Yard Act
Yard Act | |
---|---|
![]() Yard Act performing at Rough Trade East in London on 21 January 2022 | |
Background information | |
Origin | Leeds, West Yorkshire, England |
Genres | |
Years active | 2019–present |
Labels | Island, Zen F.C. |
Members |
|
Past members |
|
Website | www |
Yard Act are a British rock band from Leeds, West Yorkshire, composed of James Smith (vocals, lyrics), Ryan Needham (bass), Sam Shipstone (guitar) and Jay Russell (drums).[1] Their debut album, The Overload, was released on 21 January 2022 and debuted at No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart.[2] They released their second album, Where's My Utopia?, on 1 March 2024.
History
[edit]Prior to forming the band, vocalist James Smith and bassist Ryan Needham had both been members of other Leeds-based bands. Smith was a member of Post War Glamour Girls and Needham played in Menace Beach, two bands that released a split EP together in 2016.[3] After the release of the EP, the pair began discussing forming a band together, a plan that eventually came to fruition in September 2019, when the pair moved into a house together in Meanwood. They soon recruited guitarist Sammy Robinson and drummer George Townend who played together in Treeboy & Arc.[4] During this period, Robinson departed from the group, leading to the recruitment of Sam Shipstone.[4] Prior to the announcement of their debut album, the band had only released a total of four singles independently. These singles were then compiled onto an EP, titled Dark Days, released in 2021.[5]
Their debut album The Overload was released on 21 January 2022.[6][7] The group was "one to watch" in the BBC's Sound of 2022 shortlist.[8] The group was also named one of Paste's "Best New Artists of 2021".[9] On 1 July 2022, a re-recorded version of "100% Endurance" was released featuring a collaboration with Elton John.[10]
Their second album, Where's My Utopia?, was released on 1 March 2024.
Musical style
[edit]Critics have categorised the band's music as post-punk[11] and indie rock,[12] often making use of elements of 1970s Italo disco, '90s hip-hop and early 2000s indie rock.[4]
Their lyrics are often political, discussing opposition to topics including capitalism, gentrification and social class, told using "dark humour and cynical storytelling".[12] Their lyrics also take a surrealist style, such as on the song "Payday" from their first album.
Members
[edit]Current
- James Smith – vocals (2019–present)
- Ryan Needham – bass (2019–present)
- Sam Shipstone – guitar (2020–present)
- Jay Russell – drums (2020–present)
Former
- Sammy Robinson – guitar (2019–2020)
- George Townend – drums (2019–2020)
Discography
[edit]Yard Act discography | |
---|---|
Studio albums | 2 |
EPs | 2 |
Singles | 14 |
Studio albums
[edit]Title | Details | Peak chart positions | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
UK [3] |
AUS [13] |
BEL (FL) [14] |
SCO [3] | ||
The Overload | 2 | 89 | 148 | 1 | |
Where's My Utopia? |
|
4 | — | 156 | 5 |
Extended plays
[edit]Title | Details |
---|---|
Dark Days |
|
100% Endurance (Elton John Version) |
|
Singles
[edit]Title | Year | Album |
---|---|---|
"The Trapper's Pelts"[15] | 2020 | Dark Days EP |
"Fixer Upper"[16] | ||
"Peanuts"[17] | ||
"Dark Days"[18] | 2021 | |
"The Overload"[19] | The Overload | |
"Land of the Blind"[20] | ||
"Payday"[21] | ||
"Rich"[22] | 2022 | |
"Pour Another"[23] | ||
"100% Endurance"[24] | ||
"The Trench Coat Museum"[25] | 2023 | Non-album single |
"Dream Job"[26] | Where's My Utopia? | |
"Petroleum"[27] | ||
"We Make Hits"[28] | 2024 | |
"When The Laughter Stops"[29] (featuring Katy J Pearson) |
Accolades
[edit]Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | Anchor | Reeperbahn Festival International Music Award | Yard Act | Won[30] |
2022 | NME Awards | Best New Act in the World | Nominated[31] | |
Best New Act from the UK | ||||
2022 | SXSW | Grulke Prize 'Developing Non-U.S. Act' | Won[32] | |
2022 | Mercury Prize | Album of the Year | The Overload | Shortlisted[33] |
References
[edit]- ^ "Yard Act's carefully woven reality deftly picks apart our own in the search for something bigger". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ Savage, Mark (28 January 2022). "Meat Loaf albums return to the UK charts after his death". BBC News. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- ^ a b c "Yard Act | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
