Paper Walls

Paper Walls is the sixth studio album by American pop punk 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.

For the book by John Ajvide Lindqvist, see Paper Walls (book).
Paper Walls
Studio album by
Yellowcard
ReleasedJuly 17, 2007
RecordedJanuary 2 – March 22, 2007
StudioOcean Studios, Burbank, California
GenrePop punk[1]
Length47:45
LabelCapitol
ProducerNeal Avron
Yellowcard chronology
Lights and Sounds
(2006)		 Paper Walls
(2007)		 When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes
(2011)
Singles from Paper Walls
  1. "Light Up the Sky"
    Released: June 5, 2007

Background and production

Prior to the release of Lights and Sounds (2006), it was announced that guitarist Ben Harper had parted ways with the band.[2] He was replaced by Ryan Mendez.[3] Lights and Sounds failed to reach the sales expectations of their break-through album Ocean Avenue (2003).[4] Violinist Sean Mackin called the group "a little too jaded" and Lights and Sounds "a little too dark ... We all went a bit too far." Mackin insisted that the band did not see the album as a mistake, but more of a "learning experience".[4] On October 16, 2006, the band announced over their official website that they were back in the studio doing pre-production.

On January 2, 2007, the band announced they had begun recording a new album.[5] Sessions were held at Ocean Studios in Burbank, California, with producer Neal Avron, who also handled recording. Erich Talaba did additional engineering, with assistance from Bret Rausch and Bryce Iverson. Tom Lord-Alge mixed the recordings, with assistance from Femio Hernandez, at South Beach Studios in Miami, Florida, before they were mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound.[6] Prior to the album's release, the group released 10 behind-the-scenes videos documenting the recording process via their Myspace profile.[7]

Composition

Shortly after the album's leak and release date, the songs "Shadows and Regrets" and "Five Becomes Four" were first believed to have been written about former guitarist Ben Harper, who left the band to focus on his record label, after recording Lights and Sounds last year. However, recently it has been said that "Shadows and Regrets" is about Scott Shad, former drummer of Inspection 12 and best friend of Ryan Key, who died in a car crash. The song seems to reflect this interpretation better, as the chorus states "We were only kids. And we were best of friends. And we hoped for the best. Let go of the rest." While this could understandably be about Ben Harper, he and Key only met in high school, whereas Key and Shad knew each other their entire lives.

Throughout the months of October 2006 to March 2007, Yellowcard engaged in feedback response with their fans to somewhat suggest or influence the outcome of the upcoming album. When asked about the direction of the album, Ryan Mendez responded that this follow-up to Lights and Sounds "has the energy and intensity that Ocean Avenue had and some similarities, but not necessarily exactly the same".[8] He also stated on the official Yellowcard message board on October 21, 2006 that three songs were currently completed and that "[he] really thinks fans of both older and newer Yellowcard are going to be very happy."

In an interview with Jason Tate of AbsolutePunk.net[9] released on June 17 (one month before the release of the album), vocalist Ryan Key described the album as

...very much a record of hope and finding yourself again. It’s after you’ve come through all of that – going to the height of it – and picking yourself back up again. And by “hitting rock bottom” I don’t mean in record sales or fame or any of that shit. I mean personally – emotionally...Paper Walls is the story, the feeling, of what it’s like to be out of those holes, looking back, no regrets, but smarter and having grown through them.

Release and promotion

In January 2007, some sample demo songs were released on the band's MySpace, though they were only rough recordings from pre-production and not the final recorded versions. One demo was a 30-second rough recording of "Date Line (I Am Gone)". Another was the intro to "Bombers", which ultimately did not make it onto the album. The first Yellowcard show since October 2006, when the album began production, took place on March 29, 2007 at the Troubadour in Hollywood, California. During the show, Yellowcard played two songs from their new album ("Fighting" and "The Takedown"). The band played an acoustic set the next night at the Troubadour and also played two new songs, "Shadows and Regrets" and "Light Up the Sky".

