Yard Act – Redeemer Review

For those inclined to follow Yard Act on social media, they did promise us a little more music. As the band builds to their third album with new single, Redeemer, there is a sense that the James Smith-fronted band are getting increasingly comfortable with their style and the nuance of what makes them a special lead in the alternative rock scene. Their sound has blossomed over the last four years, hard-working, coalface creativity from the band as they leap from The Overload to Where’s My Utopia? (thanks for the website logo, Well Dweller), and now to this third album, You’re Gonna Need a Little Music. It may find its title changed, redacted, or reworked by the time this review is released, such is the fast-paced social environment we now live in. The band noted that so well on their narrative-driven tale of deceit as a response to desire with Blackpool Illuminations two years ago. Hard to believe that’s how long it’s been since we got a little more music. Redeemer is a follow-up to those previous tones that, simply enough, make sense.  

It’s the trajectory the band is on, and they’re allowing those punk influences to ooze into their sound. Yard Act suits this new instrumental direction. At their core, it’s still the same. Fundamentally unchanged because to shift that dynamic is to lose the purpose of the band. Their unity is their strength, and it means songs like Redeemer, objectively a risk-taking piece from a band whose work lingered closer to alternative rock than the punk scene, can flourish. Yard Act has balanced this desire for a wider universe built into their songs with a fragmented narrative. You can pick it up if you wish, but it can be ignored for those who don’t want the deeper meaning. Check that optional box, though. Redeemer is a convincing argument for the band to keep pushing for those lavish and, frankly, cool music videos and easter eggs. They’re a band whose music goes beyond the stage and studio; this is a wider art project, and Redeemer gives the band a much-needed, darker edge. 

They tested the waters of such a sound throughout Where’s My Utopia? and now sound confident in pursuing those heavy, punchy bits of percussion. But they maintain that familiarity too, the spoken word breaks while Sam Shipstone wails away on guitar, it’s not a comfort but a quality. Instrumentally impressive work from the band, it should be no surprise given their consistencies before this, but it’s always nice to hear that Yard Act is a band unafraid of change. It’s a song of stomping change, and that poisoned tip, that killer blow which Smith and the band are such pros at, is right there too. To call it maturity would be to cast aside their previous works, and we shouldn’t do that. What Yard Act found on The Overload and Where’s My Utopia? is a balance of refreshing genre breakdowns and a fun undercurrent to weather the tougher tones.  

No doubt that latter part will feature on the album, but for Redeemer, it’s a no-frills, piercing punk piece that will linger as a new dawn for the band. Yard Act has always managed to mirror an alternative mood, a desire to do more during tough times. They bring that to life once more here. Redeemer notes the unhappiness with arrangements, both public and personal, and it’s a roaring success for the band. Sharp writing, punchy instrumental work, and a song that sounds like it’s ready to take the lead for future live shows. Divine intervention leaves its mark on the spoken-word section, and from there it’s a build towards an understanding of the world, rather than fearing it and firing off against it. Frustrations bubble to the top and rip through another quality release from Yard Act. They’re right, we do need a little music. It’s still the antidote to terrifying times.