After forming in 1997, Yellowcard released an incredible six records in a ten-year period, culminating with 2007’s Paper Walls. Then in 2008, the band’s respective members began undertaking different endeavours. Personal lives demanded attention; soon the band announced they were going on an indefinite hiatus, fuelling speculation that the band’s creative fire had dwindled. After six musicians having left the band between 1997 and 2006, many believed Yellowcard were finished.
Ultimately however, the pull of Yellowcard was too weighty to ignore, and in November of 2010 the band returned. The aptly-titled When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes was released in 2011. Key admits that 2011 was indeed an “amazing year” for the band, and ever the master of timing, Key and Yellowcard capitalised by releasing Southern Air, their latest, just a year later. Running on said energy has allowed Yellowcard to find their groove once again after their nearly three-year hiatus.
“We are better than ever,” says the 32-year-old. “Everyone is feeling so positive and motivated. It’s amazing. We got back in the groove pretty quickly with When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes last year. We toured over 30 countries and then went right back in the studio to produce what has become Southern Air. It has all been great.”
When Key is pressed on what brought the band back together after the hiatus, he admits that, naturally, it came down to timing. “I think the timing was just right for everyone. We all started to get the itch to be back out on the road playing shows. We’d had the right amount of time for ourselves and came back to the band with a whole new focus and perspective.”
That perspective was aided by longtime Yellowcard producer Neal Avron. Southern Air is Avron’s sixth stint with Yellowcard, including their sole live album Live from Las Vegas at the Palms. While many bands routinely choose new producers to maintain a fresh attentiveness to their work, Key remains committed to Avron as an integral member of Yellowcard’s output. “We just have such an amazing relationship with him,” he admits in earnest. “We trust each other and I think that’s the most important thing. He is the one that brings the new ideas to the table most of time. He’s always pushing us to take our songwriting to new places.”
The new places Yellowcard pushed towards on Southern Air weren’t without another influence. It’s been well documented that the band’s inner circle of family and friends had a tremendous influence on the writing of Southern Air. As the band have collectively entered their 30s, the influence of those close to the band has become unavoidable. Key notes that while writing about friends and family wasn’t a conscious decision for the band, they have certainly become more important in their lives. “During the hiatus I moved back to the East Coast and really had a chance to reconnect with my family. That connection was definitely a motivating factor for Southern Air.”
Geography plays more of a role in the overall aesthetic of Yellowcard than one may believe. Originally hailing from Jacksonville, Florida, Yellowcard may have since relocated to Los Angeles but still maintain close ties with the city. And as the cover of Southern Air and a variety of tracks on the album (Always Summer, Rivertown Blues) illustrate, the band’s ethos is still deeply entrenched in the unique nature of the south-eastern United States in general.
For Ryan Key, ignoring geography isn’t on his agenda. Maintaining ties with his home keeps him grounded. And as the tangibly intense vibe of Southern Air proves, taking advantage of timing and opportunities is also high up on the list. “Geographically, the Southern United States is an important place for me,” says Key. “It shaped me growing up in so many ways and I wanted to share some of that with everyone through the songs on this record.”
BY JOSHUA KLOKE
