My fingers are fat. It’s true. Maybe just the fingertips. Laying with my daughter last night I opened up the memo pad on my Samsung Galaxy and I typed. I typed furiously. And them I emailed them to myself so I could reorganize my thoughts.

And it’s true. I’ve been convinced, you can’t buy therapy better than the time you spend writing.  Some of what I wrote could be crafted into lyrics. I think. Sadly even though I can feel every single word I wrote, I can’t for the life of me be the person to put those words to music.

And so this morning I’m listening. I started out with The Wonder Years in specific “Don’t Let Me Cave In,” which I listened to on repeat a few dozen times this morning.

Then I felt compelled to move onto Yellowcard, in hopes for something a little softer. I had never given time to their album Southern Air which released in August of 2012. It’s pretty incredible, I gotta say. This was their 8th studio album, they released one in 2014 as well called Lift A Sail.

Yellowcard has come a long way. I remember them from when I was younger, we’re talking high school years, early college years. I’ve always liked the band, but their new music sheds a whole new layer to what they are capable of as a group and while I’m  impressed  enough to write, I can’t say they’ve “wowed” me.

Of course my current favorite tracks on the Southern Air album is “But Here I am Alive” because as music works… this is the track that has my toes tapping the most at the moment.

“They say you don’t grow up
You just grow old,
It seems to say I haven’t done both,
I made mistakes, I know I know
But here I am alive.
So many people close to me cut me down,
This is supposed to be a bad luck town
I jumped, I fell, I hit the ground.
But here I am alive.”

And what’s that I hear? A violin? Yes, yes, it’s delightful! Find Southern Air track #3, Always Summer, thank me later for the musical goodness you’re about to here. Just listen to that violin… at 2:05 I have to say the lyrics aren’t the best which bothers me, but I’m absolutely in love with the heart violinist Sean Mackin put into the second half of this song.

If you’re not in the mood for a good cry do not listen to track #9 which is titled “Ten.” I have recently learned that unconditional love is unconditional in only one aspect of life. Love for your child. And I cannot fathom every losing one of mine. It breaks my heart when I hear when anyone has died young. This particular song, love the lyrics, but it could have had better music.

Moving onto their 2014 album, released in October, Lift A Sail, this album has a new drummer and it’s on a new label Razor  & Tie. You can hear the differences right off the bat. The lyrics to this album are a bit more compelling which I appreciate but I was hoping to see more in the way of their composition and I didn’t. Still enjoying the violin but there wasn’t anything extra. I wanted more.

Illuminate is my favorite track from Lift A Sail.

Records on, the speakers blown
Fill the air with what we know
Climb a ladder up and hang a hopeful sign
Never lonely, never lost
Never scared to jump across
Revolutions come and go but we survive

The last two Yellowcard albums follow a trend of continued potential but unfortunately I still have a lingering feeling of wanting more; something is lacking. … Except for the violin. ;)

Before I close this post, thank you, thank you to the musicians and the artists and the producers of the world who have the ability to  put scrawled out lyrics to musical notes and create a sound to pull at the heart strings of the world. You don’t know how much you’re needed.