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Where's My Utopia?

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Where's My Utopia?
Illustration of a skeleton on fire, standing on a beach holding a briefcase and a telephone. A hand is reaching up from the water. In the orange sky, an angry looking sun stares at the skeleton.
Studio album by
Yard Act
Released1 March 2024
Studio
Genre
Length43:19
LabelIsland
Producer
Yard Act chronology
The Overload
(2022) 		Where's My Utopia?
(2024)
Singles from Where's My Utopia?
  1. "Dream Job"
    Released: 25 October 2023
  2. "Petroleum"
    Released: 30 November 2023
  3. "We Make Hits"
    Released: 15 January 2024
  4. "When the Laughter Stops"
    Released: 9 February 2024

Where's My Utopia? is the second studio album by British rock band Yard Act. It was released on 1 March 2024 via Island, and was preceded by four singles including "Dream Job" and "Petroleum". The album features a more disco-influenced sound than their debut, The Overload (2022).[5]

Background and release

[edit]

In January 2022, Yard Act released their debut studio album, The Overload. It received an 85% score from Metacritic,[6] peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart and was nominated for the 2022 Mercury Prize.[7] They released a standalone eight-minute single, "The Trench Coat Museum", on 13 July 2023 and teased more music was on the way.[8]

On 25 October 2023, "Dream Job" was released as the lead single to the band's second album, with its title and release date unveiled the same day.[9] Smith said the track was about the struggle of working in a suddenly successful band, and that "getting to do what you've wanted to do since you were a teenager doesn't actually solve your problems".[10] The second single, "Petroleum", was released on 30 November,[11] followed by "We Make Hits" on 15 January 2024,[12] and "When the Laughter Stops" on 9 February.[13]

In March 2024, Yard Act embarked on a tour across the United Kingdom, Europe and North America to promote the album.[9][14]

Composition

[edit]

Speaking to NME, Yard Act frontman James Smith said that recording the album felt much more freeing compared to The Overload, and that they didn't feel bound by any musical restrictions. A departure from the post-punk sound of their previous work, Where's My Utopia? is a pop, "party album", inspired by disco. Smith said the band went "harder on the hooks and [have] crafted better songs."[10]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic88/100[15]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[16]
Clash8/10[17]
Dork[18]
Exclaim7/10[19]
NME[20]
Paste8.8/10[21]
Rolling Stone[22]

Where's My Utopia? received widespread critical acclaim upon release. On review aggregator Metacritic, it has a score of 88 out of 100, based on fifteen reviews, citing "universal acclaim".[15] Writing for AllMusic, Marcy Donelson called it a "[w]ry, riveting, chaotic, and infectious" album that "easily upstages what was an impressive debut".[16] Giving the album a perfect score, Neive McCarthy for Dork called the album transformative, and that it showcased Yard Act "operating with unparalleled authenticity". She added that its introspective lyrics "give space to a complex tapestry of emotions", more so than their debut.[18] For NME, critic Rishi Shah said Where's My Utopia? "tears down the very concept of genre", praising its exploration into various styles including disco and art rock.[20] Ian Gormely of Exclaim! described the lyrical themes as universal and self-deprecating, without the band losing their "righteous fun that drew so many in in the first place".[19]

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by Yard Act. All lyrics by James Smith, except track 2 co-written by Ryan Needham.

Where's My Utopia? track listing
No.TitleLength
1."An Illusion"3:36
2."We Make Hits"3:02
3."Down by the Stream"3:44
4."The Undertow"4:02
5."Dream Job"2:39
6."Fizzy Fish"3:30
7."Petroleum"3:39
8."When the Laughter Stops" (featuring Katy J Pearson)3:17
9."Grifter's Grief"3:19
10."Blackpool Illuminations"7:28
11."A Vineyard for the North"5:03
Total length:43:19

Personnel

[edit]

