Southern Air (album)

Southern Air
Studio album by Yellowcard
Released August 14, 2012 (2012-08-14)[1]
Recorded March 5 April 9, 2012[2]
Genre Pop punk, alternative rock
Length 39:24
Label Hopeless[1]
Producer Neal Avron[1]
Yellowcard chronology
When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes Acoustic
(2011)When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes Acoustic2011
Southern Air
(2012)
Ocean Avenue Acoustic
(2013)Ocean Avenue Acoustic2013
Singles from Southern Air
  1. "Always Summer"
    Released: May 22, 2012[3]
  2. "Here I Am Alive"
    Released: July 17, 2012[4]

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.[5] It debuted at 10 on the US Billboard top 200, making this their second album to debut in the top 10 (the other being their 2006 LP Lights and Sounds). It is the last to feature founding drummer Longineu W. Parsons III.[6]

Recording

Yellowcard began writing and recording early in 2012, shortly after the touring cycle for When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes (2011). The overall positive energy the band had generated was inspiration to begin writing again. The band has already begun to write material for the new record. Bassist Sean O'Donnell left the band that February to focus on his upcoming marriage and family. Josh Portman later joining to fill the bassist position. Guest vocalists on the album include Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low, Cassadee Pope of Hey Monday, and Tay Jardine of We Are the In Crowd. The recording sessions lasted five weeks, concluding April 8.

Release

The album's first single, "Always Summer", was released May 22, 2012. "Here I Am Alive" was released July 31 as the second single. Music videos were also made for both songs. Southern Air was released August 14, 2012. In January 2013, the band went on a co-headlining North America tour with All Time Low.[7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic83/100[8]
Review scores
SourceRating
AbsolutePunk95%[9]
AllMusic[10]
Alter the Press![5]
GlasswerkFavourable[11]
Melodic [12]
Rockfreaks.net[13]
So, Bring On Mixed Reviews[14]
Sputnikmusic[15]

Reception to the album has been positive. Most reviewers have commented on the bands maturity of their musicianship, and the strong lyrical content. At Metacritic, which assigns an average rating out of 100 from mainstream critics, Southern Air received a score of 83, indicating universal acclaim.[8] In addition, Thomas Nassiff at AbsolutePunk.net lauded that the album "is the best pop-punk album of 2012, and it’s a veteran band putting on a clinic for everyone to listen."[9] Alter The Press named Southern Air the best album of 2012, citing that "the band have poured their hearts into Southern Air and there is a tangible sense of passion behind each track."[16]

Commercial performance

The album debuted at #10 on the Billboard 200 chart, with first week sales of 23,000 copies in the United States, making it their second-highest debut, behind their 2006 release, Lights and Sounds, which peaked at #5.[17]

Track listing

All lyrics written by Ryan Key except where noted; all music composed by Key, Sean Mackin, Ryan Mendez, and Longineu W. Parsons III except where noted.

No.TitleLength
1."Awakening"4:24
2."Surface of the Sun"3:44
3."Always Summer"3:10
4."Here I Am Alive" (feat. Taylor Jardine, lyrics written by Ryan Key and Patrick Stump)3:33
5."Sleep in the Snow"4:03
6."A Vicious Kind"3:53
7."Telescope"3:53
8."Rivertown Blues"3:34
9."Ten"4:47
10."Southern Air"4:23
Total length:39:24

Personnel

Chart performance

Chart (2012) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard 200[21] 10
U.S. Billboard Rock Albums[22] 2
U.S. Billboard Alternative Albums[22] 2
U.S. Billboard Independent Albums[23] 2
U.S. Billboard Vinyl Albums[24] 2

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Hopeless Records » Yellowcard’s New Album "Southern Air" Now Available for Pre Order, Debut Music Video for "Always Summer"". Hopeless Records. June 20, 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  2. "Facebook Post on March 4, 2012". Facebook. March 4, 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  3. "iTunes Store". itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
  4. "iTunes Store". itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
  5. 1 2 "ATP! Album Review: Yellowcard - Southern Air". Alter The Press!. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
  6. "Yellowcard Say Goodbye To Longtime Drummer Longineu Parsons". MTV.com. 2014-03-13. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
  7. Whitt, Cassie (October 16, 2012). "All Time Low and Yellowcard announce co-headlining U.S. and Canadian tour". Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
  8. 1 2 "Metacritic YC". Metacritic. 2012-08-14. Retrieved 2012-02-25.
  9. 1 2 Thomas Nassiff (August 13, 2012). "Yellowcard - Southern Air - Album Review". AbsolutePunk. Archived from the original on February 3, 2016. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
  10. Matt Collar (2012-08-13). "Southern Air - Yellowcard | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
  11. "Yellowcard - Glasswerk Magazine". Glasswerk.co.uk. 2012-08-13. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
  12. Holmgren, Henrik (November 9, 2012). "Yellowcard - Southern Air". Melodic. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  13. "Yellowcard - Southern Air". Rockfreaks.net. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
  14. "Review: Yellowcard - Southern Air". Sputnikmusic. April 10, 2012. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
  15. "ATP! 2012: Albums Of The Year". Alter The Press!. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
  16. "Yellowcard New Album "Southern Air" Debuts At #10 On Billboard 200". Alter The Press!. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
  17. "iTunes - Music - Southern Air by Yellowcard". iTunes. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  18. "Download flac Yellowcard - Southern Air (Japan Edition) Lossless music format image + .cue". Flac-lossless.net. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
  19. url=https://twitter.com/RyanMendez/status/238434316256956417
  20. "2 Chainz Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200". Billboard. 2011-11-26. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
  21. 1 2 "Yellowcard’s "Southern Air" Debuts at #10 on Billboard Top 200!". Hopeless Records. 2012-08-14. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
  22. "Yellowcard - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
  23. "Vinyl Albums : September 1, 2012". Billboard. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
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