacrifice his nomadic and chaotic lifestyle for her. “Honest From The Jump”, an emotional and heart-wrenching melody about knowing that the person you want to be with isn’t into you like that, as they were ‘honest from the jump’ about their feelings or lack thereof, is a track that is as poignant as it is reflective; while this EP ends with the compelling EP highlight “The Places We’ll Go”, where the persona eloquently directs the song to an ex and tells her that he’s changed for the better and that he wants to show her that he’s changed.
Yellowcard isn’t in my wheelhouse still. I didn’t grow up with them. I wasn’t listening to pop-punk when I was younger. Hence, this review I read about their EP, in greater detail than mine, totally went over my head. Regardless, for what it is, this is as powerful and moving EP that gives me hope that even in the bleakest situations, the light and hope shines through. Childhood Eyes encourages us to look through life through the eyes of a child, and as we try to be as innocent as we can and remove our biases; let us be grateful for Yellowcard, for being on their journey and taking us with them as well. Well done guys, I can’t wait to hear what’s next in store for you!
3 songs to listen to: Childhood Eyes, Honest From The Jump, The Places We’ll Go
Score: 4/5
RIYL: Green Day, Stellar Kart, First To Eleven, Fall Out Boy, Maroon 5