I rather liked their debut album and really thought they were going to hit the big time. Rather like The Fall. Except they never hit the big time either (just The North).
Got chatting to a guy running a record shop the other day and he too loved the first album but told me the second album didn’t sell at all. He saw them at Isle of Wight this year and said it was a very poor turn out.
Perhaps the Fall shaped hole is a very niche market.
First album was great – The Fall meets Half Man Half Biscuit. Second album had moments, but nowhere as consistent (orcohesive?).
Second Album Syndrome?
As with the French Revolution, surely it’s too soon to say about any “New Fall”? They would have to put out at least 30 records before we can judge them fairly..
Intrigued by your Fall reference I’ve just given them a first listen. They’re great. So thank you for that.
Perhaps they just couldn’t get ahead?
In true MES contrariness I liked the second album way more than the first.
That second album sold alright to be fair. If I’m thinking of high(ish) profile stinkers from recent years there’s plenty of artists that’ll come to mind before Yard Act.
The second album’s much better than the first in every way.
Maybe because im in there heartland (Leeds) but they are still a big draw and can fill out millenium square (8000 people)
A band in a similar sort of area to Yard Act who started around the same time were Shame, whose first album is a brilliant sort of Fall/Wire/Bunnymen collision. Second album was unfortunately just a bit, well, dull.
Saw them at Bearded Theory, and they were very good (and funny)
Yard Act being criticised as “landfill Sprechgesang” in my favourite headline from the Quietus.
https://thequietus.com/opinion-and-essays/black-sky-thinking/yard-act-the-overload-review/