Album Review: Yard Act - "You're Gonna Need a Little Music"
Yard Act still feel like they have plenty to prove on their third album, where the decision to record live in the studio together for the first time results in a livelier, more raw release.
Yard Act are a band from Leeds who came out of the late 2010's post punk movement in the UK. I've covered the scene many, many times over the years and have covered Yard Act before. The group stands out in particular with frontman James Smith's narrative, rambling vocals with a dry demeanor over some groovy, catchy hooks. The group shapeshift over each album, most notably playing with dance pop, hip hop, garage and disco on their 2024 album Where's My Utopia?, which became one of my favorite releases of that year. They have a great knack for memorable songwriting and they love to throw everything but the kitchen sink at you. The band's new third release, You're Gonna Need a Little Music, marks another significant change for the group. This time marks the first album where the band aren't fully remote, and are all together within the recording studio. This could be an exciting moment, where I wonder how the band could take this new approach to recording and performing together.
Like their debut The Overload and Utopia, A Little Music plays with different genres and sounds. There's fuzzy garage rock, there's power pop, there's disco, and there's classic post punk. The band sounds pretty cohesive together and play off of each other nicely, matching the goals the band set where each member would stand out throughout the record. The band's charisma and playfulness is still there along with a sense of urgency. There's tracks like the title track, where its disco infused piano pop marks the album's catchiest and most serotonin-boosting moment. "New Beginnings" is another great highlight, being a singalong, chanting arena rock anthem that you'd want to listen to on repeat. "Empty Pledges" has a brooding, raw, angry energy that sounds pretty new to listeners. Its prickly guitar playing is a highlight. The same goes for the in your face "Redeemer," which for better or for worse, is a little too combative and dramatic for my taste. I like the dark piano and guitar tones, but Smith's over the top angrily spitting vocal delivery is a bit too much for me. Some go for the classic rock vibes, like the cutesy "Tall Tales," the radio ready "Fiction." Others go for more fiery, straight to the point garage rockers like the Franz Ferdinand like "Cherophobe Rock" or the Bloc Party like "Thrill of the Chase." "Janey Said" is an album highlight where James Smith's storytelling shines through. Its melodies are sharp and its chorus is solid, even if it could be tweaked slightly. The instrumental of "Talky Talky People" is pleasant, but Smith's repeating of the song's title is a little silly and doesn't leave a huge impact. The plucky saloon rock of "Over the Barrel" results in a great album closer, especially its explosive finale.
My impressions on You're Gonna Need a Little Music are a bit mixed, but mostly positive. Yard Act are still a moving, triumphant band and prove to be across the highlights of this album. They continue to be daring, experimental, and creative. They aren't afraid to take risks, even if some of these risks don't pay off as handsomely as they would hope. A Little Music is performed solidly and thanks to the group's decision to perform in a studio together, is a bit livelier. Could some of these songs be more memorable? Yeah, but overall there are enough moments to return to the album. Despite some of these lukewarm moments, Yard Act still are still a band to watch for future releases and they have proven to be one of the more interesting groups in the post punk genre and UK scene.
My Rating: 6 / 10
Favorite Songs: "New Beginnings," "You're Gonna Need a Little Music," "Janey Said," "Over the Barrel"
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