LISTENING TO - Where's My Utopia? by Yard Act

On first encounter you can tangibly hear that this album is an overwhelmingly huge leap on from their debut. Now signed to Island Records, Yard Act have blossomed in quite an unexpected sprightly manner. 

Their first album The Overload was a stroppy post punk inspired kaleidoscope of the contemporary northern experience. James Smith having an unerring ability to pointedly and humorously nail a few modern archetypes. But it seems Yard Act were barely a fully functioning band at the time, more a gestating idea. The words and the music evolved more once they started regular gigging. 

What we have here on this supposedly difficult second album, is the band displaying the broadest range of what they are capable of. And it is rather magnificent in how it presents and handles its themes. It's an album that reflects on what happens to your experience, when what you aspire to become ( a successful performer ) actually starts to happen. 

Beginning with Illusion which portrays how your naive dreams of success as a musician first manifest themselves. 

Then the giddy self intoxication when it final takes off - Dream Job.

Sonically the album is adventurous. Managing to let go the constraints of how they would perform this live. The album stands alone, a sound and song collage, its a completely self contained and complex piece of work. It has echoes of a multiplicity of influences, Blur, The Blockheads, the ever ubiquitous Cooper Clarke, music hall variety acts, The Kinks, fairgrounds, The Fall. Some tracks are poppy and catchy, others are structured in a more musically complex fashion, such as Down By The Stream. 

Then there's the poignancy of the extended monologue Blackpool Illuminations, the albums penultimate track. 

The final track A Vineyard for the North, is questioning, about what do you do next when, having achieved success as a band, popularity alone doesn't cut it anymore, and you venture into farming or cheesemaking or a making a vineyard for the North.

So Where's My Utopia? is less of a state of the nation vignette, but a personal exploration of ambition, fame and a certain amount of amused self parody. Preluded by the video release of The Trench Coat Museum in the summer of 2023, that eight minute opus encapsulated where the band is now at. Bridging the old with the new Yard Act. Its not included on the album, but it is a great set opener/closer and a declaration of new intent. It's obvious why it's not included on this album, as it would not easily fit into its overall mood and the journey Where's My Utopia? takes you on from beginning to end. This could be a contender for best album release if 2024. Makes you excited to see where they take Yard Act next.

CARROT REVIEW - 7/8