Just when you think a northern post punk guitar based outfit had become an irrelevant thing of the past, up pop Yard Act. Wearing his antecedents like badges of honour, Yard Act's front man James Smith conjures up his own uniquely brilliant way with words. Cuttingly satirical whilst beaming up this knowing wink to cheer your heart. Its probably not without some significance that an earlier band Smith was in was called Post War Glamour Girls, in many ways John Cooper Clarke is his closest comparison and influence. With a heavy dose of Alex Turner's observational accuracy that made Arctic Monkeys such a breath of fresh air. Yard Act hold a similar potential.
You can hear echoes of Mark E Smith's invective but without the weird otherworldly lyrics, that meant you never really understood what the hell he was on about. The world James Smith describes is a very recognisable one, mythologised and heightened for parodic effect. His songs, like small stories, character studies even. The best example being Fixer Upper, where the central first person narrative is spoken by Graham. He's a builder who does up old houses and sells them on. Employing cheap Polish labour, who he doesn't pay on time. Made a lot of money and boasts about his two homes and the trashy wealthy vulgarity he owns.
Addressed to the previous owner
I don't know how to pronounce their name
I don't think they were from round here, you know
Well, I just moved into the area, yeah
That big old thing over the road
It's a fixer upper though, it's a fixer upper so
We're gonna put poundshop terracotta frogs everywhere
And wrap solar power fairy lights round the gutter
I got a prosecco o'clock poster half price in Ikea
It goes nicely with the existential fear that I feel
When I accidentally wonder
What I'm really doing here
And how long I've got left before I'm six feet under
I can't believe I'm a two homeowner
(Finally!) Can't believe I'm a two homeowner
I've finally got a nice little drive to call my own
I got off street parking for the rover
It's a fixer upper though, yeah, no, not the rover, the rover's golden
I'm talking about that big old thing over the road
Yeah that big old thing over the road!
We're gonna knock through the kitchen wall though
Even though it's grade two Tudor architecture
But we're gonna absolutely ruin it
All alright? We can't stand old shite!
It's a fixer upper! It's a fixer upper!
It's a fixer upper! It's a fixer upper!
Anyway, this letter, I'll just post it back 'return to sender'
Unless you know him, I think...
I think he's called Mr. J Konopinski...?
Oh no wait, that's not an M that's a D
Dr J. Konopinski, do you know him?
Sounds a bit Russian to me... Oh! Polish, I see
And he had a PhD did he? What in?
Probably one of those pointless media degrees, not for me
University of life ya see, I got thick skin
School of hard knocks, gonna knock through that wall on Tuesday
Just in case you or the wife are gonna be in
It's a fixer upper! It's a fixer upper!
It's a fixer upper! It's a fixer upper!
Alright mate, sorry about the commotion yesterday
The bloody builders are refusing to finish the job until I pay 'em
But I told 'em, no one pulls a fast one on Graham
I'm Graham by the way, don't know if I mentioned
I told 'em, I'm not made of money, you're having a laugh
Two homes and a rover, comes from hard graft
I'm not minted, I earnt it
It's not some funny voodoo business
I didn't walk on gilded splinters
To make the dent I did in under a year
I earnt it, In case you're wondering
And as for the builders...
Yeah they're Polish
I'm not bothered about that like
But where you come from, it says a lot about a man
And I'm not from round here, but I am
Also they won't take cash in hand
What's with that? Maybe they wouldn't need the money so bloody fast
If they weren't willingly giving it all to the tax man
You take what you can get where I'm from
And I'm not from round here, but I am
I'm Graham by the way
(Hey Graham)
I'm Graham
I'm Graham
Yard Act are based in Leeds, but have not been on the scene that long. They are another band for whom word of mouth has spread fast. So now they are caught by the music media spotlight. With only a handful of gigs and a four track EP Dark Days to go on. A full album emerges this month entitled The Overload. Plus finally a bit of money for videos. A stand out track released in advance of the album is Rich, fun and affectionate ribbing of its subject matter, whilst also being a wry commentary on our attitude to people who have lots of money. Smith contrasts this via various working class archetypes holding up a fifty pence piece. Yes, its not just the millionaires, we all have a very skewed ideas about what true wealth is.
Though the lyrics are what most hold your attention its important that I mention the music too. This never rests in one style for long. One track a noise infused racket, another sounds more like a cheesy working men's club backing band. But nonetheless it propels the tracks along in a tense high gear. I can see them becoming popular, But I can also see them becoming a bit of a one trick pony, with only a novelty single or a cover to pin their fame to. Enjoy their early flourishing while it lasts.
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