Yard Act embrace the chaos with You’re Gonna Need A Little Music

But, with a distinct wry lyricism that has helped separate them from the plethora of recent post-punk acts. Their sophomore album, Where’s My Utopia, retained the lyrical playfulness but cut through with more of a disco and dance flourish. Their third album, You’re Gonna Need A Little Music embraces the chaos of their earlier punk influences. It’s the sound of a group shifting direction.

After the more ranging sounds of their previous album, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Yard Act might continue to expand their oeuvre. Despite being more familiar on paper, this is an album full of confidence. The gnarlier vibe is introduced on the opening track “Empty Pledges” over four minutes of gnarly guitars and almost spoken-word lyricism. It is to the band’s credit that they have made their distinct lyrical style fit the genres they have spread themselves across.

“Redeemer” which preceded the album’s release, has a real sense of angst to it, angry young man energy to the maximum. It’s Yard Act at their most fearsome, full-blooded and going for the jugular. This energy is found in abundance across the album; even if it’s a different kind of kineticism to their previous record, it shows this is a band that knows how to get feet moving. “Fiction” perfectly distils the sound of the record, never letting up, James Smith’s constantly impressive and distinctive vocals doing battle with Sam Shipstone’s crunching riffs.

The softer side of Yard Act hasn’t completely evaporated; however, the title track is one of the record’s highlights, driven by a tinkling piano riff that lingers in the background. The storytelling paints a vivid picture, creative and fun. The more pop-oriented chorus recalls “We Make Hits” or “Dream Job”, it’s a fascinating outlier but one that works a treat to take a brief pause from the melee.

This is the sound of a band in maximum flight, not afraid to change direction, still with the open and fun storytelling but immersed in a darker soundscape. It’s a shift that, for the most part works wonderfully well, making this another distinct chapter in Yard Act’s career to date. It might be more challenging in parts than their previous work but it is not without plenty of reward.