Where’s My Utopia? Yard Act

• 1 An Illusion 03:36
• 2 We Make Hits 03:02
• 3 Down by the Stream 03:44
• 4 The Undertow 04:02
• 5 Dream Job 02:44
• 6 Fizzy Fish 03:30
• 7 Petroleum 03:39
• 8 When the Laughter Stops 03:17
• 9 Grifter's Grief 03:19
• 10 Blackpool Illuminations 07:28
• 11 A Vineyard for the North 05:03
• Total Runtime 43:24

Info for Where’s My Utopia?

The return of Yard Act. Where’s My Utopia? is the follow up to the Leeds band’s critically-acclaimed debut record The Overload which arrived in January 2022. Written in snapshots of time between a relentless touring schedule, and produced jointly by the band and Gorillaz’ Remi Kabaka Jr, the quartet’s second act is a giant leap forward into broad and playful new sonic waters. Across the record, influences ranging from Fela Kuti to Ennio Moricone via Spiller’s ‘00s pop smash ‘Groovejet’ make themselves known.

It’s a celebratory palette upon which Smith allowed himself to reach lyrically deeper into himself than ever. Gone, largely, are the outward-facing character studies of yore, replaced with a set of songs that stare fully into the headlights of life, wrangling with the frontman’s own fears and foibles to create a sort of Promethean narrative - but with jokes.

"‘Where’s My Utopia?’ is a musically diverse step forward for Yard Act, who refuse to be intimidated by their debut, as Smith asks himself at the end of ‘Blackpool Illuminations’, “Why the fuck was I wondering what wankers would think of album two?” (Vicky Greer, clashmusic.com)

Yard Act

Yard Act
formed in Leeds in September 2019 when Ryan Needham found himself temporarily living in James Smith's spare bedroom. The two had been pub associates for years, but their new living circumstances served as a catalyst for their friendship and creative partnership which saw them fuse James' interest in spoken word with Ryan's primitive proto-punk demos using an ancient drum machine and borrowed bass guitar. They released their first material in March 2020, coinciding with you-know-what, and with just three singles (The Trapper’s Pelts, Fixer Upper and Peanuts) and three gigs to date, Yard Act have staked out a territory all their own. Setting up their own imprint Zen F.C. they released their debut 7” which can now only be found for exorbitant sums on Discogs, they’ve scored two 6music playlists, and they’ve won a growing fanbase with their coruscating, narrative driven, spoken word dance-punk. Now girding their loins for a 2021 filled with new music, new recordings, debut novels, and (fingers crossed) plenty of live shows, Yard Act have most definitely marked our cards as one of UK’s most exciting prospects.

This album contains no booklet.