Where We Stand reappears in 2004 via Takeover as a reissue of
Yellowcard's 1999 sophomore effort, in the wake of the Florida combo's major-label debut,
Ocean Avenue. The sound here is a respectable sketch of what would come; while vocalist
Ryan Key had yet to join up, original frontman Ben Dobson doesn't really sound that much different, and his harmonies with
Todd Clary are pretty impressive. There's a heavy
Offspring influence here, along with some
Green Day and
311; the latter group's influence can be heard most on tracks like "Lesson Learned" and "Time Will Tell," where Sean Wellman's violin adds a dynamic instrumental layer to the usual pop-punk power chords and rapid rhythmic pace. "Kids" is another highlight, with its cross of hardcore aggression and cool heavy metal changes, while "Sorry Try Again" keeps thrash in the picture. Fidelity is a bit of an issue here, especially if fans are comparing it to
Ocean Avenue, which was mixed top-shelf style by
Tom Lord-Alge. But
Where We Stand is still an interesting look at
Yellowcard's formative past for listeners made curious by the Capitol release.