On May 14, 2007, the band revealed that their new album would be titled Paper Walls. On the same day, "Fighting" was made available for streaming via the band's Myspace account.[10] On May 18, the album's track listing was revealed.[11] A few days later, the cover art for the album was posted on the band's MySpace profile, along with new promotional pictures. The cover art of the album shows the night skyline of Jacksonville, Florida, the band's hometown. It was announced in a press release for the album that Paper Walls would be released in an additional CD/DVD format, much in the same vein as Lights and Sounds was the previous year.[12] "Light Up the Sky" was released to radio on June 5.[13] From late June to mid-July, the band went on the 2007 edition of Warped Tour.[14]

Paper Walls was made available for streaming on July 10,[7] and released a week later through Capitol.[10] Following its release, Paper Walls was heavily advertised and promoted. On July 20, the band participated in an interactive meeting with fans on There.com, a 3-D online virtual world. In August, they played a show in the studio in Los Angeles that was streamed on their MySpace page, while taking song requests directly from fans via the MySpace Instant Messenger. There have also been several other promotional attempts by the band in the month following the album's release. From late September to mid November, the group went on a tour of the U.S. with support from Ozma, Shiny Toy Guns and Lovedrug.[15] On October 18, it was announced that bassist Peter Mosely left the group to "pursue other endeavors."[16]

In March and April 2008, the band embarked on a headlining US tour, during which they only performed acoustically. They were supported by PlayRadioPlay!, Treaty of Paris[17] and Secondhand Serenade.[18] In addition, MxPx was originally scheduled to support as well, however, they had to pull out due to scheduling conflicts. As a result, the Spill Canvas took their place.[19] On April 25, the band announced they would be going on an indefinite hiatus. Key explained that "It doesn't have anything to do with turmoil in the band. It's more of a, facing adulthood now, and we can't stay in Neverland forever. ... I think we just need a break."[20]

Reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic(62/100)[21]
Review scores
SourceRating
AbsolutePunk87%[22]
AllMusic[23]
Alternative Press
Entertainment Weekly(C)[24]
IGN7.4/10 [25]
Melodic [26]

Critical response

The reactions of critics who have been sent copies of the album to preview before its release have been positive, which has a score of 62 (indicating generally favorable reviews) on Metacritic which is higher than its predecessor Lights and Sounds.[21]

Jason Tate, webmaster of absolutepunk.net has said it is "the best "pop-punk" album of the past 5 or so years"[27] and Drew Beringer claims it to be "like Ocean Avenue, but with more balls." He went on further to say "The more I listen to Paper Walls by Yellowcard, the more I fall in love with it. It has been a long time since a pop-punk album has really enthralled me. Everyone is going to dig this." [28] Allmusic was satisfied with Paper Walls and claimed "Yellowcard is neither the flashiest nor the most popular among the new millennium's pop-punk bands but their fifth album Paper Walls goes a long way in proving that they are among the best of their breed."[23]

With positive critical reception from critics, fans enjoyed Paper Walls as well. This is shown on Metacritic with a 7.6 out of 10, indicating generally positive reviews.[21]

Commercial performance

Following the album's release, it debuted at number 13 on the U.S. Billboard 200, selling about 40,000 copies in its first week, which is less than half of the first week sales of their previous studio album, Lights and Sounds. In its second week, Paper Walls fell to #46, selling 17,000 units. On week three it hit #70 with sales of about 10,000 copies, and on week four it fell to #92, selling 7,000 copies that week. A total of 74,000 copies were sold in the first four weeks of release.[29]

The lead single, "Light Up the Sky", peaked at #32 'Billboard Adult Top 40 Tracks' in the U.S.

Track listing

All lyrics by Ryan Key, except "Dear Bobbie" by Key and William Alexander Speir. All music by Yellowcard.[6]

No.TitleLength
1."The Takedown"3:37
2."Fighting"3:00
3."Shrink the World"3:20
4."Keeper"3:55
5."Light Up the Sky"3:37
6."Shadows and Regrets"3:59
7."Five Becomes Four"3:30
8."Afraid"3:13
9."Date Line (I Am Gone)"3:22
10."Dear Bobbie"4:14
11."You and Me and One Spotlight"3:57
12."Cut Me, Mick"3:34
13."Paper Walls"4:28
Total length:47:45
iTunes bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
14."Gifts & Curses (Live and Acoustic)"5:02
15."How I Go (Live and Acoustic)"4:39
16."Bombers"3:28
  • "Gift and Curses" (Live & Acoustic) and "How I Go" (Live & Acoustic) were made available on the deluxe DVD of the album.