Musicians

  • James Smith – lead vocals, backing vocals, programming, samplers, Mellotron, glockenspiel, contra bass
  • Ryan Needham – bass, vocals, programming
  • Sam Shjipstone – guitars, backing vocals
  • Jay Russell – drums, percussion, engineering, programming, synths, Mellotron, samplers, piano, backing vocals
  • Katy J. Pearson – lead vocals (track 8)
  • Chris Duffin – saxophones, flute, keys
  • Remi Kabaka Jr. – percussion
  • Zahra Benyounes – strings (tracks 1–4, 10–11)
  • Guy Button – violins (tracks 1–4, 10–11)
  • Francesca Gilbert – viola (tracks 1–4, 10–11)
  • Maddie Cutter – cello (tracks 1–4, 10–11)
  • Ian Stephens – string arrangements
  • Rose Matafeo, Emma Sidi, Nish Kumar, David Thewlis – additional vocals
  • Angel Silvera, Adeleye Omotaya, Rebecca Freckleton, Miss Petra Luke, Michelle Ndegwa – gospel choir (tracks 1, 4–5, 9, 11)
  • Vaibhavi Krishna, Sara Ahmed, Alice Pinches, Mati Dickson, Bea Kendrew, Willow Carter, Kit Farrell, Iona Barton Reddington, Jemima Woodall – children choir (track 9)

Technical

Additional personnel

  • Tom Robinson – cover artwork
  • Ryan Needham – design layout

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for Where's My Utopia?
Chart (2024) Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[23] 156
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[24] 176
Scottish Albums (OCC)[25] 5
UK Albums (OCC)[26] 4

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Redfern, Mark. "Yard Act Share Video For New Song 'We Make the Hits'". Under the Radar. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  2. ^ Taylor, Tom (29 February 2024). "Yard Act – 'Where's My Utopia' album review: Trying to have fun before the inevitable cull". Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  3. ^ Perry, Andrew (3 January 2024). "Yard Act Where's My Utopia Review: Leeds chroniclers' second proves that sometimes, more is more". Mojo. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  4. ^ "Yard Act – Where's My Utopia?". 28 February 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  5. ^ Schube, Will (25 October 2023). "Yard Act Prep 'Where's My Utopia?' LP, Share New Single 'Dream Job'". Flood. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  6. ^ "The Overload by Yard Act Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  7. ^ Singh, Surej (26 July 2022). "Mercury Prize 2022 shortlist revealed". NME. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  8. ^ Dunworth, Liberty (13 July 2023). "Listen to Yard Act's self-referential new single 'The Trench Coat Museum'". NME. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  9. ^ a b Jones, Abby (25 October 2023). "Yard Act Announce New Album Where's My Utopia?, 2024 Tour Dates". Consequence. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  10. ^ a b Trendell, Andrew (25 October 2023). "Yard Act share 'Dream Job' and tell us about new album 'Where's My Utopia?': 'It's about hope and perseverance'". NME. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  11. ^ Bloom, Madison (30 November 2023). "Yard Act Share Video for New Song 'Petroleum'". Pitchfork. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  12. ^ Chelosky, Danielle (15 January 2024). "Yard Act Share New Song 'We Make Hits': Listen". Stereogum. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  13. ^ Skinner, Tom (9 February 2024). "Watch Yard Act play the clowns in new video for 'When The Laughter Stops' featuring Katy J Pearson". NME. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  14. ^ Richards, Will (25 September 2023). "Yard Act announce massive 2024 UK and European tour". NME. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  15. ^ a b "Where's My Utopia? by Yard Act Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  16. ^ a b Donelson, Marcy (1 March 2024). "Where's My Utopia? Review by Marcy Donelson". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  17. ^ Greer, Vicky (28 February 2024). "Yard Act – Where's My Utopia?". Clash. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  18. ^ a b McCarthy, Neive (28 February 2024). "Yard Act – Where's My Utopia?". Dork. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  19. ^ a b Gormely, Ian (29 February 2024). "Yard Act Are on the Pursuit of Happiness with 'Where's My Utopia?'". Exclaim!. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  20. ^ a b Shah, Rishi (29 February 2024). "Yard Act – 'Where's My Utopia?' review: a weird and wonderful leap forward". NME. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  21. ^ Mitchell, Matt (27 February 2024). "Yard Act Get Tongue-in-Cheek and Refreshingly Introspective on Where's My Utopia?". Paste. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  22. ^ Reilly, Nick (28 February 2024). "Yard Act 'Where's My Utopia' review: it's ace, top, mint and indeed boss". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  23. ^ "Ultratop.be – Yard Act – Where's My Utopia?" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  24. ^ "Ultratop.be – Yard Act – Where's My Utopia?" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  25. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  26. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
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