SINGAPORE - It’s been 10 years since Yellowcard’s most successful album, Ocean Avenue, was released, so to commemorate the band opted to release an acoustic version of said album retitled, Ocean Avenue Acoustic.

Despite its premise, it surprisingly it doesn’t sound stripped back at all, especially if you’re only hearing it for the first time. The title song sounds like a slightly toned down take of its original, with a lighter touch on the drums. Ryan Key still sings it in almost the exact same way as he did 10 years ago. (But don’t get me wrong, Ocean Avenue is still, without a doubt, one of the best songs by Yellowcard.) Their other hit song, Only One sounded good as well even in this revamped version.

Unfortunately, the acoustic versions of Breathing, Way Away and View From Heaven didn’t sound as good as their originals. Still, there were a surprising handful that did the band justice.

Empty Apartment, is one such track that sounds even better than its original. In this truly stripped-down version, you can feel the raw emotions behind the lyrics - “it’s okay to be angry and never let go, it only gets harder the more that you know” - making you listen and re-experience the track all over again.

Although fans might be slightly disappointed with the acoustic versions, there are still enough gems that’ll make up for it, even making the original track forgettable.