Personnel

Personnel per booklet.[6]

Charts

Album

Year Chart Position
2007 U.S. Billboard 200 13
UK Albums Chart 113
Australian Albums Chart 25

Singles

Year Single Chart Position
2007 Light Up the Sky Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks 32
U.S. Modern Rock Tracks 41

References
  1. "Yellowcard - Paper Walls". Driven Far Off. Archived from the original on 2012-02-15. Retrieved 2012-03-04.
  2. Montgomery, James (November 7, 2005). "Yellowcard Confirm What Fans Already Knew: Ben Harper Is Out". MTV News. MTV Networks. Archived from the original on July 19, 2009. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
  3. Goldberg, Michael Alan (January 27, 2006). "Digging deeper". The Boston Phoenix. p. 1. Archived from the original on May 23, 2011. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
  4. Montgomery, James; Sasha Hamrogue (June 27, 2006). "Yellowcard On Ambitious Lights And Sounds: 'We All Went A Bit Too Far'". MTV News. MTV Networks. Archived from the original on May 1, 2008. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
  5. "Yellowcard begin recording new album". Alternative Press. January 3, 2007. Archived from the original on August 22, 2016. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  6. Paper Walls (booklet). Yellowcard. Capitol Records. 2007. 0946 3 79715 2 9.CS1 maint: others (link)
  7. "Yellowcard stream full album on MySpace". Alternative Press. July 10, 2007. Archived from the original on August 28, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  8. "(OFFLINE) Board Offline". Archived from the original on 2007-10-19. Retrieved 2006-12-20.
  9. Yellowcard Teaser Interview - News Article - AbsolutePunk.net
  10. "Yellowcard set new album's title, release date; post song". Alternative Press. May 14, 2007. Archived from the original on August 27, 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
  11. "AP Exclusive: Tracklisting for new Yellowcard LP revealed". Alternative Press. May 18, 2007. Archived from the original on August 27, 2016. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
  12. Yellowcard Press-Release
  13. "AllAccess.com Alternative eWeekly". AllAccess. May 29, 2007. Archived from the original on August 22, 2016. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
  14. "Throwdown added to Warped 07; Madina Lake drop off". Alternative Press. April 26, 2007. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
  15. "Yellowcard announce tour dates". Alternative Press. July 15, 2007. Archived from the original on August 28, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  16. "Peter Mosely leaves Yellowcard". Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. October 18, 2007. Archived from the original on December 16, 2017. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  17. "Yellowcard plan digital live album, acoustic tour with MxPx". Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. January 15, 2008. Archived from the original on December 16, 2017. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  18. "AP Exclusive: The making of Secondhand Serenade's new video". Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. January 28, 2008. Archived from the original on December 16, 2017. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  19. "The Spill Canvas to replace MxPx on upcoming Yellowcard tour". Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. January 24, 2008. Archived from the original on December 16, 2017. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  20. "Yellowcard to take "indefinite hiatus"". Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. April 25, 2008. Archived from the original on December 16, 2017. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  21. "Paper Walls Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 2016-01-18. Retrieved 2012-04-23.
  22. Tate, Jason (June 6, 2007). "Yellowcard - Paper Walls". AbsolutePunk. Archived from the original on July 1, 2012. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  23. "Paper Walls - Yellowcard". AllMusic.
  24. Halperin, Shirley (2007-07-20). "Paper Walls Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 2010-03-23. Retrieved 2012-04-23.
  25. D., Spence (July 16, 2007). "Yellowcard - Paper Walls Review". IGN. Archived from the original on February 14, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  26. Winberg, Pär (July 3, 2007). "Yellowcard - Paper Walls". Melodic. Archived from the original on April 7, 2016. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  27. Jason Tate's Blog - Blogs - AbsolutePunk.net
  28. Drew Beringer's Blog - Blogs - AbsolutePunk.net
  29. Katie Hasty, "'NOW 25' Scores 12th No. 1 Album Of The Series" Archived 2014-09-13 at the Wayback Machine, Billboard.com, July 25, 2007.
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