Yard Act – You’re Gonna Need A Little Music

Yard Act are a curious band. A project’s likability rarely factors into my overall opinion, but with the Leeds quartet, their ability to be somewhat unlikable only heightens my curiosity. It’s no surprise how their third full-length album thrives on contradictions, one moment sucking you in with their sumptuous grooves and then spitting you out with its blistering anguish.

Upon first listen, an acerbic opener like “Empty Pledges” doesn’t greet you with the warmest welcome. There’s something about its discordant, From Her to Eternity-era Nick Cave style that intrigues, as lead singer James Smith comes back to his hometown and declares wanting to “retain the right to roam.” But when you realise that Smith feels displaced in the very place that brought him up, you begin to understand that the forces that seem to push him out are beyond his control.

That tiny smidge of empathy sometimes feels hard-earned, because as the soul-tinged “Thrill of the Chase” shows, Smith returns spitting purely obvious lines fending off hypocrites over a few James Brown-like grunts. There is a little of Damon Albarn in his delivery, sans the rapping, so your mileage may vary on whether you appreciate his satirical, to a degree, everyday observations on British society.

Drawing from a variety of musical styles is always welcome, especially at a time when so much indie music champions consistency over eclecticism. That said, not everything on You’re Gonna Need a Little Music lands. While the loungy, mellow “Janey Said” points to their musical growth, the high-octane stomp of “Redeemer” veers a little too close to Imagine Dragons territory. The spooky, punk-driven “Cherophobe Rock” also left me a little indifferent, but if they were aiming to expand their reach à la Cage the Elephant, I endorse the move. Point being: you’ll never get bored by the band’s cheeky banter, with its frequent shifts often infused with a sense of jubilance.

By the time “Over the Barrel” concludes the album with unbridled excitement, its most overt homage to Britpop, and a damn good one at that, you get a distinct impression of them playing in a room with each other for the first time. You’re also left with a slight feeling of what could’ve been, even if they end up delivering a more palatable listen than the relatively scattered Where’s My Utopia? Even if you’re ultimately left conflicted by the final result, you appreciate their ability to put up a good challenge.

You’re Gonna Need a Little Music is out now via Island Records.