Yard Act

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Yard Act
Yard Act performing at Rough Trade East in London on 21 January 2022
Yard Act performing at Rough Trade East in London on 21 January 2022
Background information
OriginLeeds, West Yorkshire, England
Genres
Years active2019–present
LabelsIsland, Zen F.C.
Members
  • James Smith
  • Ryan Needham
  • Sam Shipstone
  • Jay Russell
Past members
  • Sammy Robinson
  • George Townend
Websitewww.yardactors.com

Yard Act is 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)
  • James Smith
    James Smith
  • Ryan Needham
    Ryan Needham
  • Sam Shipstone
    Sam Shipstone
  • Jay Russell
    Jay Russell

Discography[edit]

Yard Act discography
Studio albums2
EPs2
Singles14

Studio albums[edit]

List of studio albums, with selected details and chart positions
Title Details Peak chart positions
UK
[3] 		AUS
[13] 		BEL
(FL)
[14] 		SCO
[3]
The Overload 2 89 148 1
Where's My Utopia?
  • Released: 1 March 2024
  • Label: Island, Zen F.C.
  • Formats: LP, CD, cassette, digital download, streaming
 4 — 156 5

Extended plays[edit]

Title Details
Dark Days
  • Released: 19 January 2021
  • Label: Zen F.C.
  • Formats: 12-inch vinyl, CD, cassette, digital download, streaming
100% Endurance (Elton John Version)
  • Released: 1 July 2022
  • Label: Universal Music Operations Limited
  • Formats: 7-inch vinyl, digital download, streaming

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]

  1. ^ "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.
  2. ^ Savage, Mark (28 January 2022). "Meat Loaf albums return to the UK charts after his death". BBC News. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "Yard Act | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ Skinner, Tom (19 January 2021). "Listen to Yard Act's post-apocalyptic new single 'Dark Days'". NME. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  6. ^ Krol, Charlotte (7 September 2021). "Yard Act announce debut album 'The Overload' and share title track". NME. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  7. ^ DeVille, Chris (8 September 2021). "Yard Act – "The Overload"". Stereogum. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ "The 40 Best New Artists of 2021". Paste. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  10. ^ Krol, Charlotte (July 2022). "Elton John collaborates with Yard Act for new version of their song '100% Endurance'". NME. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  11. ^ Empire, Kitty (2 October 2021). "Yard Act review – spiky chroniclers of sour times". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 17 October 2022". The ARIA Report. No. 1702. Australian Recording Industry Association. 17 October 2022. p. 6.
  14. ^ "Ultratop.be – Yard Act – The Overload" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  15. ^ "The Trapper's Pelts, by Yard Act". Yard Act. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  16. ^ "Fixer Upper / The Trapper's Pelts, by Yard Act". Yard Act. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  17. ^ "Peanuts, by Yard Act". Yard Act. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  18. ^ "Dark Days / Peanuts, by Yard Act". Yard Act. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  19. ^ Krol, Charlotte (7 September 2021). "Yard Act announce debut album 'The Overload' and share title track". NME. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  20. ^ Brodsky, Rachel (28 October 2021). "Yard Act – "Land Of The Blind"". Stereogum. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  21. ^ Skinner, Tom (23 November 2021). "Listen to Yard Act's new "anti-capitalist anthem" 'Payday'". NME. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  22. ^ Doria, Matt (7 January 2022). "Listen to Yard Act's tongue-in-cheek new single 'Rich'". NME. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  23. ^ "Yard Act share new single 'Pour Another'". DIY. 21 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  24. ^ Reilly, Nick (18 May 2022). "Yard Act enlist David Thewlis for '100% Endurance' music video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  25. ^ Dunworth, Liberty (13 July 2023). "Listen to Yard Act's self-referential new single 'The Trench Coat Museum'". NME. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  26. ^ Chelosky, Danielle (25 October 2023). "Yard Act Announce New Album 'Where's My Utopia?' and Share 'Dream Job'". Stereogum. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  27. ^ Carter, Daisy (1 December 2023). "Yard Act share new album preview 'Petroleum'". DIY. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  28. ^ 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.
  29. ^ 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.
  30. ^ "Yard Act wins Anchor 2021 | ANCHOR - Reeperbahn Festival International Music Award". Anchor-award.com. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  31. ^ Trendell, Andrew (27 January 2022). "BandLab NME Awards 2022: Full list of nominations revealed". NME. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  32. ^ "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.
  33. ^ "Shortlist". Mercuryprize.com. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
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