MUSIC REVIEWS
YELLOWCARDS'S OCEAN AVENUE

Ocean Avenue, the 2003 release from Jacksonville, Florida's latest musical group Yellowcard, is finally coming to the attention of older listeners and music critics across America. The "punk-pop" group was formed in Jacksonville in 1997 and moved to the West Coast in 2000. The band is made up of vocalist and guitarist Ryan Key, vocalist and violinist Sean Mackin, guitarist Ben Harper, drummer Longineu Parsons, and bass guitarist Alex Lewis. The band released several recordings including the 2001 release One for the Kids' and the Underdog EP in 2002. However, it is the 2003 release Ocean Avenue, that has put Yellowcard on the top on the "punk-pop" charts.

Ocean Avenue is a 15 cut CD that includes several hits. The hits include "Way Away," "Only One," and the title track, "Ocean Avenue." The band's songs come from numerous settings. "Way Away," is a highly upbeat tune that describes the bands move to Califorina. "Ocean Avenue" tells how the writer misses a former relationship, as does "Miles Apart."

The band does get a little spiritual with a couple of songs. "View From Heaven" is done in a country style and is extremely catchy. The violin adds a fiddle style to the country sound of the song while the bass player's sister, Aliqia, does the background vocals on the track. "Believe" was inspired by 9/11 and is full of emotions created by that tragic event.

The band is young, and the youth does show in songs like "Breathing." Here the band discusses being 16 and 18 and tends to be a little "high schoolish" much like John Mayer did in Room For Squares. However, Yellowcard will move on to more mature music, much like Mayer did with his CD Heavier Things, when they adjust to the move to California, fame, and find other life experiences to write about. Yellowcard has a new 10 cut CD Where We Stand, released last year; so keep a watch on this band.

Late last year Rod Stewart released Volume III of his series The Great American Songbook. The CD, entitled Stardust, contains 14 songs, and includes great standbys such as "Blue Moon," What A Wonderful World" (made popular by Louis Armstrong), "Stardust," "'S Wonderful," "A Kiss To Build A Dream On," and Cole Porter's classic, "Night and Day." The CD also features guest artists such as Eric Clapton, Dolly Partin, Stevie Wonder, and Bette Midler.

While the CD contains the standard great arrangements and maybe the best selections in the series, maybe it is time for Rod to move on. Many fans miss his contributions to the Rock and Roll genre that seemed to continue to make us feel young at heart, soul, and spirit, if not in body.

If classic nostalgia is what you are looking for, then this CD is a must. If a baby boomer is looking for the nostalgic music of the past, then Rod Stewart's 3 CD set is a great start. If one throws in Chicago's 1996 collection Night And Day, the sound track from Robert Redford and Barbra Streisand's movie The Way We Were, and one or two hit collections from the big band era, then nostalgia for most will be satisfied.