Yard Act - The Overload Review
The Leeds band’s humour and realism give ‘The Overload’ a solid edge that cuts through topics of division and frustration in Great Britain.
Illuminating the issues of post-Brexit Great Britain, Yard Act’s debut ‘The Overload’ presents a melting pot of some of the worst and best characters you might come across. Since forming in Leeds, having played in a variety of successful local bands, Yard Act have grown into a formidable force of their own. On their debut album, the sense of realism provides solid ground for the divisive themes within.
The album opens to single and title track ‘The Overload’, a powerful introduction to the band. Strong grooves and effervescent melodies capture a tongue-in-cheek mockery of modern Britain. Lyrically, Smith is ostensibly imitating the older generations of Britain, jeering at the youth of today having it easy by comparison. Smith’s critique of this character’s inability to acknowledge any issues of younger generations is an all too accurate depiction of the dynamics between the youth and older generations of the UK.
There are a variety of tracks on this album showcasing the anger that we all face at the system and the current state of the world. It’s funny then, that a lot of these tracks have such upbeat positive energy. ‘Payday’ is a great example of this, repetitively exclaiming “take the money”, an overtly capitalistic statement. But it’s these kind of contradictory statements that come across so interestingly, the wonky keys on this track add to this sense of something not being quite right, with Smith’s character seemingly luring and tempting you into becoming a greedy person like him.
‘Rich’ is another song that touches on our deep obsession with wealth. Here, Smith describes a character that is woefully worried he will lose all his money now that he has become rich. This perspective is interesting, as it’s less about the opulence and grandiose nature of wealth and more about the psychological fragility behind the world of the rich. Musically, the track is strongest towards the end when the squeaking and eerie synths come in, leaving you with the inescapable feeling that something isn’t right.
‘Quarantine The Sticks’ with its simple groove openly complements the lamenting vocals from Smith. The chorus melody is one of the catchiest on the record and highlights the musicality of the group. ‘Pour Another’ is another standout track on the album. The juxtaposition of the lyrics “standing round hand in hand watching the world burn down” over wildly overjoyed music make for a great illustration of the social climate, blindly being led off a metaphorical cliff. Smith conveys with good humour the sickening flaws of the characters sprinkled throughout this album.
The album closes on ‘100% Endurance’, a more mellow and sombre track than most of the rest on the album. Lyrically, this track surmises this album’s core theme. “It's all so pointless, it is and that's beautiful, l find it humbling, sincerely” Smith melancholically declares, bringing a sigh of defeat to the album.
The apathetic humour in ‘The Overload’ is in many ways a reflection of the times. Yard Act’s intentions are worn wholeheartedly on their sleeves, that much is clear. But it’s their honesty and accurate portrayals of the people in this country that give the record an edge over their brooding contemporaries. At its best, the album’s musicality and experimentation induce a perfect backdrop to Smith’s vivid characters. There are many times on ‘The Overload’ where singer James Smith’s schizophrenic storytelling shines an honest light on the state of post-Brexit Britain. Scarily, this accuracy leaves you with a slightly bitter perspective of the defective characters Smith describes.