- ^ a b c Williams, Jenessa. "Yard Act: Creating punk beyond what we already know – that the Tories are bad". Loudandquiet.com. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
- ^ Skinner, Tom (19 January 2021). "Listen to Yard Act's post-apocalyptic new single 'Dark Days'". NME. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
- ^ Krol, Charlotte (7 September 2021). "Yard Act announce debut album 'The Overload' and share title track". NME. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
- ^ DeVille, Chris (8 September 2021). "Yard Act – "The Overload"". Stereogum. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
- ^ Maclure, Abbey. "Yard Act interview: Meet the Leeds rock band tipped as one to watch in the BBC Sounds of 2022 longlist". Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
- ^ "The 40 Best New Artists of 2021". Paste. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
- ^ Krol, Charlotte (July 2022). "Elton John collaborates with Yard Act for new version of their song '100% Endurance'". NME. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
- ^ Empire, Kitty (2 October 2021). "Yard Act review – spiky chroniclers of sour times". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
- ^ a b Fleischer, Norman. "Yard Act Are The Hottest New Indie Rock Band In Town And "Rich" Proves It". Nothing but Hope and Passion. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 17 October 2022". The ARIA Report. No. 1702. Australian Recording Industry Association. 17 October 2022. p. 6.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Yard Act – The Overload" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
- ^ "The Trapper's Pelts, by Yard Act". Yard Act. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
- ^ "Fixer Upper / The Trapper's Pelts, by Yard Act". Yard Act. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
- ^ "Peanuts, by Yard Act". Yard Act. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
- ^ "Dark Days / Peanuts, by Yard Act". Yard Act. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
- ^ Krol, Charlotte (7 September 2021). "Yard Act announce debut album 'The Overload' and share title track". NME. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ Brodsky, Rachel (28 October 2021). "Yard Act – "Land Of The Blind"". Stereogum. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ Skinner, Tom (23 November 2021). "Listen to Yard Act's new "anti-capitalist anthem" 'Payday'". NME. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ Doria, Matt (7 January 2022). "Listen to Yard Act's tongue-in-cheek new single 'Rich'". NME. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ "Yard Act share new single 'Pour Another'". DIY. 21 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ Reilly, Nick (18 May 2022). "Yard Act enlist David Thewlis for '100% Endurance' music video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
- ^ Dunworth, Liberty (13 July 2023). "Listen to Yard Act's self-referential new single 'The Trench Coat Museum'". NME. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
- ^ Chelosky, Danielle (25 October 2023). "Yard Act Announce New Album 'Where's My Utopia?' and Share 'Dream Job'". Stereogum. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
- ^ Carter, Daisy (1 December 2023). "Yard Act share new album preview 'Petroleum'". DIY. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
- ^ Damara Kelly, Tyler (15 January 2024). "Yard Act return with the self-fulfilling prophecy, "We Make Hits"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
- ^ Skinner, Tom (9 February 2024). "Watch Yard Act play the clowns in new video for 'When The Laughter Stops' featuring Katy J Pearson". NME. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ "Yard Act wins Anchor 2021 | ANCHOR - Reeperbahn Festival International Music Award". Anchor-award.com. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
- ^ Trendell, Andrew (27 January 2022). "BandLab NME Awards 2022: Full list of nominations revealed". NME. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
- ^ "Yard Act Take Home SXSW Prize For 'Developing Non-U.S. Act' | ANCHOR - Reeperbahn Festival International Music Award". 21 March 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ^ "Shortlist". Mercuryprize.com. Retrieved 25 October 2022.