Yard Act's new album opens with singer James Smith declaring, "I've got absolutely nothing new to say!" over a cacophony of doomy piano chords and crashing drums. Later, in the same track, Smith whips himself into an unhinged preacher mode, asking, "Do you feel like an impostor for every new level you ascend to too?"
Honest or Self-Sabotage?
Smith grins when asked if this is refreshingly honest or ludicrous self-sabotage. "I don't know if anyone has anything new to say really," he says. "We're in this age where everything has to be a manifesto and a statement, but it's mainly just a one-way conversation. Nobody wants to explore the grey areas anymore."
If Yard Act's music suggests self-doubt is the new braggadocio, speaking to Smith is no different. He fluctuates between confidence and worry, frequently backtracking or qualifying his statements. At times, it's like listening to someone have a live philosophical argument with themselves.
Meet Janey
On the new record, Smith invents an alter ego, Janey, for this very purpose. "Janey is that part of my brain that never stops thinking," he explains. "A part of me just wants to be content in the moment, but then Janey represents the part that thinks I should be dreaming bigger."
This frazzled state of self-examination is why many connect with the band. Status anxiety, existentialism, and imposter syndrome are relatable themes. "On our first two albums, we almost felt like competition winners," says bassist Ryan Needham. "It took a lot of time to get over that and think, 'No, we're good. We deserve a seat at the table.'" He quickly adds, "I don't mean that in an arrogant way!"
Smith adds, "It's good to have a mix of self-doubt and self-belief. It's kept us on a steady path. Which is boring – because you want people to say they're the best band in the world. Whereas I think we're really good. It's about having self-belief without going full Kanye."
Staying Grounded in Leeds
The music industry's perilous state is a reason for such honesty. Even successful artists like Yard Act, with two Top 5 albums and a collaboration with Elton John, worry about financial security. "I think that's because we still have a foot in both worlds," says Smith. "I'm not segregated from society like some A-list celebrity. Living in Leeds plays a big part in staying grounded."
When Yard Act burst out of Leeds during the pandemic, they were a frenetic post-punk band picking at the scabs of late capitalism. Their second album, Where's My Utopia (2024), broadened their sound and explored personal themes like fatherhood and childhood.
A New Evolution
You're Gonna Need a Little Music marks another evolution. Written as a full band in their Leeds studio, it navigates eclectic influences – Blur, the Prodigy, disco house, desert rock-era Arctic Monkeys – while Smith explores surreal, impressionistic wordplay. "Flat out lies climb chaos spires / As Rapunzel lets down your tyres," he sings on new single Redeemer.
Smith bought oil paints on a whim, which unlocked his brain from musical tropes. With earlier song Blackpool Illuminations, he felt he'd pushed direct storytelling as far as he could. "I got tired of literal explanations of songs," he says. "I wanted to hark back to when I first connected with music and didn't need it explained. Getting lost in words is just a really nice thing."
Memory and Bullying
Tracks like Tall Tales and Fiction deal with memory. "How we remember things is not necessarily how they happened for others," Smith says. "If two people can't remember, how can an entire planet?"
Smith has direct experience. On Down By the Stream, he recounted bullying a boy named Jono who struggled with hearing and speech. "He spoke a little slow and I was a prick about it," the lyrics reveal. "I've gotta live with it." Smith says they are now friends again, and Jono didn't even remember it being that bad. "I've always looked back, like, 'Oh fuck.'"
Opening up was hard but rewarding. "I probably wouldn't have been able to do it at the time," Smith says. "But ownership is important. We live in a society that punishes and doesn't want to open a conversation about flaws."
Moving Forward
Days later, Yard Act debut new material at a tiny London venue. The energy suggests they are refreshed. Smith and Needham agree they'll keep going as long as it's fun. "I don't want to get into that megaband on the treadmill thing," Smith says. "If the ideas aren't coming, you shouldn't do it. But we'll keep going because we still have something to say."
