Southern Air (album)

Southern Air
Studio album by Yellowcard
Released	August 14, 2012[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) Southern Air (2012) Ocean Avenue Acoustic (2013)
Singles from Southern Air
"Always Summer" Released: May 22, 2012[3] "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.

Promotion

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.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	83/100[7]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Alter the Press	[5]
So, Bring On Mixed Reviews	[8]
Sputnikmusic	[9]
Under The Gun Review	10/10 [10]
Rockfreaks.net	[11]
Glasswerk	Favourable[12]
AbsolutePunk	95%[13]
AllMusic	[14]
Melodic.net	[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.^[7] 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."^[13] 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.	Title	Length
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

iTunes bonus track[18]
Track listing
No.	Title	Length
11.	"Fix You" (written by Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, and Will Champion; originally performed by Coldplay)	4:49

Japanese bonus tracks[19]
Track listing
No.	Title	Length
11.	"Always Summer (Acoustic)"	3:15
12.	"Telescope (Acoustic)"	3:58

Personnel

Yellowcard Ryan Key – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano and keyboards on "Ten" Sean Mackin – violin, vocals, string arrangements, mandolin on "Telescope" Ryan Mendez – lead guitar, bass [20] Longineu W. Parsons III – drums, percussion Additional musicians Tay Jardine - vocals on "Here I Am Alive", backing vocals "Telescope" Alex Gaskarth – backing vocals on "Telescope" Cassadee Pope – backing vocals on "Telescope" Rodney Wirtz - viola on several tracks Christine Lightner - cello on several tracks David Immergluck - pedal steel guitar, mandolin on "Ten" Georg Egloff - piano on "Sleep In The Snow"

Production Neal Avron – producer, keyboards and programming on all tracks except "Ten" Erich Talaba - engineer Brendan Dekora - assistant engineer Ted Jensen – mastering Nicolas Fournier - mixing assistant Artwork Brian Manley – album design, cover photos

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. "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. "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. "Metacritic YC". Metacritic. 2012-08-14. Retrieved 2012-02-25.
9. "Review: Yellowcard - Southern Air". Sputnikmusic. April 10, 2012. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
10. "REVIEW: Yellowcard-'Southern Air'". Under the Gun Review. August 2, 2012.
11. "Yellowcard - Southern Air". Rockfreaks.net. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
12. "Yellowcard - Glasswerk Magazine". Glasswerk.co.uk. 2012-08-13. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
13. Thomas Nassiff (August 13, 2012). "Yellowcard - Southern Air - Album Review". AbsolutePunk. Archived from the original on February 3, 2016. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
14. Matt Collar (2012-08-13). "Southern Air - Yellowcard | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
15. "Melodic Net - Yellowcard - Southern Air". Melodic.net. 2012-08-14. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
16. "ATP! 2012: Albums Of The Year". Alter The Press!. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
17. "Yellowcard New Album "Southern Air" Debuts At #10 On Billboard 200". Alter The Press!. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
18. "iTunes - Music - Southern Air by Yellowcard". iTunes. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
19. "Download flac Yellowcard - Southern Air (Japan Edition) Lossless music format image + .cue". Flac-lossless.net. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
20. https://twitter.com/RyanMendez/status/238434316256956417. Missing or empty |title= (help)
21. "2 Chainz Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200". Billboard. 2011-11-26. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
22. "Yellowcard's "Southern Air" Debuts at #10 on Billboard Top 200!". Hopeless Records. 2012-08-14. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
23. "Yellowcard - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
24. "Vinyl Albums : September 1, 2012". Billboard. Retrieved July 6, 2015.

External links

• Southern Air at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed)